Written March 1, 2019

As planned, I went ahead with the Botox injections this morning. I was very nervous. I made sure that my husband, Jeff, came with me in case anything happened. I have had reactions to medications in the past, and then there was that big reaction to a MIGRAINE MEDICATION that stopped my breathing and sent me to the ICU back in 2012. Then given the fact that it is multiple injections…. My blood pressure was considerably higher than normal when I got there, I had a pretty good headache (not migraine), and I felt very nauseous. So yes, I was nervous. The doctor came in with a TRAY of needles. I had to move my eyes away from them quickly. I did not even count. Too many. Now, I really feel sick. The doctor asked me to move to a different chair in the middle of the room and explained briefly that there would be about thirty…THIRTY! injection around my head and neck, and that I should continue to breathe, because if I hold my breath, I will pass out. Great. She also gives me an ice pack to hold on the more sensitive area between my eyes to numb it. She told me not to be scared, but I assured her that I WAS scared. She said that we could take a break whenever I needed one. She started on the side, in the less sensitive area. Honestly, it did not hurt or sting. She reminded me to breathe often. I was. I just focused on breathing in and out. None of them, including between the eyes, felt any more than an easy blood test. One or two in the back of my head stung a little, so I think she hit a nerve. We did not take a break, did not need to. She said that I must have a very high pain tolerance level, that most of her patients need to stop several times, take bathroom breaks, and lay down during the process. I was brave.

I was told to go home take some pain meds and take a nap, (haha) and to expect a big headache for a few days due to all the injections. So far, I do have the same headache that I went in with, with the nausea, but nothing more. I really could use a nap, but that will come sooner or later. I do have some tingling and weird feeling in my cheeks toward my ears, and some drooping of my right eye. I don’t think it is too noticeable. I had expected that my forehead would be frozen and not be able to move my eyebrows, or furrow my brow as reported by most online people who had the same procedure. So far, I can still do both. There was some very mild bruising between my eyes and on my forehead, but I don’t think the camera was able to pick it up. I have not checked my head or shoulders.

I did tell the doctor about the daith piercing. She looked at it, and said, “Whatever works.”, and that was that. The daith is doing fine. The bleeding has stopped. It still is pretty sore, but if I don’t touch it, it feels fine. Sometimes it will feel like something is touching my ear or it itches, and when I touch it unconsciously, it hurts. I have to be careful cleaning it, so as to not hurt it, but otherwise, it is healing nicely. I have been migraine free for about a week. The milder headaches have persisted. Overall, I am very pleased with both experiences.