life: with migraines

As I write this, I’m sitting in a darkened room. I took the day off because after 4 days of a steady, throbbing, stomach-roiling migraine, I decided there was no point in commuting for an hour and being miserable. It’s a luxury and a privilege and one that I’m thankful for every damn day because there are days when the migraines are unrelenting and the pain is a constant pressure in my head, my neck, my joints, my stomach… it’s unbearable.

And this is one of the not-so-bad ones. My headache is manageable. I was able to get out of bed. I did my groceries over the weekend, took care of errands, but the symptoms make it hard to function. Sometimes, a migraine feels like a stabbing in my head, other times, like now, it feels like the constant threat of fainting and/or vomiting.

Luckily, the threat has been just that—a threat. Worst are the days when it’s not a threat. I’ve never fully passed out, but my vision has faded in the most terrifying way. And there was that one time I couldn’t keep anything down, even water, and had to go to urgent care.

I share this because it’s part of my reality and it’s one that often leaves me feeling depressed and turning to Dr. Google for help because there’s no other help to be had. Sometimes, I just want to know if someone else has the same symptoms.

For those going through the same thing—I see you.