I've had migraines since I was a little girl.
When I was younger, they stemmed from not eating and drinking enough. I would eat some food, drink some water, and I would be just fine. I had a habit of skipping lunch because I was a picky eater, so once my parents started sending lunch for me, I was fine.
These days, I get migraines at the drop of a hat.
Hair in a ponytail? Migraine. Spike in anxiety? Migraine. Cold breeze that hits my temples the right way? Migraine. Slept the wrong way? Migraine. Stare at a book too long? Migraine. Do absolutely everything right and still get a migraine? Yep, that's my life.
People who do not get migraines do not understand how debilitating these stupid things are. For starters, my migraines only concentrate in the temples of my head. So, mine go from my temples to my eyes, my ears, my jaw, and sometimes my neck depending on how bad it gets. I actually get stiff necks from migraines sometimes.
Having a migraine is like a drill aiming directly into your head while someone is hammering a pick into the same exact spot. It throbs, it pulses, and it feels like your eyes will fall out. The constant pulsing in your head forces your stomach to respond, and next thing you know you're sitting in a bathroom stall, begging yourself to just throw up so you can go back to class. When you have chronic migraines, you can get them as little as once a month and as often as multiple times a week. I've had migraines that have lasted a full week. In my case, I can't skip school everytime I have one. Many times I've gone to school and worn a comfortable sweatshirt to rest my head on all day.
I've been to doctors, tried tons of medications, and tried natural remedies. It works, but it's short lived. Sooner than later the migraines creep back and I'm trapped in the same vicious cycle.
Having migraines makes me relish the time where I'm headache free. Sometimes the stretch is longer than others, and I appreciate every minute where I can keep my head up for more than five minutes. It's a wonderful feeling to not have a throbbing ache in your forehead, or feel the onset of a headache you know might stay with you for a few days. I love pain free days, because I can get so much done.
To all my migraine sufferers out there, I feel your pain. No pun intended.
