Today marks a very special day for me personally. It was a year ago today that I started my Migraine Plan. I remember the day so vividly because like most days last March, I was in the midst of a really bad migraine. I was attempting to manage my pain without the help from my good old crutch, the triptans (If you aren't familiar with my Migraine Plan. Eliminating triptans, an abortive migraine medication that causes rebound headaches when used too frequently, is part of the plan). It was day two of this migraine and my husband and I had dinner plans with friends whom we hadn't seen in months and I wanted so desperately to be a normal spouse and friend that night. I wanted to be the person my husband married and the fun girl that could have a cocktail and laugh and enjoy dinner and friends. I wanted to be "myself" and not what I had become with this illness. Who wants to sit at home in a dark room with an icepack on their head praying for relief from pain? (stupid question, right? NOBODY) Here were a few of the thoughts racing through my ice-packed wrapped mind that day:
1. Is it possible this headache will disappear before the sitter gets here?
2. Do I cancel the sitter and send my husband to dinner alone and stay home manning two small children by myself in my current state of health?
3. Could I just take a triptan and possibly go to dinner pain-free?
The headache didn't magically disappear. I didn't cancel our sitter. And well, that leaves the third question...
Eventually, the time had come to start getting ready for the evening. Like a good little trooper I began the ritual of showering and dressing for dinner (the headache still pounding away). I was alternating my ice wraps religiously hopeful for a miraculous recovery. The sitter arrived and my decision to stay the dinner course was set in motion. On our way to our friends we stopped at a store to buy beverages. Bryan went in to purchase the drinks leaving me in the car unattended with the air-conditioner blasting on my face. The pain was getting more intense and nausea was beginning to kick in. Like most drug addicts I had my "stash" tucked away in my purse. At this point, all willpower was lost and I took the triptan, closed my eyes and laid back in the passenger seat. Bryan returned from his shopping trip and I admitted to him my failure. It was about a 20 minute drive to our friends house. By the time we arrived I had already started getting relief. Needless to say I was able to be physically present that night, but most of my focus was on my condition and not enjoying the company of my friends and spouse.
The next day was met with much anxiety awaiting the "rebound affect" to occur. I approached each hour with caution and stuck to my self-imposed diet restrictions. The impending attack never came. The prodrome stage of the migraine phased out and another migraine didn't plan a surprise attack. I had braced myself for the worse and the worse never showed up. Another day passed and no headache. A week passed and no headache. A month came and went without a headache. It's now been a year! I am so very thankful.
I feel so grateful for so many things in my life. I feel extremely blessed to have found a way to manage this illness. I am blessed by the support of my family and friends. So, for all of you that counted those migraine-free days along with me, please know how much I love all of you!
1. Is it possible this headache will disappear before the sitter gets here?
2. Do I cancel the sitter and send my husband to dinner alone and stay home manning two small children by myself in my current state of health?
3. Could I just take a triptan and possibly go to dinner pain-free?
The headache didn't magically disappear. I didn't cancel our sitter. And well, that leaves the third question...
Eventually, the time had come to start getting ready for the evening. Like a good little trooper I began the ritual of showering and dressing for dinner (the headache still pounding away). I was alternating my ice wraps religiously hopeful for a miraculous recovery. The sitter arrived and my decision to stay the dinner course was set in motion. On our way to our friends we stopped at a store to buy beverages. Bryan went in to purchase the drinks leaving me in the car unattended with the air-conditioner blasting on my face. The pain was getting more intense and nausea was beginning to kick in. Like most drug addicts I had my "stash" tucked away in my purse. At this point, all willpower was lost and I took the triptan, closed my eyes and laid back in the passenger seat. Bryan returned from his shopping trip and I admitted to him my failure. It was about a 20 minute drive to our friends house. By the time we arrived I had already started getting relief. Needless to say I was able to be physically present that night, but most of my focus was on my condition and not enjoying the company of my friends and spouse.
The next day was met with much anxiety awaiting the "rebound affect" to occur. I approached each hour with caution and stuck to my self-imposed diet restrictions. The impending attack never came. The prodrome stage of the migraine phased out and another migraine didn't plan a surprise attack. I had braced myself for the worse and the worse never showed up. Another day passed and no headache. A week passed and no headache. A month came and went without a headache. It's now been a year! I am so very thankful.
I feel so grateful for so many things in my life. I feel extremely blessed to have found a way to manage this illness. I am blessed by the support of my family and friends. So, for all of you that counted those migraine-free days along with me, please know how much I love all of you!
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