At least there's no pain

(yet)

I have a love-hate relationship with gum. I love the flavor, it gives me something to do instead of brooding on food. However, since the fifth cranial nerve has a branch running across the upper cheek, it's a great way to trigger an episode.

So I gave up gum for years. Two years since my implant to jam the pain signals, there are times when it doesn't bother me to be chewing gum.

Yesterday was not one of those days. I unfortunately needed something to keep me going on the long dark road home. Gum helps keep me awake. Unfortunately by the time I got to Gila Bend, I had to give up the gum all together because each chew was causing my upper cheek to spasm. It wasn't too painful, but enough of a distraction that I didn't want to keep happening.

Today, my upper cheek is still very tight. I just had an episode of spasms again. Again, not painful, but annoying.

So with the cheek spasms and my sore back from all the driving, I hope the muscle relaxant will help tonight.