I hear you, I feel you, my whole body hurts for you.
Parenting while suffering from migraines or any other type of illness is so hard in many aspects.
Knowing when one will strike is always unexpected, no matter how hard you try to eliminate as many variables causing them as possible. The alcohol, staying hydrated, loud concerts, the heat, your monthly period, and the list goes on.
I'm always terrified one will strike on a day of a big event or holiday. Leading up to my wedding, I was so nervous. It was at the end of July and was an outdoor ceremony & I was expecting one to happen. I drank nothing alcoholic the day before & morning of, I was't letting a migraine ruin one of the biggest days of my life! Luckily I didn't get one until the morning after, mostly because I drank more than I ever usually do!
I've been there though, it comes on, the worst of times! I've been slumped in the back seat of a car too many times to count. Had to have my parents or husband pick me up from work because I can't drive. Missed a holiday. My husband has been taken to the hospital via ambulance for a back injury as I'm head in a bucket trying to care for him and support him, while dealing with one. My daughter's first trip to the ER, migraine. It makes me feel so helpless, not to mention I look like I'm hungover (that's what it feels like TIMES 10), or potentially a drug addict. Seriously, I sat in the ER waiting room, by myself once running back & forth to the bathroom. I was so embarrassed!
I'll tell you I couldn't do it without the help from my mom, dad & husband. My husband cares for Nicolina, my parents bring me my medicine if I can't find my stash, they'll bring me the soup they know that won't upset my stomach, Gatorade for when I'm feeling better. My mom has come to my house at 6 in the morning to pick Nicolina up for me so I could lay back down for the day while Joe goes to work.
This past weekend I woke up to get ready for my eye appointment (eye-ronically). My vision since having Nicolina & working on the computer all the time has gotten worse, so I had been trying to get into get my prescription changed and glasses & contacts updated. It's so hard to schedule an appointment around a 9-5 job. So finally, it was the morning of my appointment, with hope in a week or 2 my eyes wouldn't be hurting after work everyday, and the chance of a migraine less-likely to strike, I was anxious for this appointment! Only to wake up with a slight headache.
I took some Tylenol, and by this time, my sweet girl had woken up, so I pumped in her room on the floor while she played, praying my headache would go away. After some time, I called for my husband to find me my migraine medicine (Imitrex). This still didn't help, as it was coming on fast. He suggested I cancel my appointment and get some rest. To which I did.
I woke up at about 1 in the afternoon, pissed I missed the morning with my daughter. I cherish weekends with her. I still had a headache but it wasn't too bad. Joe left to take care of some things for the day, as I told him I was feeling a lot better... so I thought. So I called my mom to tell her about my migraine. She offered without hesitation to come over and help me with Nicolina for a while. At least so I could pump without having to keep her out of things as she's army crawling everywhere. My mom stayed for a few hours to help, SHE'S A LIFESAVER. When Joe came home, I immediately laid back down. I didn't get up until about 11 pm, which was only to make myself some of that soup and get some water & pump again. I thought for sure I ruined my milk supply in all of this, and as Important as it is, pumping was on the back burner.
After pumping and getting only a little bit of soup in me, I laid back down... 10 minutes later I shot from my bed and vomited, almost not making it to the bucket I had brought up just in case. From then on, every hour I woke up to vomit until about 6 am.
I woke up at about 9 am, feeling like a new woman, but feeling weak and not myself. Walking down the steps was iffy. I was so weak and wobbly. I spent the morning with Nicolina while Joe caught up on some sleep and I caught up with my girl. He took her to the Zoo for a bit with my mother-in-law while I did a few minor things around the house, caught up on pumping and rested.
I can't help but feel guilty. Guilty that I'm missing some quality time with my daughter, guilty I have to push everything on my husband, and guilty that at 26 years old my mom and dad are still coming to the rescue. But I am so very lucky and thankful for them all. I realize others don't have it this good when it comes to being sick. I'm not sure how single mothers and fathers do this themselves with no help.
"It takes a village they say," and I'll keep repeating it, because until I had my daughter, I didn't realize while my husband & I are the parents, we couldn't do it without the help from our own parents, advice from friends, and so on.
For more information on Menstrual Migraines, which sounds to be my issue, check this out for more information.
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