The Family Potluck
Feb. 9th, 2004 11:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mamadebThat wasn't.
Well, it actually did happen, but I wasn't there. I woke up yesterday morning with a splitting headache - the kind where light hurts and reading hurts but I'm not sure is a migraine because it doesn't stay in one place. Also because it's always accompanied by nausea and once I do vomit, it goes away.
The problem was the potluck. See, not only was I bringing lasagna, I was also driving. My in-laws were in a fender-bender a couple months ago - they're just fine - and their car was totalled. They haven't replaced it yet. The plan was for us to rent a car, pick them up and take them home, and for me to do all the driving. Otherwise you get the comedy we've had in the past.
My father-in-law is an excellent driver *period*, not just for his age (past 80), and he's perfectly capable of navigating unfamiliar roads. But my mother-in-law refuses to believe that. She's the worst of right-side drivers. However, her vision has unfortunately become very bad in the last few years, so *her* naviagation is questionable. *And* Dad, from a combination of years of orchestra work (he's a classical trumpet player) *and* an acoustic neuroma, has very poor hearing, and none at all in his right ear. But he has to do the driving.
So you get this comedy - Dad driving. Mom shouting at him. Jonathan, who is also a right side driver, but not as bad and who also has not great eyesight, shouting from the backseat. He also does not have a license.
There is only one person in the car with fully functional eyes, fully functional ears and a driver's license. And what am I doing? Sitting behind my mother-in-law and laughing. And wondering why I'm not at the wheel.
But this time, I was renting the car, and I sign an agreement whereby only *I* can drive. I'd still have to endure the back seat drivers, but at least it wouldn't be a complete comedy.
Except that I couldn't open my eyes without pain. No way could I drive. I tried pepto-bismol and acid pills, and water, and nothing helped. So I just slept. And at 10:30, I finally convinced my husband that I wasn't going to be driving anywhere, and he canceled the rental. I felt even more awful because they were depending on me.
Eventually, with a great deal of effort, I emptied my stomach. And when I say effort, I mean effort. The water trick didn't work - and I mostly tossed medication. My eyes are ringed with broken capillaries and I have others all over my face. I felt better soon afterwards, and a migraine pill (aspirin/acetominophen/caffeine) not only stayed in my stomach but fixed what was left of the headache. That and a cup of raman and then a small amount of coffee to stave off withdrawal made me feel almost human. Not enough to go anywhere, but enough so I could think.
Frankly, I'm worried. This is the second time I've been sick like this in ten days, and the broken capillaries are really scary (and ugly.) I'm more or less well enough to go to work today - stomach is faintly growly but wants food - but I made a doctor's appointment for after work today. And I wish I wore makeup, but my glasses hide the worst.
As for the potluck - my husband and in-laws took the train to NJ, where the host picked them up at the station, and they got car rides home. So that was fine. And Jonathan did offer to stay home with me, but I was already okay. I spent the afternoon bouncing between the fic I'd stored on my Toy, various books and whatever was on tv.
And I found I could happily handwrite a story on my Toy, which was also fun. When I get a keyboard, I'll be set.
Well, it actually did happen, but I wasn't there. I woke up yesterday morning with a splitting headache - the kind where light hurts and reading hurts but I'm not sure is a migraine because it doesn't stay in one place. Also because it's always accompanied by nausea and once I do vomit, it goes away.
The problem was the potluck. See, not only was I bringing lasagna, I was also driving. My in-laws were in a fender-bender a couple months ago - they're just fine - and their car was totalled. They haven't replaced it yet. The plan was for us to rent a car, pick them up and take them home, and for me to do all the driving. Otherwise you get the comedy we've had in the past.
My father-in-law is an excellent driver *period*, not just for his age (past 80), and he's perfectly capable of navigating unfamiliar roads. But my mother-in-law refuses to believe that. She's the worst of right-side drivers. However, her vision has unfortunately become very bad in the last few years, so *her* naviagation is questionable. *And* Dad, from a combination of years of orchestra work (he's a classical trumpet player) *and* an acoustic neuroma, has very poor hearing, and none at all in his right ear. But he has to do the driving.
So you get this comedy - Dad driving. Mom shouting at him. Jonathan, who is also a right side driver, but not as bad and who also has not great eyesight, shouting from the backseat. He also does not have a license.
There is only one person in the car with fully functional eyes, fully functional ears and a driver's license. And what am I doing? Sitting behind my mother-in-law and laughing. And wondering why I'm not at the wheel.
But this time, I was renting the car, and I sign an agreement whereby only *I* can drive. I'd still have to endure the back seat drivers, but at least it wouldn't be a complete comedy.
Except that I couldn't open my eyes without pain. No way could I drive. I tried pepto-bismol and acid pills, and water, and nothing helped. So I just slept. And at 10:30, I finally convinced my husband that I wasn't going to be driving anywhere, and he canceled the rental. I felt even more awful because they were depending on me.
