Random Ramblings

I have seriously had a headache for the past 4 days. Not just an irritating headache that can be easily ignored. A pounding, sometimes searing, eyes hurting, blurry vision, neck stiff and sore headache.

No - I don't have meningitis.

What I do have is syringomyelia. And headaches are par for the course. Driving for hours will set it into motions. Weather changes will set it into motion. Lifting more weight than I should will set it into motion. Hell- breathing, at times, can set it into motion.

It's swell.

What is it? In a nutshell, for those not familiar with my tale of woe, I have a syrinx that runs a good long distance of my spinal cord. They say it is trauma related but I am at odds about which trauma caused it. They say breaking my back 11 years prior to the syrinx discovery did it. I say the botched spinal for Kaylen's birth (months prior to symptoms and two years prior to definitive diagnosis) did it. Either way - it doesn't matter. It's there and it's no fun.

A syrinx is created by something puncturing the spinal column. The puncture allows spinal fluid to enter the spinal column and created a cyst type fluid filled cavity that changes (for the worse)based on many factors. The spinal column houses the nerves to your entire body. The fluid puts pressure on the nerves and cause a host of symptoms...and a whole lot of pain. Some days worse than others. The worst case scenario of syringomyelia? You know, besides death, is paralysis. There is no cure. It is so not awesome. (this is a photo I found on the web. That black oval shape in the spinal cord is a syrinx.)

Anyway - lesson over. Hit goggle if you want more info. :)

So the headache is making life challenging this week. I don't let it stop me. I can't. I refuse to. I know that some days I should, because resting will help settle down flare-ups but I just don't have the time or the patience to sit still for long. Sleeping with constant pain is hard to do. Being tired makes it hard to cope. A vicious cycle, but there it is.

This leads me to this point: I didn't sleep last night. Maybe an hour or two but nothing solid. So while I was laying there awake many thoughts traipsed across my mind. The normal stresses, of course, but also trivial things like...in the house I finally end up living in (for what I would like to think is the rest of my very long life) I would really like to have something like quick step laminate flooring. I'm done with wall to wall carpeting. Sure, it's warm and cozy and reduces echo but I am so sick of carpet that holds onto stains - and smells. I want an easy clean wood laminate floor with area rugs. Want to change the look of a room? Switch out the area rug. Rug has a huge ugly stain? Change it out.

I have wanted wood laminate flooring for years and years. Imagine how much easier dog accidents would have been to clean up. Spilled milk from the kids. Muddy paw prints from the animals. All so much easier to clean. And maybe it's me but I think wood laminate floors make a house feel bigger.

Whenever I hear the commercials for "buy two rooms of flooring and we will do the entire house for the same cost", I always stop in my tracks and start dreaming. How much would that cost? It sounds so enticing. Not that I have the money but honestly? I'm willing to bet it would make this house easier to sell when/if that time comes.

My brother's house has wood laminate floors and I love it! Sure, you need to be sure everyone has slippers to keep their feet warm but still....the overall look and feel of a house with wood laminate flooring is really great.

So now you know....when I have a splitting headache and can't sleep, I think about really odd things. :)

And for the record, I'm really ready for this headache to go away.