Migraine

For the first time in a few months I had a migraine. Started 40 minutes before end of work. Here’s the routine…

First contact: the world seems a little distant, unsettling, much like that moment just prior to realising you just shared a common world view with your Father. Duration: 5 minutes.

Dawning realisation: despite having suffered countless migraines in the past the time it takes to recognise the onslaught does not change. At this point I should take my super duper prescribed medication - it is 90% effective 90% of the time!

But today. No. Medication. Took painkillers instead.

That vision thing: if you smeared Vaseline in two side by side “W” shapes… thus “WW”… on the lenses of a pair glasses at the centre of your vision - that’s the best I can do to describe what happens to my sight. In can discern large objects and colours, but no chance that I could read, even very large type. Nothing you look at is in focus. In the meantime my head feels like it’s full of damp cotton wool, and I feel like I want to throw up, but never do! Duration: 15-30 minutes.

The payload: the headache starts. Ouch! If possible I should have found a dark room by now. One in which I can sleep. It’s the only reprieve. Avoid light. Avoid noise. Duration: various.

First migraine I ever had last 6 weeks! No, really! And before then if people were off work with “a migraine” I confess I thought they were probably slacking a bit with a headache. Little did I realise. Sorry.

And all that’s before I mention that atypically my arm, hand, then fingers go numb. Very occasionally one half of my face does too. Feels like you are having a stroke! Not pleasant.

And the blip? The weathered flowers, the off coloured lighting, the piercing light source, the vague lack of focus. It is the best I could do to capture the feeling of a migraine - not including the pain!

Tonight when i eventually got home, had an hour of sleep, and recuperated for a bit: we walked the dogs. All’s well that ends well. Apparently!