Eventually, with a great deal of effort, I emptied my stomach. And when I say effort, I mean effort. The water trick didn't work - and I mostly tossed medication. My eyes are ringed with broken capillaries and I have others all over my face. I felt better soon afterwards, and a migraine pill (aspirin/acetominophen/caffeine) not only stayed in my stomach but fixed what was left of the headache. That and a cup of raman and then a small amount of coffee to stave off withdrawal made me feel almost human. Not enough to go anywhere, but enough so I could think.
Frankly, I'm worried. This is the second time I've been sick like this in ten days, and the broken capillaries are really scary (and ugly.) I'm more or less well enough to go to work today - stomach is faintly growly but wants food - but I made a doctor's appointment for after work today. And I wish I wore makeup, but my glasses hide the worst.
As for the potluck - my husband and in-laws took the train to NJ, where the host picked them up at the station, and they got car rides home. So that was fine. And Jonathan did offer to stay home with me, but I was already okay. I spent the afternoon bouncing between the fic I'd stored on my Toy, various books and whatever was on tv.
And I found I could happily handwrite a story on my Toy, which was also fun. When I get a keyboard, I'll be set.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-09 09:04 am (UTC)A keyboard for the Toy is probably the best thing. I don't have one, but I do utilize my IR port on my laptop ALL the time to download fic. I don't write, so I don't have a hard time with handwriting stories like that. Maybe I should take it up?
Re:
Date: 2004-02-09 11:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-09 09:12 am (UTC)*hugs* Feel better!
Re:
Date: 2004-02-09 09:22 am (UTC)I think it's a stomach thing. I'll talk to my doctor.
Re:
Date: 2004-02-09 09:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-09 09:41 am (UTC)I thought that nausea was a sure sign that it's a migraine?
Re:
Date: 2004-02-09 09:54 am (UTC)Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 10:16 am (UTC)Not a safe assumption. I have migraines-- bad enough to have prescription meds for them-- and when I throw up from migraine-induced nausea it often also relieves the headache.
The fact that your headache responds to caffiene is another 'may be migraine' clue. Caffiene's a vasodilator.
Remember, there's more than one set of possible symptoms for migraines. Mine are "atypical" in that I get the nausea, photophobia, and noise sensitivity, but not the auras or some of the other "typical" signs. But they're still migraines.
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 10:25 am (UTC)It responded to caffeine, but I'm also very addicted to caffeine - one day without will produce bad withdrawal headaches. I don't need a lot to counteract the addiction - even a half cup will do, or a can of cola. So this is an extra datum, but not conclusive.
However, they are brought on by stress, aren't they? And between the potluck and the jury duty...huh.
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 11:16 am (UTC)They can be. Or with your menstrual cycle. Mine don't seem to sync to either, but a lot of people's do.
Mine frequently start out as tension headaches-- a tightness in the back of the neck-- which is why I've managed to stay off migraine meds until recently. If I feel a tension headache coming on and slap it down with Alleve I can frequently avoid the migraine.
But last year I started waking up with full-blown symptoms, so my doctor prescribed imitrex for me. Lovely stuff, imitrex.
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 11:30 am (UTC)Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 11:31 am (UTC)Totally not in sync with my periods, but my periods barely have any sort of a rhythm.
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 11:58 am (UTC)http://www.health-alliance.com/hospitals/Jewish/glueck/polycyst.htm
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 12:49 pm (UTC)My last one, during my IVF attempts, came up negative, but I'm wondering if all the hormones I was drenched in made a difference.
And I know it all comes together, but I was finally diagnosed with diabetes II immediately after my father died. Which is not really a surprise, is it?
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 12:53 pm (UTC)See, I knew there was a reason I liked you ;)
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 01:04 pm (UTC)Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 01:09 pm (UTC)Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 10:42 am (UTC)That is not atypical. That's a pretty classic set of migraine symptoms. Only 3-4 percent of migraine sufferers get an aura. I'm one of the "lucky" ones. I got migraines 4-6 times a week until I finally found a medication that cut them down to 1 or so a week.
I do agree with your assessment that mamadeb probably suffered from a migraine, though. The caffeine is a big sign there. And the photophobia. And the nausea. When I'm nauseated in conjunction with a migraine, I feel much better if I actually throw up. And yes, there are different sets of symptoms for different people.
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 11:22 am (UTC)I'm even luckier. If I have 2 in a month, it's a heavy migraine month. Some months I don't have any.
Also, I don't seem to have any of the typical migraine triggers, except maybe lack of sleep. Which is probably one of the reasons my previous MDs kept telling me my headaches were "just" tension, not "real" migraines.
Re: Migraines
Date: 2004-02-09 11:27 am (UTC)Migraines are horrible no matter how often you get them, so my condolences on getting any at all!
Triggers for people vary. And what a lot of doctors don't realize is that tension headaches can actually trigger a migraine, so even if your initial headache is a classic tension headache, that doesn't rule out the possibility that you're getting migraines. You could also be getting both, of course.
I get all sorts of classic migraine triggers, mostly food triggers... chocolate, dry wine, aged cheese, cantaloupe (don't ask), mint (even weirder), and so on. There are probably 50 or so foods I should avoid, only four or five of which I bother avoiding. It gets too complicated otherwise to avoid all those foods on top of everything I avoid in the name of keeping kosher.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-09 10:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-09 10:26 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-09 10:39 am (UTC)