16-year-old girl
I’m now 16 years old and was in the clinic for three weeks in March 2012. I had bad headaches and dizziness practically every day. First I was told that I had migraines, but that couldn’t be right because the medication didn’t help. After that I saw many doctors, such as ophthalmologist, ear, nose and throat specialist, osteopath, psychotherapist, neurologist, family doctor and even a radiologist regarding an MRT. But none of these doctors could confirm anything.
My parents didn’t know what to do, since I was only rarely able to go to school. I had little time for friends, and I no longer did normal things like sports or watching TV.
I had significant absences from school, and so missed a lot of subject material. But then a doctor hinted that it could possibly be a psychosomatic illness. She advised me to arrange an appointment at the children’s clinic in Datteln. But I didn’t want to do that at all, as I didn’t want to be away from my family and friends in the hospital for three weeks. So we first went to an outpatient psychotherapist who finally also said that an inpatient stay was the only way forward.
In the clinic I was accepted warmly and it was good to know that there were many kids with similar problems. I quickly found friends there and so the three weeks went by faster than I would have thought. I got to know various techniques or relaxation methods which I also used later at home. At first I got my pain well under control with the help of these techniques, but then it suddenly got worse again, and again I didn’t go to school. Fortunately I soon had my follow-up appointment at the clinic.
Mrs. Hartmann (psychotherapist at the Children’s Pain Center) appealed to my conscience, which was necessary, because I was supposed to go to school in spite of my headaches. So once again I got the hang of it, since I wouldn’t have managed alone. I went to school again every day, even when I had a headache. But the headaches kept diminishing. I didn’t think about them so often anymore and started having fun again.
Today I’m really well again. I repeated my school year voluntarily and changed schools in order to get a new start. The headaches aren’t a factor in my life at all anymore and I have completely forgotten about them. Finally, I’m glad that I went to the clinic in spite of my fears, because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to live as I do now.