How I have spent my summer vacation thus far

Apparently I have a wonky brain. The migraines were, perhaps, my first clue. Turns out though, that my brain may be doing Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) as well. These are also called warning strokes. TIA sounds far more innocuous.

Since anything that is called a warning probably should be checked out, I went to the neurologist. Since modern American medicine relies firmly on the might and right of testing, the neuro scheduled me for many tests in an attempt to determine if I just have "complicated migraines" or if I am actually having TIAs. Thus far, I have had vats of blood drawn (I actually stopped counting at twelve vials--it was called "a stroke panel"), I have had an EEG, an MRI, a Transcranial Doppler Study (TCD), a Carotid Artery Ultrasound and a TCD with Microemboli (the last three were performed by a technician who travels once a month from Houston just to administer these tests). I have also had a round of physical therapy to what end I'm still uncertain, but it seemed to result in more and nastier tension headaches and combination tension/ migraine headaches, so I stopped the PT. All of these procedures have required that I either have stuff put in my hair and on my neck or that I arrive with no hair products, lotions, make up, caffeine, extra water, less sleep etc etc. All I have to show for the process thus far is more headaches, I think we may have reached our out of pocket yearly maximum on the health insurance and I have an increasing distaste for testing and doctors' visits. I won't even have a follow-up visit with the doctor for another 6+ weeks. The upside is that CE is a pretty decent babysitter these days and has been holding down the fort since DH has been working his tail off more so than usual. The downside is that I know nothing specific about the wonkiness of my brain and it has actually been worse. I have no assurances that Obamacare will make such experiences as mine better or worse. If I had no insurance, none of this would be possible which in the short term sounds pretty good right about now, but if something could actually be found to help my brain or otherwise prevent it from throwing a cranial rod or whatever it is brains do when they cease to play well with others on a long term basis, then I suppose having health insurance and all these crazy tests could be a good thing. But maybe when all is said and done I either will still know nothing or will know something I wish I didn't, but will still have to pay for.

And, I have substituted for CW's teacher so she could go on vacation, for Bam's teacher so she could go on vacation and now two weeks for M's teacher so she could have a cold and go on vacation. And if I'm lucky, our vacation this year will be a family reunion with my parents, sisters and families but there is a very real possibility that DH will deposit us there and go off to do some more crazy work. So once again, I find myself firmly in the camp of avoiding certain FB posts and certain blog posts of those people who have vacations so that I can mitigate bitterness that my summer is filled with acronyms, headaches and an overworked, overexhausted husband and five crazy kids who want to be entertained.