Hospitalized: What's It Like?

So I've had a few questions from friends about what it's like in the hospital, and figured it might be worth giving a detailed post. No, I don't wear a gown that's open in the back, and no I'm not bothered every 2 hours with vitals.


I am at Chelsea Community Hospital in Chelsea, Michigan on their head pain unit, which is the inpatient program of the Michigan Head Pain and Neurological Institute. So I am at a regular hospital, which means regular hospital room, regular hospital bed, regular hospital food, etc. But I wear my normal clothes. I have my own TV in my room with cable, and obviously my computer with internet. The room is 'semi-private', with just a curtain separating me from my roommate. We share a bathroom in our room, which is a decent size with a shower. Currently I do not have a roommate. There are 20 beds on the unit and right now there are 12 on the unit. They're getting 2 admits tonight and 2 are supposed to be discharged tomorrow. For meals, they prepare your food tray and put it outside the dining hall and you are supposed to go get it. I have yet to do that since I haven't felt well enough. Either Chad goes and gets it for me or the nursing staff brings it to me. They want you to get up as much as possible, so you can eat in the dining room, or bring it back to your room.


I am on IV drugs every 8 hours, which they call your protocol. Currently I am hooked up to a constant saline drip to help with my spinal headache from the lumbar puncture. Between the protocol, you can request an abortive drug, up to 3 a day.

Every weekday, they have 'rounds' (which is more like treatment team at my old job at the psychiatric hospital), where you go in and meet with the treatment team. But you mostly talk to Dr. Saper, the attending physician and director of the program. He started this program in 1978, as the first hospital specialty program for headache patients in the world. Also in rounds are the Physician's Assistant is in there, along with the psychologist, anesthesiologist, nurse, and other people that I don't know who they are. On the weekend, the doctor doing rounds comes to your room. During the week, they offer groups throughout the day, around three a day, lead by psychologists, nutritionists, and recreational therapist. Some class titles are Nutrition, Relaxation Techniques, Spiritual Wellness, Living With Pain, Pain and Mood, Coping with Pain, Relationships and Pain, Taking Charge: About Exercise, Care of the Neck, Yoga, and visits with a therapy dog!

Chad is here with me, and it is great having him here. He is staying at an inn on the hospital campus, so he walks through the woods on a trail for 5 minutes to get here. The security is really laid back (or non-existant?), because he can just wander in, go get me my food tray and more water in the unit kitchen.

Let me know if you have any other questions about what I'm doing here. It's a great program, and I am under great care. I'm grateful to be here and know I'm on the road to recovery. 

Laying in bed getting my IV treatment.

Perspective

78% of the patients who receive treatment at the inpatient headache unit through MHNI experience a 50% decrease in pain.

There is no cure for migraine. Coming up to the headache clinic, I have expected to get significant relief and support for my intense chronic headaches, but not to be 'fixed' when I leave.

The Big Appointment

I had a full-day today at the Michigan Head Pain and Neurologic Institute. I had blood drawn for extensive lab work, met with the nurse go to over my headache history, had an educational seminar on headaches/migraines (which I felt like I could have taught), had an EEG and an EKG, met with the neurologist, and met with a psychologist.

After the EEG. Unfortunately I had nasty goop in my hair for the rest of the day! I asked the lady to take my picture, and she said she gets that question all the time. I asked her if people do it to put it on their blog, and she said that was a new one! :)

Source: MHNI Staff

Dr. Prestegaard was my neurologist. She was very nice. Anyone who first-thing asks me what I do and genuinely seems interested in music therapy wins me over in my book. She went on to say that they see a large number of special education teachers. Hmm. After my evaluation with her, she diagnosed me with 1. post-viral headache, 2. migraine with aura, and 3. myofacial spasm (something to do with my neck/shoulders having tension). So, nothing really ground-breaking here, but finally someone giving light to the fact that the headache was significantly worse with mono, even though I had headaches before mono. She said it's common for a viral infection to bring out a headache and have a migrainous component.

So, now what? I will be going to their inpatient program to be treated. That means I will be hospitalized for the headache, which I was expecting. They will use intravenous drugs to break the cycle. I think she rattled off DHE, zofran, magnesium, benedryl, and something that started with a T that she said was like ibuprofen. She said how the IV drugs are much more effective at breaking the cycle, and once my headache is under control the drugs will have a better chance to be more effective. With a chronic migraine, my pain has been so high that it hasn't really given the oral medications a chance to do their job well. At the hospital, they will also let me have access to lots of other drugs as abortive drugs to see what is effective and could possibly be used in the future as a preventative meds. I got the impression that they want me to try as many drugs as possible to see what does/doesn't work. Oh my! I will also have a lumbar puncture to measure the cerebral spinal fluid and look for infection.

They instructed me to call tomorrow between 11-12 to see if a bed is available. If it is, then they will contact my insurance, and I can be admitted between 4-6. So I'm praying a bed is available so I can get this process started! In the meantime I'm hanging out with Chad at his 'inn'. It's a nice, funny little place. It feels like a bed and breakfast. There were cookies sitting out, and there is a full kitchen he has access to, along with multiple living areas. I'm glad I don't have to be here by myself while I'm here for treatment, and I'm glad Chad has a nice, cozy place to stay.

I'm going to go wash this goop out of my hair. Still can't believe I haven't done that yet, but I wanted to update you! Then I'll get cozy in the inn and get ready for the predicted 3-5 inches of snow to fall.

Welcome to our room!