It is not that unusual for me to have a headache. I have them all the time, almost daily, but I’ve learned to live with them and do what I need to do. I also have migraines on occasion. If you’ve ever had a migraine, then you know it’s not your usual headache. The pain is debilitating. When I have a migraine, my senses become hypersensitive, especially to light, sound and smell, though touch and taste can also be affected.
I say this because for the past two days, I have had one of the worst migraines that I can remember. Migraine specific medicine and strong pain relievers can mask the pain for short periods, but so far it has not cured the pain I am experiencing. I even had to take a sick day at work yesterday. (I very rarely take sick days. Most often I work through an illness.) I had taken some medicine before I left for school hoping that it would kick in by he time I got there, but I was mistaken. The pain only grew worse. So, once there, I arranged for a substitute, got some work together for my students, and went back home to bed and stronger medication that would allow me to sleep.
Thankfully, I woke up and my headache is mostly gone (these really bad migraines usually last 24-72 hours and luckily I only get then 2-3 times a year). I have a shadow of the headache still, in which the pain is considerable less but still there, and I can go about my day at school. I hate being sick and preparing for a substitute. When I can prepare ahead of time, I can make sure that I am in a good stopping place and can have worksheets, reading assignments, or a film for the students to watch. However, when I am in the middle of a series of lectures, it is nearly impossible to prepare for a substitute.
Joe
The Closet Professor 
February 26th, 2014 at 8:27 am
We do not get migraines, but MAD does, as do others in our lives. We know it can be debilitating and wish you a full recovery, xo LMA
February 26th, 2014 at 8:42 am
I’ve always suffered from migraines too … so I totally understand. The one medicine that seems to help is clonazepam, but you have to take it every day … as in for the rest of your life. It really does work, however. It’s basically an anti-seizure medication but it stops the migraine progression in the brain too. Anyway … if it helps.
April 29th, 2014 at 10:44 am
During a period of frequent migraines – brought on, more than likely, by stress at work – I happened to read Oliver Sacks’ book Migraine. Best thing I could have done. For years(!) now, I am mostly free of migraines, but once in a great while suffer from a migraine aura. (I am now retired from a long and rewarding life devoted to teaching. An aura while teaching would result in my saying to my class, “let me know if what I am writing is no longer readable” — the aura would cause nearly total blindness that would last, fortunately, only a few minutes.)
BTW – I have perused several of your blog pieces — and the consistently gorgeous photographs — and am happy to have found your blog. I’ll be back and hope that I may offer an occasional useful remark. Thank you for your writing!