Kathy’s Blog
Emails, dental work, you, and me
Until yesterday, some time had passed since I received an email from someone who has read With Great Mercy, someone I don’t know. As readers, we have no way of knowing what is happening in the lives of writers. It is always good to know that we have helped, inspired,...
Trigeminal neuralgia: How can I get them to understand?
How can I get my spouse, coworker, boss, friends, or family to understand? This is one of the most common questions I hear regarding the nature of trigeminal and glossopharyngeal nerualgias. The answer, regardless of who asks it, is the same. You cannot make...
Social isolation: we aren’t alone anymore.
I know, I know, I quit blogging because someone is stealing my posts and using them as his or her own. Perhaps this entry will also be stolen. I have come to realize that if people are helped by what I write, then that is the real purpose of my reflections.More than...
Trigeminal neuralgia and night terrors
If one has trigeminal neuralgia, terror can rule the night. I was married when I had pain so horrific that my spouse sometimes awakened me, explaining that he could not sleep because I was screaming. I was amazed by the fact that I could slumber in spite of my...
Trigeminal neuralgia: Is it really “the suicide disease?”
Several years ago a blog post popped up, stating that 26 percent of all individuals who have trigeminal neuralgia (TN) commit suicide. I was working for TNA, The Facial Pain Association at the time, as the Director of Patient Services. What this means, basically, is...
Glossopharyngeal neuralgia: symptoms
What does glossopharyngeal neuralgia feel like? I will tell you about my own experience. My glossopharyngeal nerve sometimes causes stabs and jabs in my jaw. It can cause me to “jerk,” suddenly as though I have put my finger in a light socket. The pain sometimes...
The Whiteboard
Nothing stirs my soul like a visual. Today I saw a picture of a man who is recovering. I’ve prayed for him and his family, but I have never met him. His daughter is a cherished friend of my Kelli. I’ll call her Jay. Jay came into Kelli’s life when I was hoping my...
A weary world rejoices
Ready or not, willing or unwilling, the season to celebrate has arrived. For so much of 2020, celebrating has been the last thing on my mind. I have had long talks with God, asking Him if He is listening. So many people in my family have had COVID-19, and yes, we lost...
Your eye: the first division of your trigeminal nerve
Years ago, when I was new to the world of trigeminal neuralgia, I was visiting my neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. He asked me if I had eye pain, and I was shocked, thinking he could read my mind. I didn't realize that he asked because eye pain is so...
Emotions and face pain
As someone who has counseled people with facial pain, I understand that it is not uncommon for someone's emotions to reach a nadir. It doesn't matter if it's my pain or the pain that belongs to someone else. So I am always concerned when I hear that someone with...