Favorite Things Friday: Dyeing Yarn!

Please bear with me. I'm completely out of it. I'm on a cocktail of Butalbital and Prednisone to cure a migraine and I feel completely stoned out of my mind. I've slept all. day, and I'm not even exaggerating. But, as a dedicated blogger, and because I'm so excited about my wool dyeing kit I felt it was necessary to yammer about my dye kit. So if this post seems rant-y, or doesn't make sense you know why. I apologize.

I just bought a knitting magazine, and you know those few pages of advertisements they have before the patterns? There was a "how to dye yarn with Kool-Aid" kit from Wool2Dye4.com. It was only $20, and since I've always wanted to dye yarn and it will fulfill a requirement for my 101 in 1,001 I decided "what the heck" and bought it. It arrived today!! In the one hour I was awake I was able to open it and was all excited. 

(Domo not included.)

I decided to get the Try-It/Dye-It Neckwarmer Kit so along with all the items necessary for dyeing (heh) it also came with a neckwarmer pattern. It came with spoons, gloves, two sample packets of Eucalan wool wash, directions, yarn...basically everything. What a great idea! I got four packs of Kool-Aid: Mango (which I'm guessing will be yellow?), Berry Blue, Cherry, and Lemon-Lime. I can also refer to THIS for what colors, but I'm not too sure about how it will come out because I'm not dyeing playsilks, and I don't really care which color it turns out to be as it's my first time!

As soon as I recover, hopefully next week, I'm going to dye yarn, and of course photograph every step. I found a tutorial on Kool Aid Popsicle Dyeing and I think I'm going to do that method rather than using the oven or microwave. (I heard if you use grape flavored Kool Aid in the microwave then your kitchen will smell like grapes for a few days!) I really like the idea of it being solar powered, adore the colors she came out with, and will be able to use the Washington DC heat and humidity to my advantage. (An hour? Pff, mine will melt and set in about 15 minutes.) 

I'm really excited and wish I could try now, only it's night and hasn't been sunny outside, and I can barely walk from the bed to the bathroom. Curses migraine medicines!! 

Stay tuned for Kool-Aid dyed yarn goodness!

Recently...

I've been out with a migraine, yet again. It's really unfortunate. It seems as though they've really increased this year, which is disconcerting. It was about a 6 day thing, Monday and Tuesday of last week being separate events, then Wednesday night until this morning. Nothing was working and I was in a lot of pain so I went to the emergency room, once again.

Doesn't everyone's mom take pictures of them as they're snoozing in the ER?

They started me off with a mix of oxygen, Benadryl and Reglan, which is apparently a stomach medicine, but when combined with the Benadryl has good results for migraine patients. It didn't work too well for me. It did take away the nausea, but then I was given three things (I'm not sure if it was vials, or cc's or what.) of morphine, and two prescriptions for Fioricet (a butalbital/caffeine/acetaminophen medicine) and Vicodin. When I got home I unfortunately had to work on a research paper, ironically about migraines, but with the Fioricet and plenty of water I managed to get it done. When I woke up this morning I took another dose, and have been fine! I was able to go to both my classes and even do a bit of shopping, along with some homework, so I feel great. I'm going to watch my triggers, especially since I think orange soda gave me the migraines last Monday and Tuesday, and see a neurologist once this semester is over.

~

Though I was in a lot of pain I still got out to enjoy the nice weather last Friday.

I've been making some "cookies" for my amoeba hexagon blanket.

A practice dress for Coral, my Blythe. She will be unboxed on May 6th!!!! and I want to have some clothes to put her in and take her around and photograph.

Cat butt!

Oh migraines.

Today is the first day in about three weeks where I feel more than 50% okay. I'm tired, but that's probably from all the medicines. It's the first day this week without a migraine, where I can see and think clearly, and actually get stuff done. I don't even know where to start, but I have a lot of homework to do.

It seems like I gave myself a rebound headache:

The overuse or misuse of pain relievers -- exceeding labeling instructions (such as taking the drug three or more days per week) or not following your doctor's advice -- can cause you to "rebound" into another headache.

When the pain medication wears off, you may experience a withdrawal reaction, prompting you to take more medication, which only leads to another headache and the desire to take more medication. And so the cycle continues until you start to suffer from chronic daily headaches with more severe headache pain and more frequent headaches.

