Finally, a reliable medicinal procedure?

OK, so its been roughly 17 months since the accident that has pretty much changed my life. Nah, that sounds too serious. Lets just say it's affected everything I've planned to do one way or another. Nothing crazy now, I still have all my limbs, but it has affected my sleep, my social life, my studies..

I suppose I'm gonna have to paint a pretty vivid picture of this- everyone who knows me knows about this so much they're sick of hearing it.

OK, May 20th, 2006 (I only know the date because I've had to write it on so many forms!), beer garden of the local nightclub (concrete ground!). My friend Claire spots me from the far corner, and makes a running jump to me. Sounds fine, does it? Well Claire is 5"11, and I'm 5"1!

ANYWAY, her legs are wrapped around me, and I'm TRYING to stay standing and keep my balance, but eventually we just fell like a pile of bricks.

So the next day, Claire rang me to 'give out' about the gash on her knee she got from falling, and I told her that I couldn't talk as I was waiting for a skull X-Ray. She completely freaked out, almost crying, saying it was all her fault. I was trying to explain that everything was fine and it was just as much my fault, I think she got the message eventually.

The doctor had told me to take a week off school, but after taking one day, I demanded that I return. The grad party was on Tuesday night, and I definitely didn't want to miss it! Halfway into the night, I received an accidental knock to the back of the head, and next thing I know, I'm sitting on a stool in the bathroom with my head in a sink full of water.

So bad idea, yeah? Well, that was it. For a long time. I rarely went out, and when I did, it was in complete sobriety. I couldn't risk having drink in my system if I needed to take painkillers.

UGH!

Halloween day 2006, I arrived at a clinic in Dublin, ready for my scheduled MRI scan. It went well- the people were very nice (apart from the receptionist). The actual scan was really scary, though. Being claustrophobic (as I've said in previous posts), it was very difficult to stay sane in a noisy tube for 30 minutes. When it was over, the doctor handed me a CD with the pictures from my scan in it- how cool. I sat at home for hours staring at these pictures. I thought they were just amazing!

Two months later, I rang my doctor. The scan results were clear. There was absolutely nothing wrong.

WHAT! ARE YOU SERIOUS! I'm sleeping 4 hours a night if I'm lucky, I can't sit in a whole class in school, I'm passing out with the pain- But I'm Fine??

As far as everyone else was concerned, the case was closed. Julie's fine. It must have all been in her head. So I stayed silent, for a while. Did a few homeopathic sessions. They helped, in the short term (like the effects wore off the same day).

I didn't say anything until the Leaving Cert was over, in case I was brushed off as just being stressed. Even then , it was just a constant dash for the painkillers, cradling my head in my hands, lying on my bedroom floor staring at the ceiling, wishing I could sleep.

Jesus, this girl is nuts! No way, I just don't care anymore.

So I'm at a dead end. What is there left? So last week, someone then recommended that I go see the Chinese Remedy doctor in town. Once the paycheck came in, I made an appointment, and I have to say, he really made a good first impression. He was able to tell me what the homeopath told me after a thorough examination, but he did this without even touching my head. I sat there as she scribbled notes down in Chinese, slightly nervous, slightly worried.

So as I lay on the bed (you know, the ones with the hole for your face) looking like a moulting hedgehog, I was unsure that this was suck a good idea. Acupuncture and massages on my neck and back for the next three months? That's fucking expensive! Student discount makes it €45 a session. I don't care, I suppose, if it works- hallelujah!

So I had to buy medicine as well.

Take 8 of these three times a day.

Take 1 bag (of about 50 pellets) three times a day.

Use 3 drops of this massage oil on your neck once a day.

My God! Is this worth it?

Well, that was yesterday. I'm just after waking up after a good nights sleep. I slept all night! AND I haven't had a headache in almost 24 hours. Some people don't actually believe that this procedure has any proof of success, that the diagnosis is completely by chance and that the recovery in all in the persons head. I'm not saying it's a miracle, but I do believe it's medicinal!