What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?

What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?

This is for all my fans who might be suffering from the this affliction.

Is it a toothache? Feels like it at first. Is it lightning like pain up the side of your face? Definitely. Does it stop you in your tracks and you can’t move? Very much, yes. Do you feel like you’ll never be normal again, without pain? Yes.

Trigeminal Neuralgia or TN, for me, was an awakening to pain, pain in which nothing helped and very few people knew what to do. We are told to take control of our health care but, if you don’t know what you have and the doctors flail around with different types of medicines, how can you take control?

TN was a sudden electric-like jolt up the side of the face that was debilitating. I would stop dead in my tracks and could not move because, if I did, the pain would last longer or get worse, if that were possible. It felt like someone had hit me with a two by four in the face. Not good. Horrible, actually.. These electrical shocks lasted anywhere between five seconds to several minutes.

By the time it was apparent that something was wrong and the time that I corrected this defect, one year had passed. The pain started as a sharp pain that ran from my next to the last tooth and traveled to my head. I thought I had a really bad toothache. However, I had been lucky in my life and had never had a cavity, so I had no idea what a toothache was like. I went to the dentist and had X-rays. Nothing. But the pain continued.

I would walk outside in the fall or winter and, whenever a breeze blew against my face, it would set off the pain. It was hard to brush my teeth without the pain occurring. With most pain, you can massage the place and make it better. With this pain, massaging was out of the question unless you wanted to hit the roof with more intense pain.

Several months later, I was stooping while I was helping to build a garage and I felt so much pain shoot from that tooth to my head around the temple. I couldn’t move. I can only surmise that my blood pressure rose and intensified the pain. I went to a dentist again, who ground on my teeth. Did it work? N-o-o-o!!!

I was new to the area, but I found a woman doctor who would see me and she quickly diagnosed the problem and sent me to a neurologist. The neurologist gave me several kinds of medication. Each one worked for a short while, but then the pain was back. I don’t know what’s wrong with men doctors but, for some reason, they don’t want to listen to female patients. Finally, my husband went with me and we both asked if something else existed. Only then was the option of surgery presented.

The two options open to me were Gamma Knife radiosurgery and Microvascular Decompression Surgery. With the Gamma Knife, I would not be assured of the pain not coming back in five or so years. Also, if it did come back when I was older, I may not be able to go through the more invasive surgery. I opted for the Microsvascular Decompression Surgery. Was I scared? Betcha.

The surgery consisted of cutting a half dollar sized hole in my skull behind my left ear and putting a Teflon pad between the nerve and the blood vessel which pounded on it. Then the hole was covered over with a titanium plate. I spent several days in the hospital and it took about a month to recover. My face was numb for about a year and once in a while it will feel a little numb. I can live with that. The pain, I couldn’t. It has been four years since I had the operation and I am glad I had it done. I hope it doesn’t come back.

Draft of Next Book

Draft of Next Book

Today I finished the first draft of my next book in the Rachel Christie Murder Mystery Series. Once I had written the outline, the writing was easy. I had several characters in my book who could be the guilty party and I hope my fans have fun trying to figure out who actually committed the murder.

However, the first draft is only the initial phase. Many more passes and edits will be required before the book will be ready for publication. Just running it through the spell checker will not do it. I have to double check that everything flows and that the evidence is consistent. The same was true with my first book "Murder by the Clock" and my second book "Murder in Emerald Hills."

I would like to thank my fans for their encouraging words and reviews of my two previous books.

2005 Nuit-Saint-Georges Wine Review

2005 Nuit-Saint-Georges Wine Review

This past week I opened a bottle of 2005 Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos Saint-Marc Premier Cru and I was glad I did. I've heard so many wine reviewers talk about chewing the wine, but never knew what they meant until now. When I tasted this pinot noir wine, it was like my whole mouth came alive for the first time with a wine. It had the perfect balance of the essential elements, well balanced could not begin to describe it. It was perfect. I have tried a lot of French burgundies, but this one was exceptional. It was a dark red wine with the aroma of dark berries. It made a perfect complement to my salmon dinner. If I ever get enough money, I would definitely buy more.