Pain reliever overuse appears to interfere with the brain centers that regulate the flow of pain messages to the nerves, worsening headache pain. (WebMD)

I get a minor headache and get scared it will get more powerful and I'll miss class so I take medicines. It starts a cycle where each small headache I get requires more medicines, and the frequency increases, so I'm stuck with off and on headaches, thus taking medicines. I thought that me getting glasses would help, but it was already too late; I had taken way too many. I suppose I had basically overdosed. I was then struck with one of the most powerful and violent migraines I've ever had, though now powerful enough to drive me to the emergency room. (I did beg my mom a few times.) It was sharp, like a hot needle was stuck in my brain, and it was so recent just typing about it I can remember what it felt like. It also switched sides, so I knew it wasn't a cluster migraine. Those are in one area for a prolonged period of time. I know on Wednesday it went from the right side of my head, to my left, back to my right, and by the time I went to sleep that night it was on my left. It was so terrible, and I couldn't take any medicines because that would just make it worse. (In fact, I did break and took some Vicodin and it made it worse, then later took Treximet and it came back with a vengeance.)

I was finally able to go to the doctor yesterday and we rearranged my medicines. I definitely need to work on exercising, and have gone full vegetarian, so I'm forced to eat more vegetables = a lot better. My meds have been increased, and now I know a lot better how to not give myself a rebound migraine. She also gave me a shot of steroids and some Charlie Sheen and I feel so much better. My arm still hurts, but I'm awake and able to type and when I read I can fully comprehend what I'm reading. (Which means I can read for school. When I have migraines and try to read none of it sinks it.)

I just really have to watch what's going on with my medicines, because there is no way I'm letting this happen again.

A Square

Another square for my grandmother's blanket! I figured out the other day if I knit one 6 inch block every night I'll finish those in a week. Well, then I decided to cast on for my Noro scarf, then frogged it because the bottom wasn't straight, and didn't cast on any more. The Noro scarf is going to be my "at school" project, for Wednesdays. I have a break from 1.15 until 4.30, and on days like today, when I have a migraine but only have ibuprofen and I'm waiting to hear that classes are cancelled, I'm not too thrilled with hanging around for those hours. It probably wouldn't be as bad, but I have to read, and my head... ouch. 

The Noro scarf was looking good yesterday, but I was slipping one stitch purlwise at the ends like Mr. Jared Flood instructed, and it got all tight and weird and started flaring out, and it pissed me off, and if I have expensive yarn to make an expensive scarf, I'm not going to make something that I'm not too thrilled with. So it'll wait until tomorrow. (Snow day, hopefully!) 

I was also able to do my swatch for my Effortless Cardigan, and I measured it after a few rows and it was fine, so I'm looking forward to that. I just want to measure myself to make sure I'm a size small.

My ear infection has drastically gone down; this is the best I've been able to hear for the past two weeks. I'll continue on my medicines though; it's still a little muted. 

Information on the finished square: it's the Lacy Wheel square from Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks

I used an H hook and the usual yarns for it. I couldn't find my I hook, and even though they're only a mm apart in size (circumference? width?) I had to add a few extra rows. It came out ok, though.

Hopefully I can finish at least the 6 inch squares by the time February 1st rolls around, and I start my Effortless Cardigan. Oh, and the mosaic from Monday about doilies had a point, but I will get to that probably tomorrow. I need help with my little doily! 

And as far as classes are going, they're good. I'm taking English and my astronomy lab and lecture, two classes I need to graduate, and three art histories: the Silk Road, arts of India, and one entitled Transatlantic Encounters, which is the sharing of arts and ideas between Spain and the New World, or so the description blurb has led me to believe. That's the class I have tonight.

ETA: Speaking of Noro, since it was like $14 a skein or so, that completes #44 on my 101 in 1,001 list: splurge on expensive yarn!

A wild CLUSTER MIGRAINE appears. CLUSTER MIGRAINE uses SEVERE PAIN. It’s super effective. I'm bedridden.

So, I've had a cluster migraine since Wednesday night. I ate a brownie, and around 30 minutes later got a migraine. Treximent didn't do the job until the next morning when I had a second dose. Stupidly I had another brownie Thursday night, and I had another migraine again and have had one since then. Friday I was better; I was taking Treximent, but you can only take 2 in a 24 hour period, so after I spent it I couldn't take any more until Friday morning. I decided not to go to the doctor because I hadn't taken anything, which was the stupidest idea ever, because now I have no medicine I can take and I'm in pain. Treximent doesn't work against cluster migraines. I've been taking Butlbls, or however you spell it, because I haven't taken it in a while, and it worked a little. I also had to call out out of work, which pissed them off, not only because I do that all the time, but because it's a Saturday. Tomorrow, I don't work, but I don't know what's going to happen. ER? Bedridden all day? Wait and go to the doctor's on Monday and hopefully get an appointment early so I can work Monday? I really want to work and need the money and don't want to be fired and all this fretting makes it feel 5x worse. The funny thing is I haven't had a cluster migraine since March, which is great. The ironic thing is last year I had one over Thanksgiving, and the year before over Christmas, so I guess the weather changes really spark it and I need to be prepared that between these two holidays I'm going to get one. Which sucks. Ugh. I need to take a shower and some more medicine.

