The illness I live with....

This is no cry for pity's sake or attempt at garnering attention. I just thought you may want to know what I live with everyday...

Along with the chronic sinusitis and headaches I live with, I also have a chemical deficiency in my brain which will progressively worsen over time. I am heavily medicated and can perform and function normally thanks to the medicine. This was misdiagnosed for 3 years and finally corrected in 2004. So, it's been 8 years now.

The good news: It will not kill me!

What I live with everyday are acute and chronic issues.

1- I must take a 2 hour nap every day due to the drowsiness effects of 3 daily pills. Plus, I sleep 7 hours at night. That's 9/24ths of my life unconscious.
2- I cannot stand to hear any loud noises, especially kid's screaming or drums being played. It causes a kind of panic attack where I get hot, tense, uncomfortable, and lose cohesion. The first time this happened I thought I was going insane. Coughing 3 or more times produces the same effect.
3- My peripheral vision can cause the same panic disorder. It happened once going through a tunnel because of the lights at regular intervals passing by. Another time was on a ride at Hershey Park with Samantha. It was one of those swinging pirate ships, and the peripheries got me bad. All I could do was stare at Samantha, and count to 10 over and over until the ride ended. I also have milder attacks at work sometimes climbing extension ladders. No more amusement parks, climbing, etc. for me. Thank God (and the Scots) for golf!
4- I'm getting stupider, if that's possible. I posted a 179 on an IQ test administered to me in 1999. Since then, I have dropped 30 pts. My memory is getting worse, my reflexes are slowing, and I'm only 44. So, one day when I start babbling like an idiot (too late) you'll know why.
5- Other medicinal side effects...incurable blackheads, a withdrawn attitude, lack of energy, blah, blah,blah....at least I'm not off my nut! ; )
6- No caffeine (very little actually) and no alcohol (I had my share in my younger days anyway). Caffeine in large quantities causes panic attacks, alcohol causes seizures. Needless to say, I've been dry and sober for 7 years now! That in itself is a huge plus.

I think that's all. So if you notice I seem detached, lazy, etc., now you'll know why!