Statues of Easter Island or How to Move a Head

Statues of Easter Island or How to Move a Head

Today I read an article on Yahoo about how the tall statues on Easter Island were transported to their resting places. One theory says that the tall maoi statues, over 30 feet tall, were transported by ropes and by walking the statues to their resting places. Another was that the statues were laid in a cart and moved that way.

When I was on Rapa Nui or Easter Island, all I know is that I was amazed at the size of all the statues. They came in all sizes and looked differently. The tallest was lying down which sort of give one the impression that it was just dropped into place and no one could lift it. The statues were everywhere, lying on the hillsides and on the plains. It was something I remembered reading about as a child and finally was able to see in real life. It was amazing. Or, as Cliff Robertson said in the movie "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid," "it's a wonderment."

Nightmares - Reality vs. Fantasy

Nightmares - Reality vs. Fantasy

Many times dreams transcend fantasy and reality and become almost living nightmares. When nightmares become scary is when reality merges with the fantasies from the past and the present. The woman sleuth in my Rachel Christie mystery series has such a problem. Her nightmares are a result of her experiences in the past and in the present. In my first book Murder by the Clock she has nightmares concerning the death of her fiance and in my second book Murder in Emerald Hills her nightmares from her past work experiences collide with her present investigation.

Why people have nightmares have been attributed to many things. Some say that bad movies or bad experiences. One of my favorite reasons was, given to me as a young child, eating cheese before bedtime. Another reason can be medication. Too much or too little thyroid medication can trigger nightmares that seem real.

Last night I had such a dream as in Murder in Emerald Hills and I will relate that in the next book I write. It becomes scary when, after having that nightmare, you awaken and are not quite awake and feel that it is actually happening. People who write some novels and movies must have some weird horrible dreams. I can relate to that. Putting it on paper for me has to be as soon as possible, otherwise, I will forget it. And that, believe me, is a good thing.

Super Heroes

Super Heroes

Last week we went to see "The Avengers" and I can't keep thinking about it. I had to wait until the crowds had disappeared. Along with my husband, the only other people in the theater were a woman and her son. It was great.

I think that all the characters were cast perfectly. I'm not a big Robert Downey Jr. fan, but I do think that he played his role well. Probably like that in real life. My favorites have always been Thor and Captain America. Call me a softie for the patriot in Captain America and the long hair and hammer of Thor.

I think we need more heroes and heroines in real life, those who come from the working class. I am partial for engineers since I am a mechanical engineer. My heroine in my books, "Murder by the Clock" and "Murder in Emerald Hills," Rachel Christie, is a mechanical engineer turned private investigator sympathetic to the downtrodden and overcomes many obstacles.

Sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains

Sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains

Yesterday was a day chocked full of writing on my next mystery book. I added almost 5,000 words to the third of my Rachel Christie Mysteries. After writing, I was rewarded with a beautiful sunset of the Blue Ridge Mountains from my living room windows. Aah! The wonder of nature.

The Power of Mindless Activity

The Power of Mindless Activity

Since publishing my book “Murder in Emerald Hills,” last week on Create Space and Amazon, I have been relaxing and enjoying reading and doing some yard work. Both of these activities are good in preparation for my new book.

Yes, I already have the major plot outlined, but I have a few minor subplots on which I need to work. Giving my mind time to relax by doing mindless activities helps me to hone those plots.

Since my first book Rachel Christie book “Murder by theClock,” I came up with several plots for my next four books. As I mentioned, I just completed book two and published it on Amazon and Create Space. I started writing one of the other books but realized that particular book needed to be around number five in my series. Since then I started putting the plot together for book three and have, actually written the first three chapters. However, before I continue this book, I need to finalize my subplots. That is where I started this post. Actually, I have come up with some small subplots. I guess my mindless activity is paying off.