Invisible Illness: Chapter 1

[aalikane]

Media: (Fic)
Title: Invisible Illness Chapter 1
Rating: PG-13 (for now)
Spoilers (if any): None
Warnings (if any): Descriptions of pain
Word Count: 1900+
Summary: Kurt suffers from his first of many headaches. How does he cope with something this horrible, when he needs it so little?

Author's Note: This is a therapy fic. I'm writing this as a way to

Comments

[psychochick89]

I love you for writing this story. I also suffer from chronic migraines (although fortunately I've been able to control them with medication for the last year and a half fairly well), and I have a chronic neurological pain disorder called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in my foot/ankle. It's a breakdown in the sympathetic nervous system that stems from some kind of trauma (in my case, a stress fracture) that causes the nerve endings to become hyperactive and cause pain that shouldn't otherwise be there. It is most typically characterized by a "burning" pain sensation and skin hypersensitivity, but can have a whole host of other problems including swelling, circulation problems, physical changes in the skin, muscle and bone deterioration, plus it can spread to other parts of the body, or throughout the entire body. Once it develops, it usually progresses fairly rapidly into the more serious symptoms, and of course since it's a rare condition it isn't uncommon for people with this condition to go years before being diagnosed, at

[phantomreviewer]

I hate to hijack and turn this into a disability meet-and-greet, but I've got CRPS too (on top of a whole load of other stuff) and haven't met all that many people with it. Glad to hear that your medication and PT worked, what are/were you using? (I've been messed around by my doctors a lot.)

[epicjazzjands]

Oh, this story, and Kurt, and the migraines.

I have fibromyalgia (recently diagnosed; my family was like, "is that really how much pain you're in? Are you honestly in that much pain? I doubt it, you're just making things up", and then the doctor was all, "you have what we call fibromyalgia", and my family was all O.O. End of sob story) and while I don't have chronic migraines (well, the doctors say it isn't chronic migraines), every time I feel a headache coming I get scared that it'll be a migraine because I've been getting them more and more often lately. I had five last month, and it hurt.

It sucks.

A lot.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more of this! Amazing job on the description of the migraine. I was sitting here, going, 'yup, migraine. SLEEP, KURT, AND DON'T LOOK AT THE LIGHT!!!'

[aalikane]

Every once in a while to make light of the situation when I'm just too tired of the migraines to take them seriously...I make jokes about them...my favorite is quoting the gremlins going 'bright light, bright light bright light' covering my eyes with my hands.

Sometimes...when you deal with them as often as I have...you just have to joke about them. Otherwise it is too much. But sadly...Kurt won't get to that stage for a while :(

And yes, for anyone who is learning what it's like to deal with a migraine...stay away from lights...stay away from loud music...and stay away from annoying siblings who have a tendency to shout random things when walking through the front door.

[sayuri_rose_k]

I do the same for my epileptic seizures. I have learned to stay away from the loud everything after having seizures.

They literally wipe me out, so I really can't focus on anything other than sleeping. I've would know cuz I've slept for anywhere from just over 12 hours to as long as 18 hours straight.

So I wouldn't hesitate to say that the similarities between these 2 are probably not many, but at the base of it all, both parties are in pain.

Strange how something as annoying as pain can possibly bring people together in friendship.

[lavender_love00]

It's hard for me to imagine how people can't understand how bad migraines are, because my mom has suffered from them since before I was born, and it's just been part of my life for ... well, my whole life.

I told you about my friend with Lyme already, and it was amazing to me at how rude some of our friends could be about it. Like when she literally couldn't get out of bed, they would just call her lazy, and how they'd accuse her of being bulimic when she was throwing up upwards of like 20 times a day. I don't know if it's because I've lived with silent illness my whole life, or because I'm a nurse, or what, but I just can't handle people who accuse others of hypochondria when they obviously have an illness....

[citizen_bliss]

aaaw poor bb :( Can't wait to read more!

[phantomreviewer]

I know you say you don't want thanks, but I think a whole load of people (including me) are just so grateful for you putting these things out there.

On a 'lighter' note however, if only "endorphin theory" worked, I'd have my own Blaine on demand! :-)

Really good chapter, can't wait for more!

[aalikane]

I'd need my own Blaine if the endorphin theory worked...sadly...it doesn't :(

Thanks for the praise. :) I really started writing this as a way of getting my frustrations with my migraines out...because punching a wall, or kicking stuff doesn't usually lead to productive results :P

If I can teach one person who was ignorant about Invisible Illnesses before about how much they suck I'll be happy :)

[phantomreviewer]

I know, but we can dream.

No, that doesn't tend to help (I've CRPS/RSD, and a host of other stuff as well, but that's the biggy) but you just want to get it all out. This is a good was of doing it! :-)

I think you're going to manage that somehow, thanks again!