Saturday, Oct 13 and Mark is still kicking....

Today (Saturday), we went to talk to my parents camping group. These are some sweet people that were so proud of the progress I have made so far. They all treated me like the had known me for a long time and that made me feel good. There was one couple that I have known for a long time. They (and their two girls) were friends of ours when I was young and still growing up. I have not seen them in many years, but you could not tell. I did not know any of the others, but you could not tell.

There were several comments to my last BLOG that made me smile. I had one from my cousin Sarah that let me know she is still watching my progress and caring about my progress in this battle. There was also one from my Aunt Glenda, who wants to go walking with me after her knee surgery. She can very well hold her own on this one! Anything she has taking on in life has always been that way. That wonderful woman doesn't fear anything that I know of!
The next note was from my daughter, Megan. School (dental school) is pretty tough on her this semester. The first semester on the second year is supposed to be the hardest. Her strength with carry her through this, but it is a challenge for her. She has been there for me during this event all summer and when school started, it kept pulling most of her time. This makes her feel bad because she is very family oriented. I have told her that school is her important task right now and she was there for me before I was there for myself. She played a very important part of my recovery step! I will NEVER forget this role she played! Her focus on school and HER WEDDING should be the directions she is working towards. One of my goals I set, when I got off of the drugs and finally realized who I was, is the walk I had promised her down the aisle for her wedding. That is important to me and will do everything I can to make it happen.
There was a note from Betty's BLOG that meant a lot to me, too. Sallie, Scott and Noah Keaton support her effort she has put towards me. They are right! I probably would not be here today if she was not there for me during this! I know she saved my life several times AFTER I was awake. I know she was there for me before I knew it too.

Some many people have brought GOD in my life in so many ways. I knew he was an important part of life everyday, but the friends and family members that made me realize how strong he was in MY RECOVERY are the ones that mean the world to me. So many people have told me that I was brought up and talked about in their church EVERY week. This is good to know that so many people care enough about me to make me this important in their lives.
I got a letter in the mail today that lifted my day. A super friend of mine moved to Tennessee with her new husband several years ago and dropped me a note to let me know she is watching my progress and supporting my recovery. These are the things that make you realize how many people admire you as a person. I never had a sister in life, but if I did, she would have been one, that could not have been closer. And if that was not enough, she married as super guy to make her life perfect.
Now, if this wasn't enough, let me talk about my down side. The doctor I went to on Friday was FANTASTIC! He was a great person and seemed to be concerned about all of my details of what I went through during this. He dug into parts that I never figured he would. He put my on some medicines for pain that would get along with what I was already taking and would work fast. One of these was a "fast acting" shot that was suppose to work in 4 minutes. When we tried this last light, it was slower to dispense that we realized and was pulled own before complete. Betty tried to load the second shot and it fired in the box without any help. Since we were out of shots, I took two of the pills he game me and headache was gone if 1/2 hour. I went back to sleep and woke up with headache #2 about a hour later. Two more pills, and 1/2 later, was back asleep. Headache #3 came about 5AM and this medicine seemed to work again. I tried this afternoon to catch a little sleep and work up with one after about a hour of sleep. Two more pills and it was gone in 1/2 hours, too. This medicine in working well. This 1/2 hour of intense pain in better that the 2 hours I had before. This doctor made a comment about a valve in my heart that might not be working right which may have allowed the stroke to bring my cluster headaches back. We will have to have this special test run, to see if that is the case and what to do to fix it. People ask me a lot about what cluster headaches are and they are difficult to describe. If you have ever seen someone when migraines, these are a lot alike. Clusters are on one side of the head (pain behind the eye, runny nose, watery eyes, throbbing teeth and pain by that ear) and much more intense pain, but one lasts a few hours, where a migraine may last for a couple of days. This pain could not be tolerated for a couple of days! NO WAY! But, as usual, I will overcome this bad spot to be the some person I was before. That is the only option I have and will make this work for me.
GOD is on my side to overcome all of this and you can't have a better team!
Love to all my friends, family members and anyone else involved (yes, you are a friend or family member of mine if you are involved in this)
Mark (on his way up!!!)