TNNME: TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA and ME
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  • Intl TN Awareness Petition
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness
    • TN/FP Resources >
      • TN: Working Together >
        • United States Resources
        • Ireland Resources
        • United Kingdom Resources
        • Australia & New Zealand Resources
        • Netherlands Resources
        • Finland Resources
        • Canada Resources
        • Brazil Resources
        • Why Does Pain Get Worse When a Storm Is Coming?
        • TN & Social Security Disability Help
  • International TN & FP Ribbon
    • Countdown Clock
    • Intl TN Awareness Videos
    • Intl TN Magazine
    • Poems by Intl TNers
    • Cherokee Hat Trick by Brian Whitaker
    • Intl Arts 4 a CURE
    • Photos of TN & Facial Pains
    • Author Brian Whitaker: Going Down Short Story >
      • The Pharmacy by Brian Whitaker
      • Gabapentin
      • Shakespeare My TN Buddy
      • Having a Good Time-TN Version
      • 1126 Tomcat Way Full GM Edit
      • Author Brian Whitaker: The Rat
      • There's an elephant on my face
      • TN The Pain Awakens
  • TN Awareness Products
  • What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
    • Facial Pains Disorders
    • Battle Scars of TN and FP
    • Research 4 our CURE
    • Stop It Coffee For A Cause
  • 2022 Light Up Teal 4TN
  • 2021 Light Up Teal 4 TN
  • Our 2021 TN Day
  • 2020 Light Up Teal Trigeminal Neuralgia
    • Lighting Request Info
    • Trigeminal Neuralgia: Why Light Up Teal?
    • Our 2019 TN Awareness Day
    • 2018 Intl Light Up Teal
    • Our 2018 TN Awareness Day >
      • 2017 Light Up Teal 4 TN & FP
      • 2016 Light Up Teal 4 TN
      • 2016 Oct 7 Intl TN Day Events
      • 2016 Intl TN Awareness Day Events
      • 2015 Light Up Teal
      • 2015 TN Day Photos
      • 2014 Light Up Teal
      • Oct 7th 2014 Intl TN Day Photo >
        • 2013 Light Up Teal
        • Betsy Alexander's TN Story
        • Artist Tara Shuey Story
        • Maureen Stone Story
        • Artist Tara: Loved one’s perspectives…………
        • Miriam Fraser's TN Journey
        • Honoring the Taken
        • Rebecca Thorpe Story
        • Nikki Samuel Story
        • Holley Pesina TN Story
        • Susan Wiffill Story
        • Daniel R. "Bob" Snodgrass
        • Frank Skoviera Story
        • Kristina Pelly-Filocamo Story
        • Lagi Leau Story
        • Karen Brigham Story
        • Jennifer Rodgers Houghton Story
        • Dawn Raye Winner
        • Ron Blair Story
      • 2016 Race to Save Face
      • Children & Teens with TN
  • TN: Media Center
    • TN Proclamations
    • Open Letter: Dentist and Oral Surgeons
    • TN & the ER ROOM
    • Open Letter: ER DRs
    • AN OPEN LETTER TO DOCTORS
  • To WHO
    • Hello WHO >
      • TNNME (Toni) Story
      • It's ME on TNnME 10/7/2017
      • 9/21/2016 TNnME Press Release
      • Living in the moment
      • My TN Symptoms
      • Hormones with Trigeminal Neuralgia
      • Trigeminal Neuralgia and Me
      • Cluster Headache Links
      • (CH) Abortive & Preventive treatments
      • Cluster Headache
      • Contact Form
  • Be Strong
TNNME: TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA and ME

Shakespeare My TN Buddy

Short Story: Shakespeare by Author Brian Whitaker

Picture

Early 2007 the infamous headaches I experienced at Fort Carson, Colorado returned with a vengeance. My painful childhood earaches returned as well. The frequent pain behind my left eye became all to frequent. The pains conspired against me and exploded into full blown Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia, Type 2 TN. My relationship with Shakespeare changed; he became my TN buddy.

One night I went to bed early, the pain was so bad I covered my aching eyes. Minutes later I heard the sound of furry paws scampering up the pet stairs and felt the vibrations of something walking across the bed. I uncovered my eyes and saw Shakespeare lying at my feet. I smiled and covered my eyes. I awoke next morning with him still at my feet.

It didn’t matter where I choose to ride out an excruciating trigeminal attack; Shakespeare would use his feline empathic powers to find me. I could awake with pain at an ungodly hour, walk out to the living room, and lie down on the sofa; my TN buddy would find me and ball up at my feet.




My TN buddy would at times go above and beyond the call of duty, though I wish he hadn’t. I was having a nasty attack, Shakespeare found me within minutes. He scurried up the stairs; I petted him as he walked up next to me. I thought he was going to lie at my head…wrong. Shakespeare decided to head bump me, repeatedly.

I winced and moved my head, but that didn’t stop my furry feline companion. Shakespeare repeatedly rubbed my shoulder with his head as he purred away. I sighed and relented, putting my head back. He then licked away on my aching cheek with his course tongue, and may I add that it’s the most course tongue of any cat I’ve ever owned.

There were times where my furry buddy amazed me. Excruciating pain, from time to time, would awake me from a deep sleep. I would place my arm out to ready myself to get out of bed and take a couple of migraine pills. I quickly discovered my faithful friend was already there, sleeping peacefully at my side. I let him sleep and quietly got out bed. I took the pills and came back with him waiting on me. He’d ball up at my head after I lied down.

He was true teal till the end. Laura and I placed him on a baseball beach towel I would roll up and rest my neck on during a Trigeminal Neuralgia attack. We made sure the teal patch belonging to the Marlins was showing before Shakespeare crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Other Short Stories by Brian Whitaker
​

Cherokee Hat Trick 
​
The Pharmacy 
​
Gabepentin
​
Shakespeare My TN Buddy
​
Having a Good Time-TN Version
​
1126 Tomcat Way Full GM Edit
​
Going Down ​
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