Migraines Past and Present

Last week I wrote about the events around my Moya Moya diagnosis and everything that happened during and afterwards.  Actually I started to write the Chapters in my Moya Moya book. I am planning on writing other books, but right now I am focusing on Moya Moya.  I believe I have a niche because I don't see any books written in regards of adults who have it.  I know that within this chapter will be a explanation what are migraines are in the medical field, but not today.  By the way my other books are going to talk about teaching in South Central, overseas, Palm Springs and our mishaps and blessings here and there.  My husband I will write them together. You are thinking have they started?  Hell no.  I need to get him motivated. Right now he is trying to survive teaching summer school. One thing at a time. 

First of all, migraines suck the big one. They truly do!  I can remember having horrible headaches starting at the age 12.  I thought everyone did.  I was wrong!  I know for me that stress and lack of sleep brings them on, plus much more. I was hoping after the brain surgeries they would be gone.  But no!  Maybe I should have told that to Dr. Martin. At that time I playing for surviving and not stroking out.  After the first brain surgery I did have a stroke, but I am here alive. What more can I ask for?  I will say that I would think with all of the hours of work in and on my brain it would have stopped my migraines, but alas no. I am not the poster child for the Moya Moya surgeries due to the stroke, but I am here!

Migraines are weekly occurrences.  When it starts with a bad headache with the nausea, I drink some more water and eat a little bit of protein, and see if that works.  If not I just take a half of  pill and lay down.   If the pain and nausea continue, I take the other half of the pill plus my evening medicines and sleep it off.  Usually sleep helps a lot.  I also need my bedroom to be very cold and dark.  I am out for the count on these days.  My husband Patrick has to take over.  Thank God he is a great guy and father.  I am very blessed to have him. This is one of the reasons I have my menu for the month planned and posted with everything bought for the week.  

For my own sanity I have to make jokes about them, as in the above.  I need to make fun of Moya Moya and my strokes in general.  If I didn't I would become them, but I am not them.  I have to live a happy life and be thankful because I am alive and able to take care of my family.

I have good and bad days and weeks.  I never know what the day will bring, and I have to be aware to not over do it.  That is my main problem -  I want to ignore the pain and do what I had planned.  But I can't.  If I try to do what I want, my brain says, "No way b*tch you are getting a bad one!!! Ha ha on you!"  I am down for the count a couple of days.  My neurologist Mr. Seymour Young I need to kill it the first day.  When they last for many days, I didn't murder it the first day.  I usually have a foggy day the next day so I don't do much. I feel so lazy on those days. I don't like feeling lazy but I am taking care of myself, plus I hate housework, dishes and laundry. I need a maid!  Ha ha!  Yeah right!

I am thankful for them being weekly. When I was teaching Kindergarten after the brain surgeries it was a daily event plus I had insomnia.  These two together made my life miserable, especially when I need to sleep off the migraine. I would go to bed at 8 and wake up at 3 unable to go back to sleep.  In mid-September 2006 I had my crash and burn. That will another chapter.  Medicine and laughter are the the best!  

This is a little longer than usual.  I could go on and on about the migraines, but I have dinner to plan.