Migraines

During the last few days I experienced changes in my body and mind that I haven't experienced ever...ouch!
Day one: headache, swollen eyes and nausea. Day two: irritated eyes, more headache and a horrible hate to light- any kind: artificial, natural...did not matter. Driving was a real tough task and to stay on a straight line even harder.
At day three I decided to go to the doctor because day one and two were all combined. Something isn't right, I thought. And I was right guessing my body wasn't right. Migraine, the doctor said. That simple word made a very complicated week for me.
Photo-phobia, the doctor said.  My teary eyes were begging the doctor to stop with that little light pointing straight to my teary eyes. 
Stress from work, the doctor said. I won't talk about work and what kind of stress I have because this is not related to work (my blog, that is).
Constricted muscles, the doctor said. True, mostly due to the above topic and life itself.
I'm away from work for a week. I (usually) complaint about not having extra days off. This week I wished I could be at work. I couldn't stand being in bed, in darkness, in silence...in pain.
My husband helped me to get through the pain by not making noises, making me tea and reducing all levels of worries I could have.
My mother, brother and sisters- I have not enough words to thank them. To Romi, for driving me to the doctor and pharmacy. My mother came to my house to make me food, to give me medical massages and to pamper me- just like moms know how to do. My brother came to give me company and to make me laugh with his jokes.
My dad and Pao were so worried calling probably every hour to check on me. To say the least, I have an awesome family who care about me a lot and love me without conditions.


Let's get to what migraine has done to me, though.


The pain is horrible. I started to feel a strong pain behind my eye balls (that's why I thought I had an eye infection- eyes burning and having discharge) that leaded to the back of my neck. I felt like if elephants were jumping on my head. I thought Lillian (my cat) gained so much weight that her jumps from the couch to the floor sounded so profound and painful. I wondered if I was becoming a bat- afraid of the light. I couldn't comb my hair because the sensation of having a comb passing through my head was mortifying.  Appetite was completely gone. Music was the least thing I wanted to think of (and all people that know me knows how much I love music), my hair started to fall out of my head (not 2-3 hairs, but big chunks of hair that are scary and (for me) worth crying over).
After the injection of pain reliever and the medications I started to wonder when the pain was going to go away. It wasn't till today in the morning (from Tuesday till Saturday morning) that the strong, abhorrent pain left my complicated head. What a relief to be able to cook, to check emails, to start having a good life again.
I probably slept for 15 hours a day every day during my migraine episode.


Migraines can be inherited. My mom has had them. Did I mention they're horrendous?


What to do now that the episode is gone?


Put stress away. By any means. I have to let my brain relax and find things that I enjoy.
Eat healthy- avoid complicated, heavy meals.
Exercise, exercise, exercise- I have to make my body get connected with my mind and start exercising permanently. I started by walking. And once the pain is completely gone, I will start riding my bicycle again. And I will re-take my zumba classes.   


I'm starting a more healthy life style because I want to get away from migraines. I hope that if you read this blog take action in the matter and be proactive. A lot of people tend to say "I have a migraine" without really knowing what it is. Headaches are not nearly as similar as a migraine. Sadly, I will have more because that's how life is and now that my body learned to react that way I will react again in the same or worse way. I hope that my new choices help me reduce the amount of episodes.


As stimulus for my change I decided to write some recipes for busy people, like me.
I will have them posted shortly.