Head above water

Keeping my Head Above Water, swimming in the Methow River

For me, keeping my head above water with migraine doesn’t mean just keeping up w/ household tasks and chores. It means choosing which things are most important in my life and figuring out how I can “show up.” The chores that don’t get done are always waiting for me when I’m ready or my kind husband steps up to the plate.

Being w/ Family

I not only love my family, I like them too, and taking the opportunity to hang out with them is one of the things that gives me great pleasure and a feeling that I’m still in the middle of my life, a participant. This picture was taken at Christmas time in Zihuatenejo, Mexico. There’s not much that tops being with people I love in a place that is very special to me.

Friends Yesterday, after our work party, all the girls decided to go for a pedicure, my first! It sounded like fun and it was, but during the whole gabfest and process, the fumes began to get to me. Later a slight headache and then the real deal this morning. You know what? It was worth it. An experience I won’t repeat in the same way, but I’m not sorry we all had such a good time together. My swell friends are already offering to “do it ourselves” if we can’t find a fume-free venue.

Me, Myself and I

Art One of the hardest things about having headaches all the time is that it saps my energy. Even when I don’t have a headache, I may be recovering from one – most of a day. Severe fatigue is a prodrome for me – afternoon, evening of another day. My preventative meds are sedating – another drain. But if it’s a choice between doing the dishes or working on my latest art project, art wins out because I totally loose myself. Everything else fades away and I’m in control, or sometimes the art takes over. It gives me energy.

Water Being on it or in is magnificent. I relish the smell of the river or the bay, the sound of the oars, the motion of the boat in the water. My husband and I usually go out together so If I get tired, he rows and I can sit back and enjoy it. We have two rowing stations set up so sometimes we row doubles and that’s a whole other trip. I have to plan this kind of stuff in advance. If I know we’re going rowing or swimming somewhere, I rest up. If I need to, I take extra meds, etc. Sometimes we have to put it off until the next weekend, but if it’s cleaning the house or taking to the water, the choice is a no brainer for me.

Rowing the Nooksack

My Students I teach English as a Second Language to my mostly Mexican students. My time teaching and learning from them is precious. I work 2 nights a week in the evening. I have the morning to prepare my lessons and the afternoon to prepare my body. If I’m headachy, I rest up and use all my tricks and techniques, so by evening I am usually feeling well enough to leave the house by 5:15 to drive to class, teach and then arrive home at about 10:00 pm. Often I come home feeling better than I have all day long. They energize me, get my mind off my own problems and help me realize what a privilege it is to get to know a little bit about their world and watch them work hard to overcome the obstacles in their lives

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