(I am having the HARDEST time trying to get it through Tim's head that this isn't a headache, that it's like a bruise. I keep saying that headaches hurt from the inside out, and bruises hurt from the outside in [which is not strictly true, but it's the best comparison I could make, but maybe that doesn't make sense and that's a sign I should seek medical help], and this is the latter kind of pain. It feels like any other impact injury would -- your outside gets hit and then it hurts. Not like a headache, which is that something inside starts hurting. Fuck, does that make sense? Because I can't word it properly to make Tim understand it at all.)

That does. Sinus headaches have had me rubbing at the pain hard enough to bruise on several occasions. Then it hurt both from the headache and from the bruise.

What concerns me is that you can't find a bruise or cut or something to explain the external pain. Just a straight headache wouldn't concern me as much. It's unexplained pain following (but not immediately after) an impact. Unexplained is what concerns me.

And, yes, they may tell you to go home and take a Tylenol. But if they do, they might be able to also explain why it hurts now when it didn't for a few days.

edit: I slept four days through a heatwave and what I then realized was a concussion from a car accident. Nine times out of ten*, whatever got hit will heal. But I should have been taken to a doctor immediately and I am damn lucky that I didn't have anything permanently wrong. * Number guessed at with no cites.

This is a completely bizarre hypothesis, but you know how some bruises don't really bloom until a day or two later? Maybe this is something like that.

I like Ginger's suggestion of ice, and whatever anti-inflammatory you can take. Then in the morning, if it still hurts, or if it wakes you tonight, consider going.

Why don't you try some ice and see if it helps?

I did, but there doesn't seem to be any change.

What concerns me is that you can't find a bruise or cut or something to explain the external pain.

When I looked in the mirror a little bit ago (to do the pupil check, which is entertaining as HELL), there is a definite mark now, that is aggressively hot pink.

This is a completely bizarre hypothesis, but you know how some bruises don't really bloom until a day or two later? Maybe this is something like that.

Honestly, that's all I was thinking it was, until I googled and got all the Natasha Richardson and TBI results.

Is the pink area warm to the touch?

there is a definite mark now, that is aggressively hot pink.

That actually makes me feel better.

I wouldn't go, but then again, inverted. I mean, I'd eventually go, because it would make my headache worse, and I'm just embarrassed to go for any other reason not involving my insides on the outside or something from the outside on my insides.

But that's what I would do. Knowing that I'd be there in less than a week anyway.

As advice goes, the thing that kills you when you whack your head probably doesn't hurt much because it's brain stuff and that doesn't hurt. I'm not sure why Tim doesn't understand. You hit yourself really hard, and that hurts when that happens. Sometimes it's your head, and sometimes it's not your head. Usually it's my head. I don't think it bruises often either.

Hey, maybe me not going to the ER for that is why my head hurts 23/7 now.

Um, if there's any other way I can totally fail to be useful, just holler.

Could it be something different like a bite that was coincidentally in the same place?

Hi all. I skipped a bunch because I fell way behind (although I did just read about Teppy's head-trauma-drama....

I found out over the weekend that my grandma (dad's mom) has about a month left to live.

I'm kind of not dealing with it right now. She's 95 or so, and had a good run, and she is in pain, so at least that will be over. But my dad and I are still having issues between us (we're kind of not speaking), and I just don't even know how to respond or deal, so I'm just not.

But when I think about it, in the very brief moments that I do think about out, I can't handle it, so I stop.

It'd be a good time to reach out to your dad, Sean.

He, is after all, losing a parent.

I know my Dad didn't cry after his father died until he got home to see me.