Quote:And I was curious, how do you fight to live normally during this period? How can you force yourself to put yourself together and go to work/school etc...
It's a very good question.
At your age, I had been living with episodic CH for about 5 years. By that time, my cycles had become well-established--twice a year, 6-8 weeks at a time. I was living alone for the first time. At the time, the medications available for treating CH were very primitive compared to those being used now. None of them worked for me.
I understand very well what you're asking. The problem is...I don't have an easy answer.
To some extent, despite all the treatments available, and any support you may have, you must push yourself beyond what you believe you can endure. You have to discover the strength to fight for a "normal" life within yourself.
The challenges are considerable: Days and nights of unbelievable pain. Sleeplessness. The depression that often comes along with a cycle. Isolation and loneliness--and the very real perception that no one around can understand what you are going through.
The people around you are unable to truly understand. They never can, and they never will. Realizing that is simply part of living alongside this thing. That won't change, no matter how long this thing is your companion, and no matter how long you battle against it.
A person I respect asked me recently how one comes to terms with CH, learns to accept it, and learns to endure a cycle and move on. I've had to grapple with that question, because--partly--I don't know.
Some of it is simply time and experience. After many cycles, one begins to understand that it goes...this far...and no farther. You begin to understand that no matter how bad it gets during any one attack--it ends. You know it will. So minute by minute, you learn to hold that in front of yourself: The precious KNOWLEDGE that it will end.
In the end--We're warriors.
It's a war that we did not choose, that we did nothing to deserve, and that has no clear ending. Others may not have to fight this war--but we do. In order to survive, at some point we have to move beyond being victims of this thing and adopt a warrior's attitude.
We fight each battle as it comes, as best we can, any way we can. We continually look for ways to overcome our enemy (and our companion) .
We defeat him every time.
You are stronger and more resourceful than you may believe that you are. You'll be fine. I know it.
All my best to you,
George