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        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2004 >> Frustrated...
        
(Message started by: mem024 on Jan 9^th, 2004, 1:53am)

Title: Frustrated...
Post by mem024 on Jan 9^th, 2004, 1:53am

I am beginning to become frustrated with my family. I have tried to explain to them what CH is after my doctor diagnosed it, but they do not seem to understand. My dad does not understand how I could all of a sudden get a severe headache one minute and be fine 45 minutes later. Today, he told me to go lay down or something, even after I insisted that would not help me. Other family members tell me, "You are young and you will out grow this." The attitudes and lack of understanding from my family is really starting to frustrate me. My boyfriend is trying to understand, but he probably thinks I'm crazy or something too. At some point, have all of you gone through this and how do you explain CH to your family where they will understand it and not look at you like you are nuts and think it is all something you have made up?
Thanks for the support you all have so far offered me. It was a blessing to find this site.
Mandy

Title: Re: Frustrated...
Post by forgetfulnot on Jan 9^th, 2004, 2:40am

Mandy, US FREEKS are here for one reason, well maybe 2. The first and foremost is to get clusterheads to read this and the ouch board, the second is to give compassion to anyone that trips up on our doorstop.

That Inlaw crap is hard sometimes, I don't know what to do with that other than print some of the articles and shove them up there nose.

Lee ;)

Title: Re: Frustrated...
Post by BobG on Jan 9^th, 2004, 5:51am

on 01/09/04 at 01:53:52, mem024 wrote:

The attitudes and lack of understanding from my family is really starting to frustrate me.

At some point, have all of you gone through this and how do you explain CH to your family where they will understand it and not look at you like you are nuts and think it is all something you have made up?

Your first sentence is a very common theme here. You could add friends and co-workers to that sentence.

Click on the blue below, print it and give it to your family. Maybe if they see something in writing they'll believe the pain is very real.

http://www.ouch-uk.org/ch/note_colleagues.cfm
Simon’s (OUCH/UK) letter to employers and colleages

Title: Re: Frustrated...
Post by eyes_afire on Jan 9^th, 2004, 7:23pm

Mandy,
Yes, such frustration is a common thing us clusterheads experience. That is one reason why the Organization for Understanding Cluster Headaches (OUCH) was started. There comes a time when something has to be done. For all those who are tired of the status quo: Please join OUCH so together we can promote the understanding of this disorder.

At this point, if I were you, I would not try to force them to understand what you're going through. Oftentimes this can backfire and appear to be a call for attention. They will either be somewhat sympathetic or they will not understand at all. They can't truly understand unless they have CH. All you can do it educate them, as BobG suggested. When you get CH, scream and cry if you feel like it... some things speak for themselves. Then when it's over, downplay it and carry on as if it never happened. Don't let it consume your relationships.

To this day, my dad's cure for a 'headache' is to splash cold water on the face. It's not his fault, he just doesn't understand. ::) But, he's also never seen me in the midst of a CH.

--- Steve

Title: Re: Frustrated...
Post by Linda_Howell on Jan 9^th, 2004, 8:41pm

Unfortunetly we can all relate here as to what you are going through and why you are so frustrated.

As hard as this may be, the last sentance in Steve's(eye-a-fire's) post may be what you have to do to convince them. If printing out stuff here doesn't work, the next time you get hit in their presence, don't run and hide. Let them see you. When it's over, see if they say, "go lie down"

Good luck to you and remember this. We're all here for you. Linda

Title: Re: Frustrated...
Post by Rick_K on Jan 9^th, 2004, 8:53pm

Give me your Dads phone number I'll give him a good talking to.....hey jonny you got my back? ;;D

Print out the link that BobG has above and let him read it. Also, read everything here and at the OUCH site.

Sorry you had to find us but we glad you are here. You are with a group that truly understands what you are going through.

We can all say, been there done that.

Rick