PATIENT STORIES

Kathleen remembers down to the minute when she began experiencing symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia. It was March 9, 2004, at approximately 7:05 p.m.

You may never know what a person is enduring when they are viewed from the surface only. What might be occurring beneath the smile and the steady gait; the personable speech and the ability to seemingly do it all?

She knew because she is Rebecca’s mother: She carried her child close to her heart, knows every note of her favorite song, how the light of excitement dances in the colors of her eyes, what makes her laugh and cry.

“Oh, no, a toothache,” I thought. I didn’t know, because I had no idea it existed, that I was experiencing the first symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia, the kind of agony typical of the disease, one of the most painful illnesses known to humanity.

In hindsight of the year 2020, everyone will have their story of “where I was when it happened.” Where were you when the world went on lock down as the COVID-19 global pandemic rushed across the globe? Hannah Crazyhawk was at home

Let’s face it. Living with a debilitating chronic health condition and a global pandemic at the same time are a “double whammy” with unthinkable impacts.

It seemed like Trigeminal Neuralgia took everything from Erin Canter. After being diagnosed, her entire identity shifted and she lost many critical aspects of what made Canter herself: the ministry she loved, her job, an active lifestyle, and social world.

Nine years ago, I went to lunch with some colleagues at work, and when I returned to my office I had one of the worst toothaches I have ever felt.   I immediately left work and went to the dentist, who after tests and x-rays, could not find anything wrong with the tooth.