I need to whine ... thanks for listening

[lydelia]

I have been so freaking dizzy this weekend, and I still am. My neck is stiff, my head feels full and all I want to do it sleep. RARRGG!!! Crapola! I hate feeling like poop. I have a 21 month old daughter and a 3 year old son and a job and a house to keep. I don't have time to feel like this. It's such a pain in the rear, or neck I guess would be more accurate, lol. On top of that, my husband still thinks I am making this up. Before we left to go on a trip this weekend, we were in the process of removing a window air conditioner from our bedroom, to lessen the possibility of being burgaled while we were gone, and when I asked him to move it, he said, "Why don't you just do it?" I just blinked and stared at him. I said, "Remember when the neurosurgeon said that I should not be lifting heavy things, I think that qualifies." He actually said, "Well, I am only going to let you use that excuse this time since you gave up jiu-jitsu, but you can't keep using it." REALLY!? What a jerk face!!! What can I do to convince him that this is for real? If I complain about it, or complain about being tired or something, he just acts like that. Like, 'well you are always tired', or 'always dizzy', or 'you never feel good.' DUH! Of course I don't. Try having your brain stem and cerebellum smushed into the same opening and see how you feel!!

Sorry about that rant. Thanks for listening. I know, here at least, that I am not the only one who has been there .. or here rather, lol.

[jenshead]

Maybe offer to strap a weight to DH's head so he understands what it feels like?? :)  All joking aside, maybe your NS or a nurse could explain it to him in detail and express the seriousness of your condition.  Another idea would be to find someone on here whose husband could talk to yours...if yours is open to it.

[lydelia]

Thanks guys for the comments. That is why I like this place so much. There are people here who understand. :D

[selmaS]

  Hi...so many chiarians go thru the partner not understanding or parents not understanding what is going on...first, keep in mind they r just as scared and frustrated as u r...second, if it is the male, they want to fix things for us, and they can't, so it is easier to ignore it then to accept this is something I can't fix or help with...and I know, they can help by not making the comments and just helping when we ask...but it goes way beyond that for them.....

  I was very self reliant...worked my whole life, drove a car...did what I wanted when I wanted, then bam,...no more driving and u have to rely on someone else...it is not easy to ask for help regardless which gender u r.

  I could not lift a gallon of milk... especially if it was on the lower shelf of the fridge...I could not bend down to lift and then straighten back up...I lost upper body strength...lower back would go out...and u degrade as time goes on...I went from a functioning person to a blob
....but, I am slowly coming back...and that is post op...2 yrs post op.....

Have ur DH come on this forum to see what others with the condition do go thru....he may just appreciate what u r doing.

    "selma"

[epsion22]

I am with you, and sometimes its therapeutic to get stuff off your chest. I understand what you mean, and I think we all do - of what kinds of limitations Chiari puts on you.. I heard somewhere you shouldnt life more weight than a Gallon of milk and limit head movements. He definitely should be more sympathetic, and I would not do anything you would feel comfortable about doing... an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.. and in case I would just avoid anything that would aggravate your situation.

Its tough for me being a guy though, as its pretty much our role to lift things... and now since I have to be more careful, I try to avoid things that can make my situation worse. Plus, its harder to have women say "aww, poor Ben, let me help you with that..." argh, that would kill me.