Migraine

My neck burns cold. So do the tender spots behind my ears. Peppermint oil. It makes my eyes sting, so I shut them and wait for the headache to subside. It never does.

The lamplight hurts. Head throbbing, stomach churning, I get up slowly. Click. The room goes dark. I lay back down. The room spins a little…I shiver a little. Maybe I’m coming down with something serious. Maybe I’ll get the flu, and it will turn into pneumonia, and I’ll end up in the hospital, and –

I tell myself to stop being ridiculous. It’s just a headache. Right? It is just a headache? I don’t know, let me sleep.

The pain in my head pulses in sync with my heart. I breathe very carefully, trying to steady my stomach. It isn’t helping. I give up. Let me sleep. I cuddle under my down blanket and sigh.

It is quiet.

3.31.08