Yesterday I had my second appointment for transcranial magnetic stimulation, a treatment I’m undertaking to decrease and manage my pain levels associated with the fibromyalgia I was diagnosed with.
The consultation had a two-hour delay, far from an ideal situation. It’s 200kms from my home to the medical centre, so waiting 2 hours, having arrived on time, it’s bothersome, to say the least. While I was waiting, I had to shift between sitting and standing up to minimize the increase in the pain level, but in the end, it was worth it.
Like in December last year, I felt my body relaxing by the end of the appointment. This time, however, I knew what it was. When you’re almost a year and a half without feeling any muscle relaxation, it can be hard to make sense of what it is when you start feeling it again. I remember thinking something around the lines of “What the fuck is happening?”.
After the appointment, we got on the road and headed home, with a quick stop to buy and eat some snacks because we were starving. This time, though, I did the driving.
It’s a 200km ride to each destination like I wrote in the second paragraph, and I know it takes a toll on me even if I’m not on the wheel. I was able to manage it, despite that. My arms and lower back hurt a little, but I got through it, even when the pain level increased by quite a bit in the last 60kms or so.
Last month, the relief lasted until the day after the appointment. On the third day, I woke up in a lot of pain. This time, I hope the benefits last a whole week. I know very well I’m asking too much; the treatment is still in the early stages. But one can dream and have hope, right?
photo from Unsplash
