Trying to just be grateful :)

I am not even a quarter of a century old, but I feel like a centurion... Hemiplegic migraines have taken so much out of me, up until this point! I had my first attack at work: a paramedic was called as they thought I may be having a stroke. I couldn't remember simple things, I had so much pain and then numbness in my face and left side. I was terrified. The severe pain, "dead arm" feeling, nausea and double vision didn't subside for weeks the first time.

I had symptoms coming in and out for 3 months solid before they made any diagnosis. Working in an opticians at the time, the double vision and loss of depth perception was particularly worrying. When people found out it wasn't a stroke, or a tumor, they thought I should just be able to carry on, that I didn't need all my doctors appointments and that it was "nothing serious", and I kind of hoped the same! But so it goes on... I still get them all the time, and the kicker is, my main trigger is coming down from a period of stress/ anxiety/ a long hard day at work etc. So just when I am relaxing, BOOM there comes an attack! But I should be grateful I am able to work at all. And in fact, I start a new job on Monday. The kind I have wanted since graduating University 3 years ago! I

Try to be positive and consider that being the way I am, makes me appreciate what I CAN do, what I still achieve and those amazing people in my life. Without hemiplegic migraines I could have been an uppity spoilt brat!