I personally have dealt with headaches for years, going on and off medication to try to help with my symptoms. During my college winter break, I got to see a new doctor who was trying to figure out if headaches, spinal cord leaks, or brain surgery needed to be on the table as a possible solution to alleviate my symptoms. After a thorough examination and review of my medical history, the doctor recommended further diagnostic tests to determine the root cause of my headaches. They explained that spinal cord leaks and brain surgery were potential options but emphasized the importance of a comprehensive evaluation before making any decisions. The doctor assured me that their goal was to find the most effective and least invasive treatment plan to alleviate my symptoms.
The feeling of that is that a lot of the time, when people hear the word chronic pain, they don’t understand that it is a full disability and that even if you don’t see it, the person is going through it. Chronic pain can greatly impact a person’s daily life, affecting their ability to work, engage in activities, and maintain relationships. It is crucial for society to recognize and empathize with the invisible struggles faced by individuals experiencing chronic pain. A lot of the time, I feel personal in my relationship with my partner. I feel like a burden because I am always in pain, and we try to make plans with their family. Most of the time, I do try to power through it since I don’t want them to know what I am going through, but we always end up leaving early due to my headaches and the pain I am in. I think, as of right now, my longest headache pain is straight, where I can’t do anything for 90 hours while stuck in bed. It can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening to constantly experience pain and have it affect your ability to fully participate in activities with your partner and their family. It’s important to communicate openly with your partner about your struggles, as they may be more understanding and supportive than you realize. Explaining the severity and duration of your headaches can help them better comprehend the impact they have on your daily life, fostering empathy and potentially finding ways to accommodate or adjust plans accordingly.
Understanding that during my whole time in college I had three surgeries and also thinking about how fighting with my doctors letting me finish my degree in June since I am almost done and that I belevice that I know if it is something that can’t wait then I would understand a little bit more. I am lucky enough to go to a college that understands that I can’t help when I have a big, long headache, but in some situations where I can only use three hours to make up tests or homework, some workplaces understand better with people with chronic pain. However, I have found that not all work environments are as understanding as my college. It can be frustrating when employers do not provide the necessary accommodations for individuals with chronic pain, making it difficult to balance work and health. Despite these challenges, I remain determined to complete my degree and find a supportive work environment that recognizes the impact of chronic pain on productivity.