Which evil?

I don't know which is worse: dealing with the migraine pain, or the nausea that comes with the medicine.

Sinus

Sinus migraines are pretty awful. They're definitely the worst, because you not only feel extremely shitty but there's a band of pain across your eyebrows.

Nikki Dubeau, The Migraine, 2010

They're back

Remember all that "nyah nyah, I don't get any any more?" I spoke too soon. The past few days have been filled with Treximent, and I have a migraine today, too. Granted, once I did it to myself, because four triggers went into it: (1) my horrible sleep schedule/sleeping too long/taking a nap (2) an orange soda (3) a beer (4) chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. When I went to sleep I was like "fuck yeah, no migraine!" then woke up a few hours later with one.

Today, I'm not too sure the cause. Well, most likely because I slept all day. My sleep schedule's really fucked up, and I don't know how to fix it, either by drinking Red Bull all day or staring at the dark ceiling at night. Anyway, I went to bed at like 3 AM, woke up at 12, and was going to study, but got into bed to study and fell back asleep for an hour. Then I went to work and was fine, had a chocolate cupcake with dinner, which isn't bad. And had an orange soda, and then all hell broke loose and my head is slightly throbbing, but I have to read, but my eyes are getting heavy and I'd rather just muss around on the Internet than do anything productive. Staying up till 3 AM wouldn't be that bad if I was crafting or cleaning or studying or cooking, or writing even, but yesterday I was on FML and Lamebook. What a waste of time.

I really need to read, but my head's hurting, but it's nowhere near as bad as it has been, so I should suck it up and read for another hour.

I'll probably just procrastinate and add a gadget on here about my triggers.

Anyone read this blog?

I can tell my the craziness of this entry I have a migraine. Why doesn't "craziness" have a "y" in it? Is that weird or what?

Nope, I haven't been ignoring this blog, I just haven't had very many migraines, therefore have no reason to post! it's funny that after I create this blog they drop dramatically. I don't know why, but whatever I'm doing I don't want to stop! I only had 5 migraines in September! That's crazy, especially with working and school, though I'm only taking two classes. Even though I am eating less meat, sometimes I don't eat the best. :x Last weekend I started getting migraines almost every night and realized it was because I was drinking orange sodas every day at work, so I know I can have one like every other day, but that's totally doable. At least I don't have to give up chocolate or coffee! I don't know how I'd survive with that. But at least they're getting better. I can start to really live my life now instead of constantly being in fear of getting a migraine. At least now I have a medicine that will work so I know that if I do happen to get a migraine, it'll be okay. Maybe one day they will just disappear forever! I can only hope.

I've also started thinking I should change this and use it just as a medical journal, to recount certain things that have happened. I know I don't have any readers, if any, so I guess I'm just writing for myself, and since it's public, the internet at large. But I also have depression, anxiety, and OCD, and though those are getting better I sometimes need a place to vent. Those things might be coming up in future posts as well.

Yay for being healthy!

Just things I've realized

Such as...

It seems like after taking Treximent the migraine gets worse, like dramatically worse, like omfg-I-want-to-kill-something worse, then a lot better. What's up with that?

Is nausea a byproduct of the pain, or does it come with migraines such as sensitivty to smells, sounds and bright lights?

Having a itty migraine a few days ago that lasted for about an hour, but was really painful during the last 20 minutes or so, I have no idea how I could last with those things for days.

Today I...

• wasn't feeling too hot and took a nap.
• woke up with a migraine. 
• took a Treximent ASAP.
• sucked it up and drove to school.
• am at school, migraine free, only thirsty!

Go me! 

(Sure, maybe that migraine wasn't that bad, but I was thisclose to just saying "fuck it" and hiding back under my blankets, but I didn't! I'm proud of myself. :] 

These things really mess with my head when I have a migraine.

