A Headache Solution

For those of you that have known me for years, you know that I am a "headache girl". I get really bad headaches that have interfered with my life in big ways. I have had to go to emergency rooms, had to leave girls camp early, missed soccer games, laid in dark rooms for days, etc. They can get pretty bad when I get in a "cycle". I have literally tried EVERYTHING. I have tried multiple prevention meds including seizure medication, gotten MRIs and CAT scans, taken muscle relaxers and pain medication, gotten shots of demoral and the "headache cocktail" at the ER, taken sleeping pills, anti-anxiety meds, gotten massages, and even gotten muscle relaxer shots in my head. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G! And nothing I tried permanently worked.

UNTIL 2 MONTHS AGO

I was getting really bad headaches for weeks on end and I was miserable. I didn't want to workout or be social (that's when you know it's bad). I have met my deductible on my insurance, so I decided to get it under control while it was free for me. I went to "Dr. Ben", who was very perplexed that I have tried so many things and nothing worked. He did the normal routine of giving me pain killers and muscle relaxers. Obviously, this was not a permanent solution. I went in multiple times when I had headaches and when I didn't and they would take my vitals and decide what to do next. He made an observation that nobody has ever made before. My blood pressure spikes really high when I get headaches. My headaches are very throbbing in my temples, especially my left one. He talked with some other doctors and decided to try something a little bit different. He gave me some blood pressure medicine to prevent my blood pressure from spiking. Now, I don't have high blood pressure normally because I am young and healthy, so he gave me some medicine that lowers the pressure going to my brain. I take it every night to try and prevent the headache from even coming on.

BOOM. NO HEADACHES.

It really has been AMAZING!! I am very pleased with how much it has helped. I don't get headaches AND I have a TON more energy. I sleep better and I don't get fatigue throughout the day. I can think clearer and I am a lot happier in my overall mood. It's so great! I have gone off the medicine to see if it really does anything and BAM! I get a headache, can't sleep, get stressed, and I am tired all day long. It's crazy!

So if you get headaches and nothing works, you should look into it! It is a different approach, but I seriously SWEAR by it!! It worked for me, so maybe it will work for you!! (wow I sound like a TV commercial)

BUT it really has changed my life!

Dixie Days

I know...I've been going down memory lane a lot a lot. It's what I do when I am bored! I have been watching home videos from my childhood, looking at my parents pictures, and going through all of my pictures. This post is about my time at Dixie State. I have a very special place in my heart for Dixie. I met some of the best people and had the funnest time. Our apartment seriously was the best apartment EVER!! It was the best group of girls and we were ALWAYS up to something! Here are some pictures from Dixie...I have A LOT more, but I will spare you!

My VERY FAVORITE park!! It was an adult spin park... don't be fooled by the children in the background.

Roommate Christmas party!!

Dixie State Cross Country...yes one day I decided to run cross country, no big

Dixie State Christmas party...let's be honest, we were the life of the party!

THE ONLY TIME Carlie and I were studious when we lived together

Dixie State powder puff...Jentry lost...but she tackled me so hard that I think I was the one who really lost

Spontaneous middle of the week Vegas dinner/shopping trips: LOVED

Apartment Seven

Team Texas: An intramural dynasty

The apartment car...joke

Matt. My Dixie State fling

The fab five

Halloween socks!! Thanks mom!!

"Our drunken lives at Dixie"

Tan all year long

Intramural Kickball

Just a typical day of sitting around doing nothing...yes Carlie and I are holding hands...no big!

Our legitimate friend's sweet pool

Going swimming instead of to school...no big

Awww how I miss that place!! Such great times!!

Remember When...

One of my favorite things to do when I come home and start to get bored is look through past pictures. I am starting to get pretty stir crazy so I decided to blog some high school memories. Maybe I will do college another day if I get bored enough.

Remember When...

My high school sweetheart and I got matching winter coats? Wow cheesy...

I had braces for FOUR years?! How could I forget?!

I had black hair...

And red hair...

Played soccer

And basketball

Went four wheeling in Cabo and was PISSED cause Shannon drove slower than a senior citizen and wouldn't let me drive!

I got my driving hours by driving to Disneyland with Byron and family while my parents were out of the country and had no say in the matter

Austin broke his neck in Puerto Rico and we had to go the hospital. When it was time for him to pull down his britches and get a shot, he ran around the room screaming and swearing with his pants around his ankles while the nurse was chasing him around....oh good times...

I got so fried on our trip that my mother banned me from going in the sun for TWO days so I spent two days in Cabo watching mindless daytime television.

We went to EFY in Arizona and had to stop every 10 minutes to re-ducktape our bumper

I graduated from seminary after doing 25 packets and going to make-up seminary every Monday afternoon for my entire senior year. Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas for the next 5 years Cath!

I got domestic and made a graduation picnic consisting of mac n' cheese and sparkling cider

We thought we were hardcore YCL's at girls camp

I had to wear this bad boy for 3 months. One game I got so frustrated that I pulled it off and threw it at my coach screaming, "Im not wearing this damn mask anymore!!"

I went to Europe and absolutely fell in LOVE!

I interned at a dermatology center my senior year and my last day got to perform a "surgery". Numbing, cutting, and stitching up my patient.

I got to go to Palm Beach with my very bestfriend for spring break...yes that is me flipping my dad off..I didn't want a picture...

I went to Lake Powell with all my best friends for graduation

I said "goodbye" to my best friend and wrote a marine for the next 3 months! (Never again folks, never again)

WOW! That was A lot!! Hope it was somewhat entertaining...

Oh Martha! Oh Christmas!!

Christmas 2010 definitely was not a disappointment!! The whole clan came over on Christmas morning and we opened up all of our gifts. Some of my favorite gifts included a car vacuum, clothes, snowboard helmet, the other half of my road bike, and lots of gift certificates! I was definitely spoiled!! While I loved having family around, I needed to get in my very favorite christmas activity of all time: My christmas NAP!! O boy it sure was fabulous and really completed the day!! I loved having the whole clan at home and spending time with everyone. Here are some pictures from the morning...keep in mind we all just woke up...

Candy opening her gifts

David got a fantastic hat for hunting

Devin and his gals

Showing our cool beanies

This little munchkin got all bundled up for us to go running outside. She was such a good baby!!

Allie opening gifts

The whole Bunnell clan

Hittin the POW!

So I finally got to hit the slopes after waiting FOREVER!! Last February, when I was teaching snowboarding about 3 times a week, I tore my peroneus brevis tendon and was out for the season. I had to get surgery and had quite the recovery...still am! So I was a little bit nervous to hit the slopes again and do the activity that tore my ankle up in the first place. IT WAS SO FUN!! I forgot how much I have missed boarding, especially when there is POWDER!! We never got powder last year, so this was a great Christmas present. Although, one time I went into "powder" and there was slightly too much...meaning I sunk up to my shoulders and had to use my superior survival skills to return safely to the bottom. By the end of the day, the snow had turned into slush and my ankle was starting to slightly be excruciatingly painful, so we called it a day! But, I would definitely say it was a success my first time back!! Keep the good snow comin snowboarding gods!! Here are some pictures I took on my phone...

Ridin the lift

ALL THE DANG PEOPLE!! You know you have lived in Logan too long when you start to get major anxiety from large amounts of people. What can I say? I am turning into a "small town girl"

Beautiful Day

When I first got there, I was so excited!!

Look at how cool my board and pants are?? I would definitely rate my snowboarding "cool factor" at a solid 9