Migrains

As years have past since 1989, when I was rear-ended twice in one week, my headaches have progressed to migraines. I try to be careful that I do not irritate my neck and back; I usually abstain from activities that could cause one of these migraines. Yesterday was not one of those days. This house, that we now call home, has carpets in all the bedrooms and on the landing which means they have to be vacuumed.

Yesterday I had a momentary lapse of memory as to the reason I never vacuum. It is not because we have been carpet less in our home for the past six years or that I've been working full-time for the past four and a half years. The reason for the taboo on vacuuming is because it is one of the hardest household chores to perform. Let me explain; when a person has had surgery, especially any type of abdominal surgery, the doctors will tell you, 'no vacuuming for at least six weeks'. This isn't so you can have a break from doing your household chores, it's because it can cause more damage than any other chore in the home.

That being said, yesterday I pulled out the vacuum and did what any other housewife will do, vacuum the carpets. I found it really hard and wondered if I would suffer the next day. The next day being today. Oh boy! At about 6 o'clock this morning I woke up with a migraine that felt like my head was splitting in two. I did not analyse it I just took my medication and slept until I could function. A few hours later, the migraine gone, I took stock of what I did yesterday that would cause me to wake-up with a migraine... vacuuming! I should have stopped as soon as I realised how hard I was finding the chore, but we don't listen to our bodies, we just go full steam ahead and suffer later.

I get migraines quite often, the trouble is they are full blown before I realise I have one. How can that be? You may well ask. I suffer with chronic pain which is under control with medication. This medication masks the minor irritating start to a headache. The majority of the time I do not recognise why I feel ill until the migraine is already beyond coping with. I've been lucky and only ended up in emergency once because I could not get the pain under control or stop the retching and dry heaves.

Will I learn from all this? I can say I will not be doing any more vacuuming, that will be Richard's job. I probably will do other things that will irritate my neck and trigger a migraine, but NOT vacuuming, it just is not worth all the pain.