Migraine

Lucy has had a migraine before, and I am a regular sufferer of migraines so we are pretty used to them in our house. This week, however, has been a little scary to say the least.

First up, Lucy's little brother was poorly. Then Lucy got sick too. She was starting to feel better when she had a really bad night complaining of ear ache. In the morning she didn't want to move so I let her lie on the sofa with a blanket all day and she just drifted in and out of sleep. I kept her topped up with fluids and regular doses of Calpol.

She ate little throughout the day and was very weak by bedtime. I figured that as she had slept for most of the day she would be awake all night, but she wasn't. She woke up early though, about 4.30am and sent her sister in to fetch me. (she still has trouble getting out of bed, particularly if she's not feeling well)

She was hot and complaining of headache. I took her temperature but it was 37.5 so high but not too high. I gave her Calpol and a my cold band for her forehead. She went back to sleep on the sofa. It was obvious to me that she had a migraine, but it didn't seem to be improving so I started to worry. I gave her one of those migraine pads but she said it hurt. I think maybe her wounds, although healed, may be a little too sensitive still.

As she was so poorly I began to worry that maybe it was meningitis. It's always wise to be cautious. So I started the checklist. She had been sick, but had recovered. She was hot but not feverish, her hands and feet were not cold. She was drowsy, had barely been awake in 36 hours. She was confused and irritable, she had a pounding headache, she was sensitive to bright lights (but she is often anyway) She did not have any type of rash or blotchy skin.

Then came the neck test...can you put your chin to your neck...Lucy can't do that anyway since the fixation. Does your neck feel stiff...mmm, yes all the time, is there any pain in your neck..yes, all the time. This is one of the first things you check when testing for meningitis and I can't do this with Lucy.

So, I went with my gut instincts and decided that because she wasn't feverish then it wasn't meningitis. Stop panicking and just keep caring for her.

I trusted my instincts but still had moments of doubt, maybe I should have taken her to A&E. There was another sleepless night ahead for me while I checked on her every hour, taking her temperature each time and being prepared to change my instincts at any sign of fever. She slept on like a baby.

Then she woke up and said she felt better. She has been a bit sensitive all day, just like I am when I am recovering from a migraine. It was a migraine, a really bad one. I know how horrible they are and really feel for her....but thank heaven my instincts were right.