Migraine.

Nothing glamorous about that. Nothing at all.

I have suffered from migraine headaches - and various other symptoms that accompany them - since childhood. Long enough that I often know a day or at least several hours in advance of when one might occur. I guess if a person has to be pegged with migraine, it helps to have some time to get to a "safe" place before the serious nastiness hits, so I am thankful that I at least get some warning. I am also thankful for medications that make it so my migraines come less frequently, and are less severe when I do have them.

But even with a body that is in-tune enough to warn me of roadblocks ahead, these ridiculous headaches and the junk that comes with them still sometimes come out of nowhere.

That happened last night.

I had been working for two full days on finally refinishing a dresser I bought at a garage sale last summer, and each of those nights when I went to bed I was exhausted in that way that makes you feel great because you accomplished so much during the day. Last night, the second night, I got all cuddled into bed with my covers pulled up to my chin ... I was pleasantly tuckered out ... the house was quiet ... I turned on the TV to wait for one of my favorite shows to start ... and within five minutes I started to see the aura. Like someone turned on a strobe light in front of my face. Gah!

It felt like I had been duped. Just when I thought things were going great and I had it all under control, my body informed me otherwise. And when my body tells me I'm going to get hit with a migraine, I listen. Whenever possible - and thank God last night it was - I also pull out the big guns: Dark, Quiet and Sleep. A little medication to make the sleep come faster helps, too.

What stinks about migraines (well, besides the make-you-crazy pain and the fact that I'm often rendered useless until it's all over) is that I never really know if I could have done anything to prevent them. Fortunately it's been a while since I've had to think about it because I have them less often than I used to, but today I am thinking back over the past week or so and wondering what triggered this one.

Paint fumes?
Stress?
Too little/too much caffeine?
Change in the weather?
Hormones?
Processed foods?
Too long since my last visit to the chiropractor?

This is the part that stinks. It could be physical, emotional, environmental ... or none of the above. Or all of the above. Sometimes I know exactly what causes them; sometimes I haven't a clue. Isn't that just like life? A total grab bag. Ya' just gotta' roll with it and find something to be thankful for.

Tonight I am thankful that it feels like I will be completely recovered from this (sometimes it takes a day or two) just in time to get started on another busy weekend of running kids here and there and everywhere. I am thankful for the opportunity to sleep off this headache hangover and wake up refreshed in the morning. I am thankful for good drugs.

And I am thankful that I will see my sweetheart tomorrow night.

Here's to a great weekend! Enjoy.