Coffee

So, too much caffeine can equal a migraine, but not having any caffeine can equal one, too?  I've been trying to stop drinking coffee and notice I start to get a headache when I don't.  The best thing to get rid of this headache is to either drink a coffee, or take an Excedrin Migraine, which has caffeine in it.  I usually wake up at 10 or 11ish, but today I slept till 1.  It's 3 now, and I noticed I was getting headachey, so I'm drinking a coffee, but I don't think it's helping.  More caffeine, or is this a real thing?  I'd prefer to stop drinking these things, but each time I try it gives me headaches/migraines, which really freak me out.  Aren't headaches one of the side effects of getting off caffeine?  Grah.

Coffee for me is a 9.5 ounce Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino, so it's coffee, milk, and flavoring.  I guess it isn't that bad, I'm not drinking black coffee, but for me it's not the best.  We'll see how it goes. 

FML.

Today, I have to go to work with a migraine. Lights, sounds, and smells make it worse. I work in a casino. FML

I feel your pain.  Ugh.

411 on vertigo.

VERTIGO SYMPTOMS

• Nausea or vomiting
• Sweating
• Difficulty in standing or walking
• Light-headedness
• Abnormal eye movements
• The sensation that the floor is moving
• The sensation of not being able to keep up with what you are looking
• at
• A feeling that your surroundings are moving or spinning
• Temporary hearing loss
• Ringing sensation in the ears
• Weakness
• Difficulty speaking
• Difficulty walking
• Decreased level of consciousness

However, with that being said, the most common symptoms of vertigo are nausea or vomiting, lightheadedness, unsteadiness, feeling faint, and basically most of the sensations explained in the list of symptoms above.

Apparently there's three causes of vertigo, and there's such a thing as vertigo migraines.

CAUSES OF VERTIGO

Any condition that directly affects the brain can cause vertigo. The two most common causes of vertigo are inner ear infection or a condition called called Meniere’s disease. Both of these conditions are caused by fluid building up in the inner ear. The ear sends a message to the brain that the person is moving, while the eyes send a different message. The brain gets confused by the two conflicting messages, and doesn’t know what to do. This is what causes dizziness and motion sickness.


Another common cause of vertigo is dehydration, which often follows with nausea and vomiting or diarrhea. Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish vertigo caused by inner ear problems and vertigo caused by dehydration, because they both often cause nausea and vomiting. Any sufferers of vertigo that feel their vertigo worsening as they change position should be seen by a physician. If left untreated, dehydration can lead to shock and inner ear problems can lead to a loss of hearing.


One of the simplest and easiest ways to remember other causes of vertigo is to use the mnemonic AEIOU TIPS: 

• A – alcohol
• E – epilepsy or exposure (heat stroke, hypothermia)
• I – insulin (diabetic emergency)
• O – overdose or oxygen deficiency (shortness of breath, hyperventilation)
• U – uremia (toxins due to kidney failure)
• T – trauma (head injury or shock)
• I – infection
• P – poisoning or psychosis
• S – stroke

I drank last night, but only two and a half beers.  Maybe because they were cheap/shitty?  Maybe because I've been drinking almost every night and the Paxil and Depakote says don't drink.  I don't think I have an infection.

I'm totally freaked out now.  Hopefully in the morning things will get better. My migraine isn't even as severe now, it's the vertigo that's fucking things up.

I feel drunk.

I feel drunk, or like someone slipped be date-rape drugs or something.  It's crazy.

I...

• can barely walk and am stumbling all over the place.
• am clumsy like woa.
• my head hurts
• I'm not too sure what's going on.
• there's probably more, but I forget, and I'm not usually this forgetful.

I've never even been drunk, but if I had been, I'm sure this is what it would feel like.  I don't want to experience this again.  At least I can type.

What kind of migraine is this????  I'm starting to worry.

Dizzy II

So apparently one of the side effects of migraines now is dizziness??  I can barely walk around and my eyes are crossing.  What's up with this?!  I just took a Paxil and Xanax, because I know if I miss a dose I get all messed up, but I know damn well I took my Paxil last night.  My uncle had vertigo, which I guess this technically is, for a really long time, so I guess it's genetic or whatever?  GUH.  Stupid cluster dizzy migraines.

(All information via WebMD)

Dizziness is a word that is often used to describe two different feelings. It is important to know exactly what you mean when you say "I feel dizzy" because it can help you and your doctor narrow down the list of possible problems.

