Headaches

I have never understood headaches.  Why do some people get them often and some people seldom if ever experience an aching head? My dad was one who got them very frequently. I have many memories of him lying on the sofa trying to sleep off a headache. On the other hand, my mother never got them. I remember her saying that she didn't even know what one would feel like. Imagine that!

Unfortunately, when it comes to headaches, I take after my father. I have dealt with headaches for as long as I can remember and have tried numerous home-remedies and over-the-counter drugs (and a few prescription ones) to conquer the pain.  My favorite was by far Excedrin which I used constantly for years. However, about five years ago, I developed a stomach ulcer and was informed that Excedrin was the culprit, so it was put on my don't use shelf.

Fortunately, my headaches have gotten less since I passed through that wonderful phase of life called menopause. Most of my days are pain-free and if I do get a minor one I am able to stave it off with Advil. However, there is always in the back of my mind, the awareness that at any moment and without warning I can be hit with a massive migraine as happened to me Sunday morning.

I spent an active day on Saturday, catching up around the house and yard and then went to Kid's Club in the evening. I felt wonderful!  I went to bed around 10:30 with not even a smidgeon of a headache. Around 6:00 am I awoke to a head that was literally pounding and a stomach that was sick. I recognized it as a full-blown migraine. Over the years, I have learned to push through a lot of headaches and just keep going. Since I was scheduled to teach Sunday School, I decided I would try to persevere. However, when at 7:30, Steve found me with my head in the toilet gagging mightily, he informed me that I was staying home and the Sunday School class would be just fine without me.  I did not put up much of an argument and went back to bed with a wet washcloth on my head.  I'm not sure that this really helps except psychologically but when you feel that bad I figure it is fine to psych yourself up. After a few more times of upchucking and dozing fitfully, the pain began to lessen and although it never went away completely the entire day, by mid afternoon I was up and around and even went to a viewing in the evening.

I'm not sure why I think my woes with headaches are worthy of a blog posting. Maybe it is so if some of my descendants read this and they themselves are bothered with headaches, they will know that it is probably hereditary. Maybe it is because I just need to share in writing how frustrating this affliction is to me. I have found that people who don't suffer from head pain, can be very unsympathetic to those of us who do.  I have learned to keep my mouth shut and just endure the pain when around those who don't understand. The thing that bugs me the most is that I can't figure out anything that triggers them. Without warning, my head is suddenly exploding. My biggest fear is that I will be hit with a debilitating one on an important occasion that I can't just miss---like one of my children's weddings or while I am traveling away from home.

The Bible tells us that Paul also had an affliction that he begged God to take from him.  People suggest that it might have been his eyesight, but just maybe it was headaches. In 2 Corinthians 2:7, Paul suggests that his thorn-in-the-flesh was given to him to keep him humble. I don't know if that is why I am prone to headaches but I do know that I need to trust God. I cannot live in fear and even when I face headaches or other trials I have to trust that God has everything under control. How fitting that my verse for today is Psalm 56:4--"In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid...."