There are four parallel stories running through Karen's writings:
What it is like to live in Chronic Pain every day, the pain of systemic tendonitides caused by the Fluoroquinolone antibiotic poisoning from Levaquin(R) (Levofloxacin) and what it is like to be ostracized by family and friends to end up alone with no help, no support. Too constantly hear from doctors "that there is nothing wrong with you" "you are just doing this to get attention or pain pills".
The idea behind this book is that if you see yourself in one of those threads that you can put this book into the hands of someone, family, friend or doctor and say "This is me!" in the hopes that they 'get it' instead of thinking of you as a crazy hypochondriac out to get attention or drugs.
If someone you know who has Chronic Pain gave you this book, they want you to understand, through Karen, what they are dealing with, possibly every moment of their life. What your friend or relative wants to hear the most from you after you've read what Karen had to say is "I believe you."
Your brain is meant to be floating around in your skull and when it is not due to Intracranial Hypotension from a Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Leak or the opposite Intracranial Hypertension (too much pressure), things are getting yanked on that were never meant to be yanked on, causing debilitating pain that the word 'Headache' fails to describe.
Karen's Journal is required reading at Duke University School of Medicine.
Foreword by Connie Deline, MD, Co-founder, Spinal CSF Leak Foundation.
If you have Intracranial Hypotension caused by a Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Leak; Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH); Chiari; Chronic Pain; Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS); Invisible Disabilities, Rare Diseases, Scoliosis or injury from Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic this may be the book that resonates with you.
Spinal CSF Leak Foundation edition. Updated August 7th, 2018. All royalties go directly to the Foundation.
