I went to the hospital this morning to find Clay up and about, smiling! His headache level this morning was a 1!!! yipee :) He was discharged today sometime around 1000. we have a maintenance plan to take home with which we hope to manage the headaches better. we also have a better understanding of his disease and feel more confident about being able to cope with it and not let it get as bad as it was. I think he will still have headaches and probably have another bout where we will need to come back to Chicago because that seems to be the long term case for most migraine sufferers like Clay. He is different somehow...more confident and happy. We both feel as if this trip up here was what we needed. The Lord really brought everything into perspective and helped us both to realize that this is something we will have to learn to live with but does not have to control us. I feel that we found the answer we were looking for. There is not an underlying cause to Clay's headaches; he simply has a vascular disease Chronic Migraine without aura. It is more severe than most people might have it, but it is good to know there are others who have walked the path we are on and are walking it now without excruciating pain. We will have to make lifestyle changes, but they will be good. The changes are all things we have integrated into our lives somewhat, but now we are understanding they will be daily things we do, not just something we do for a season to get back to "normal". Some of the changes include diet and exercise and a quieter, less busy lifestyle. Clay will probably have to change jobs, but he is ok with that. I just like to see him up and about walking around with some spunk in his step. I will confess that I am nervous about coming home and getting back to life so to speak, but am just trying to take it day by day and trust that the Lord is with us. I feel like we have a new beginning and am excited for less stressful days. Thank you so much to everyone who has been so diligent to pray for us and walk through this with us. We know we would not be where we are today without everyone's support.
We plan to come home monday night. Clay didn't want to rush home right after being in the hospital for 10 days, nor did I. He also wanted to be in town on Monday in case he needed to go back to the clinic for something. Hopefully we wont have to. We have a follow up appointment in March with his doctor up here, and will be seeing his neurologist at home to help regulate his medications. He is going home taking 4 pills a day and wearing a patch...big change from 35 pills a day! He has new medications to take when he feels like his headache is getting worse and we know better how to take those meds to get the full benefit. There is also an 800 number we can call if we have any questions, so that is encouraging. I'm glad that we came. It was obviously the next right step for us.
It will be new for me to not worry so much about Clay's head, but it will be a good thing! My work is to continue to let go of him to the Lord and not worry constantly about his head. Pray that we will be able to take home our new mindsets because it will be easy to fall right back into the same mindsets and patterns we had in Nashville. I'm sure there will be setbacks as no one is perfect and life is so unpredictable, but for now it feels like our three year crisis is over. Pray that it stays that way!
love sarah
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