• Lightheadedness is a feeling that you are about to faint or "pass out." Although you may feel dizzy, you do not feel as though you or your surroundings are moving. Lightheadedness often goes away or improves when you lie down. If lightheadedness gets worse, it can lead to a feeling of almost fainting or a fainting spell (syncope). You may sometimes feel nauseated or vomit when you are lightheaded.
• Vertigo is a feeling that you or your surroundings are moving when there is no actual movement. You may feel as though you are spinning, whirling, falling, or tilting. When you have severe vertigo, you may feel very nauseated or vomit. You may have trouble walking or standing, and you may lose your balance and fall.

Definitely vertigo.  Whirling and everything, I'm holding onto the wall like a drunk. 

Uh oh:


Migraines and Vision Problems


Roughly 20% of migraine headaches are preceded by an aura. The aura often includes visual symptoms. Vision problems usually appear 20 minutes to one hour before the headache starts. They may include blind spots or the appearance of flashing lights, spots of light, or wavy lines in the field of vision.


Migraines without aura -- the most common type of migraine -- do not produce aura symptoms to warn of their onset. They can, though, still cause vision problems and dizziness.

The International Headache Society also recognizes a type of migraine known as retinal migraine. This type of migraine produces a variety of visual symptoms. People with retinal migraines may suffer from blindness in one eye before and during the headache. Other serious conditions, such as optic nerve problems or a tear in the arteries that supply blood to the brain, may cause one-sided blindness. Therefore, it's important to consult a health care professional immediately to rule out other causes. Fortunately, the blindness or visual deficits caused by retinal migraine resolve completely when attacks subside.


Migraines, Vertigo, and Dizziness


Migraines are one of the leading causes of dizziness. More than 25% of the 20 million people in the U.S. who suffer from migraines experience this uncomfortable symptom. The dizziness caused by migraines may include feelings of lightheadedness or unsteadiness as well as true vertigo. Vertigo makes you feel as if the room is spinning.


Even though spinning sensations may appear to be vision problems, they're actually related to your inner ear. In fact, some people who experience migrainous vertigo also experience other ear and hearing problems. That includes sound sensitivity and ringing in the ears.


Dizziness and vertigo are more common in people who have migraines with aura, including vision problems, than in those who have headaches without aura. One particular type of migraine -- basilar migraine -- is the most likely to cause vertigo. It's also likely to cause ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and coordination difficulties.  [So I guess I get these now/this is what I have?]

Some people who experience migraine-related vertigo don't develop this symptom until several years after their migraine episodes begin. [Oh dang] The headache-induced dizziness may precede or occur at the same time as the headache. In some instances, the symptoms of dizziness and vertigo develop in the absence of headache. The dizziness symptoms may last anywhere from a few seconds to days.


It can be difficult for a doctor to make a diagnosis of vertigo caused by migraine. That's because people who have these headaches often have other conditions that may cause dizziness. This can include anxiety, depression, and positional low blood pressure.

Dizzy?

I'm dizzy again.  Did I forget my meds?  I really shouldn't walk around.  Do other people get dizzy during migraines?

Thank you migraine blog for being here for me to vent, even if no one reads it. ♥

Giving the finger to Anheuser Busch.

I'm a tad wired, which really sucks.  Yet another migraine.  I'm not even sure what the count is up to for July, but I know it's surpassed June like woa.  Anyway, I think this one might be a hangover, but I didn't even get drunk/drink enough to constitute a hangover.  I seriously think Anheuser Busch is out to get me.  The last time I had a Budweiser I threw up, and last night I had a Bud Lite and now I have a migraine. WTF.  What is wrong with your beers, man? I mean, you have great commercials and all, but your beer sucks.  My dad said it was probably just cheap beer that I have to stay away from.  I've grow out of the beer pong phase, and now drink for the taste, so that's good.


I think last time's migraine actually wasn't a migraine at all.  It was on the left side and my wisdom tooth is coming in, so I think it was a headache, especially since the Esgic worked so well.  I'm on Esgic now because the CVS/Pharmacy didn't call my doctor and redo or whatever my prescription so I'm stuck with no Treximent, which really sucks because I'm supposed to go to dinner with two friends tonight, which I've already cancelled, and my boyfriend comes back from NYC today, and I haven't seen him since Thursday and I don't want to be dying and crap.  Maybe I should up my Depakote (the preventative) to once every day, or just chill with the beer.  But I've been drinking almost every night (I'm 22 by the way, this isn't illegal) and have been fine, like a beer a night?  Maybe I'm about to start my period...  (Sorry if that's TMI, but the rush of hormones usually mean I get a cluster set and then BAM period.)

Well, I should probably sleep, even though this caffeine is making me wired.  I should write 20 more blog posts like I did last time, though I only got like 5 hours of sleep last night because my phone was messing up.