At the age of twenty-four, Paula Kamen's life
changed in an
instant While she was
putting in her contacts, the left lens
disturbed a
constellation of nerves behind her eye. The pain was more
piercing than that of any other headache she had ever experienced. More than a decade later, she still has a headache-the exact same headache. From surgery to a battery of Botox injections to a dousing of Lithuanian holy water, from a mountain of pharmaceutical products to aromatherapy and even a vibrating hat,
All in My Head chronicles the sometimes frightening, usually absurd, and always ineffective remedies Kamen-like so many others-tried in order to relieve the pain. Beleaguered and frustrated by doctors who, frustrated themselves, periodically declared her pain psychosomatic, she came to understand the plight of the millions who suffer chronic pain in its many forms. Full of self-deprecating humor and razorsharp reporting,
All in My Head is the remarkable story of patience, acceptance, and perseverance in the face of terrifying pain.
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