Cold weather: minimizing impact

The Boy Scouts say it best: be prepared. What does this mean to someone who has trigeminal neuralgia or neuropathic facial pain?

Summer offers some people who have trigeminal neuralgia and other types of face pain a reprieve. Sometimes it's hard to imagine (and who wants to remember?) the suffering that occurs. No one wants to think about the possibility of severe pain returning, but the past two winters have been tough ones. So let's think about what can be done to help should this be another frigid season.

Before the winter approaches, have a talk with your family and friends. Talk to them about the rough places, the times when the pain reached your spirit, not just in your face.  Tell them what might have made the tough patches better, and ask them if you could have done something differently to help make the situation easier.

Ask your physician about a permit for accessible parking. Explain what it feels like when the wind hits your face. When you get the permit request signed, go to the issuing office before the harsh weather comes. For more information, please visit this entry: trigeminal neuralgia,parking lots, and wind. You may also want to take a look at some resources to shield your face from the wind. .

Have a Plan B for the Holidays. Although it is a festive time of the year, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanakkuh, and New Year's Eve fall during the colder months.

If you're the person who cooks, think about what you can do to make the dinner simpler. Ask people to bring or casserole or dessert. And have an alternate plan just in case you aren't well enough to cook that day.

Simplify gift giving. This will mean different things to different people. Maybe it will mean ordering things via the Internet or shopping at places that offer gift wrapping. It could mean fewer gifts.

For every day life, have things handy to simplify your life. Write directions to your home or other gathering places so that you can send them through email, fax, or snail mail rather than explaining them on the phone. People who experience pain when they talk know the importance of having information available in writing. Consider text messaging for your cell phone if you don't have it.

Schedule automobile work, home maintenance, and routine medical and dental visits before the cold weather hits. Stamina is often an issue for people who have face pain, and you'll want to have the fewest amount of responsibilities possible.

Make a list of important phone numbers or emails. Keep them with you as well as in a convenient place in your home.

Have cold weather attire handy.

If you do something to help you prepare for the cold weather, I'd love you to share it with us. God bless you.

Have you visited my website? www.withgreatmercy.com