Within a week I've and three migraines, the last of which has left me desperate and emotional. I hope, desperately hope, that I did not pass this on to my two girls. Yesterday, as I tried to apologize for sleeping on the couch and hushing them off to their rooms, I began to cry. They understand I don't feel well, but are both young enough where they hope that when I wake up I'm all better. They still need me a lot, but they try to be as helpful as possible. 

They've seen me with headaches, but not often like Tuedsay's ongoing doozy. They quietly went into Samantha's room to do their homework and draw while I slept on the couch. My parents took Alyssa to ballet, but before that, Samantha was trying to put her hair in a bun. They helped around the house, too--all for me.

Headache patterns like this--one on top of the other--are too much for me to handle. They leave me feeling depressed. I'm treading lightly with everything from the food I eat to how much light comes into the house. And I start treating everything as suspect from the jalapeños to salt to strobe lights on the TV.

This time, I'm going to try to back off and eat only natural, plant based foods, and slowly back off caffeine. I hope it works.

I am thankful for my acupuncturist, Stephen Chen. He's such an amazing man and has helped me so much.

Saturday, in the middle of my migraine, I went to see him. He could tell by my posture, the lines on my face, the dullness of my eyes, just how awful I felt.

I lay on the table, face down, with three needles in my neck. He touched the outside of my heel, but the ankle bone and I nearly screamed--a loud gasp of pain escaped and tears welled in my eyes. He didn't press hard, but apparently my migraine was in my feet too.

I stayed there for an hour and a half. I did feel much better after I left. Not completely cured, but much better.


Years ago, when my migraines were out of control and medicine was no longer effective, I sought out Mr. Chen. I was so desperate by then and I'd heard that acupuncture might help my headaches. I started with weekly sessions and then biweekly, and eventually monthly. My migraines nearly disappeared. I no longer needed my medicine.

Truthfully, I haven't kept up on the acupuncture this year. I got busy with softball and life and I didn't seek out my quarterly visits. And now that work-stress has a hold of me, I need him more than ever. I need to get back to that place where I can set my medication aside for 8 months to year.

There is nothing in my life more debilitating than a migraine. It affects my entire family. Not being able to care for my children is such a horrible feeling. But I'm confident that once I back on track I'll feel better again.

I am so grateful for my husband! I have to be on site at work for two weeks, but those darn fluorescent lights kill me. I've barely avoided a migraine all week, but today I was hit hard. I sat in a conference room with my head in my lap, rubbing the back of my neck. I tried so hard to beat it.

I finally gave in and drove home--I was so sleepy from the migraine meds, but made it home safely.

I walked in the door, kicked off my shoes, said three words to my family, and climbed into bed.

Al didn't complain. He made sure things were as quiet as they could be. He prepared dinner and got it in the oven and the kids ready for nutcracker rehearsal.

He had plans to go out and watch a play, but was willing to take a rain check if I needed it.

I felt much better after my nap and he was able to go see the play and support our local theatre.

I'm a lucky girl.

Evils

When I woke this morning I thought someone had kicked me in the head:
pounding, couldn't see straight, throbbing--migraine.

The culprit is the darn medicine the neurologist gave me for the swelling in my hands. It's a heavy-duty, anti-inflammatory. It hasn't done a thing for the swelling, but it has helped with the pain.

This week, however, I started to notice a pattern: if I didn't take the medicine the same time each day then a headache started. This morning it finally caught up with me.

I would rather deal with the pain and swelling than with a migraine.

I've been down this road before and I had one month of withdrawal symptoms before I kicked the culprit prescription. Fun stuff.

So it's holistic for me: Ice, braces, and acupuncture until they can figure out what this really is.

Porcupine Therapy

I had my first acupuncture treatment today at 7 am, an hour drive from my house. I was alert (thankfully) and ready for some relief from my persistent migraines. Luckily I was in one of those migraines when I made the appointment. I had also noted that my ankles had been hurting again, but that it was likely due to my lack of exercise.

I got a needle in my head for the migraines, one in each arm above the elbow, one in each cheek next to my lip, and one in each ankle. I didn't really feel the ones in my face or head, but the ones in my ankles were somewhat painful. At first everything felt okay, but then the Dr. came in to manipulate the ones in my ankles to break up "the blockage." I was having a hard time relaxing after the manipulation so I started humming "Om." It worked at calming me and focusing my attention from the pain in my ankle--think a cramp in the arch and toes.

The Dr. described the body as an X and so the left ankle corresponds to the right arm and vice versa. This was certainly true when the ankle pain went away--I felt the muscles in my right shoulder relax and then my foot was fine.

I can't wait to see what next week will be like. I find ancient Chinese medicine fascinating.