Why I couldn’t see today

Vacationing in South Haven, Michigan

I was driving the family to South Haven, Michigan, for a family vacation when the right side of the world disappeared. It just gradually faded away to nothingness. I decided it would be best if Annie drove.

I sat in the passenger seat, closed my eyes and imagined all the ways I was going to die. Surely it was a stroke. If not that, then an air bubble from the time I got the bends while SCUBA diving had broken loose and was about to kill me.

And then it got better and we were on the beach in Michigan in August, which means we were wearing sweatshirts and had hand warmers in our pockets. I could see now, so what did it matter?

And then it happened again. This time I was at work. I called Annie and told her just so she knew what to tell the hospital if they found me unconscious in my office. And then it got better and I was fine, but Annie told me that I needed to go to the doctor still. She demanded it.

So I went to the doctor and he told me that I was experiencing a classic precursor to a migraine, and that I should pop a few Advil when it happened.

It happened again today in my office. Here’s how to best describe it. When I type an email address, I can’t see anything after the @ sign. So if I’m emailing [email protected], I couldn’t read the second half.  I popped some Advil, shutoff the lifts, closed the blinds, and listened to the Audible book of Game of Thrones. An hour later I had a small headache and since then I feel like it’s about 3 PM after a late night with friends.

I can see again, which makes me so thankful for the gift of sight. I should appreciate it more, but I’m sure tomorrow I’ll be taking it for granted once again.

I’m sharing this for two reasons:

1) In case you had this same thing happen to you and are looking for answers. Of course, please still go to the doctor. Here are other warning signs of a migraine.

2) Just to say that if you suffer from serious migraines, I SO feel for you.

Every few months I get a migraine that can only be treated by sleep, but I’m rarely debilitated by them. Even this vision thing is just a minor inconvenience for a bit.

Do you suffer migraines? What triggers them? How do you treat them?