happy

Hiatus No More

/ Ronni Jean / Leave a comment

I have returned.

I don’t know why it happens that I go long stretches of time without writing.. I’m lying I know exactly why it happens; my routine gets interrupted. I am a VERY routine person. I like to go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning. If I can’t workout first thing in the morning then I don’t want to do it. I have to admit it is a curse more than a blessing. Don’t get me wrong the thought of someone being routine sounds like they are very unexciting but I would like to think that I am somewhat exciting. Just because I like my sleep patterns to sync up and I like to hit the gym at the same time everyday doesn’t mean everything in my life is that way. I still do fun things.

Anyway… The reason I have been away is because my routine got lost; my eye were bigger than my stomach and I had way more on my plate than I bargained for. I have finally taken care of my obligations and I have FINALLY learned how to say no. I try to always please people and say yes and put my feelings second but sometime last week I learned that “no” can sometimes be good. “No” can be a positive thing; not overloading my plate gives me more time for me and that is always a good thing.

After 27 years I have learned that I have to respect myself enough to say “no.” Because after all my happiness and sanity matters just as much as the next person. I have always been so eager to take on extra tasks and did not even think about what that does to my life and my schedule. I almost feel like taking on tasks didn’t bear as much weight as it does now. I am getting older (soooo old) and I really need to refine my focus and time on things that really contribute to my life.

With that being said, I am back. I look forward to sharing my adventures with you.

R

10/5/14

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Botox: Part 2

/ Ronni Jean / Leave a comment

So it has been 3 months and 16 days since I had my first Botox injects; and roughly a week since I went for my second treatment (you have to go every 12 weeks for injections).

In those 3 months, get ready for this, I had 5 headaches! I know that may seem like pfft whatever but for me that is ahhh-mazing, if you know me or if you have read my previous posts about my migraine situation you know that 5 is pretty much a miracle. And to make it even better these headaches never got to the point of no return like my other headaches use to do. These past 5 I was able to take an Excedrin or Relpax and bam no more headache.

I honestly wish I had known about Botox sooner, or that it was even made an option available to me years ago; I told my neurologist this too. My neurologist said that Botox is a last resort and the reason that they do not offer it is because it is so expensive. I will have you know I have a warped sense of real world insurance costs because I work for a big healthcare company that graciously offers benefits at a low cost to me. So for my injections I pay five bucks, that’s it, five and done. I was curious to know how much Botox costs in the real world so I did a little bit of research.

Botox prices can range from $10 per unit up to $18 per unit, there seems to be no rhyme or reason for the cost fluctuation some websites I read seem to suggest that it has to do with the physician giving the injections; if he/she is in demand, how much Botox they buy, the areas that it is injected, etc.  So I figure the average price per unit is around $15, which doesn’t seem so bad until you take into account how many units you actually need per treatment. Botox for migraines requires 155 units for the treatment. So 155 units x $15 = $2,325 Yikes. When I sit back and look at that number I think is that amount of money something that I would be willing to pay for? I mean for my migraines I would give anything, but cosmetically is that really worth it? At my age now I would say no, but who knows what I will say 30, 4o years down the road when my skin starts to sag and I get wrinkles and such. I do know that I won’t have a problem with forehead wrinkles thanks to my migraine Botox. (kidding, but only kind of)

I really just wanted to update about my progress with the Botox treatments; scariest, yet best decision I have made to get my head under control. Rumor has it that after about a year’s worth of treatment that the headaches should just dissipate and hopefully they will cease to exist; I can’t complain about that. I cannot even express how nice it is to have my life back, to not miss out on activities because I have a migraine. I can also genuinely say that I am happier, living in constant pain really does put a damper on things and now that I no longer have that pain I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me and it is fabulous.

 

r

5/28/14