In the middle of marveling at just how amazing Migraine is...you know, just looking at it from let’s say two or three miles—wouldn’t want to get any closer—Migraine is really impressive.
I mean it never stops, you know? On the job twenty-four hours a day every day; no coffee breaks; take a breath; couple of seconds to go pee; relax. You know, you just have to admire—don’t have to of course... but if you’re not writhing in agony yourself I mean you can be in at least a little bit of awe.
Anyway, so I’m just marveling at all this in a break from suffering, when I suddenly flash back on my couple of years in the Army—why? I don’t know but just say that I did—when I was drafted just a few months after college and how I still remember—etched in my brain sort of—three random pieces—why? I don’t have a clue but bear with me—of basic training; weird but it’s very clear to me:
1. Making the perfect bed: smooth and stretch blanket taut enough to bounce a quarter.
2. Caring for your weapon; best friend; clean; repeat; clean; repeat; and
3. Stop The Bleeding: First Aid step one; direct pressure on the wound; shout, Medic! Next step; protect the wound; shout, Medic! Then, treat for shock; shout, Medic!
Now here’s the interesting part—to me, at least—is that I had Migraine before I was drafted, and after I was discharged but that I can’t remember having any Migraine attacks at all while I was in the Army.
(CALLING SHERLOCK HOLMES)
Until—and here’s a shocker—the final weeks before my discharge when it became clear that my plan to be discharged in France wouldn’t work—a whole other story; close but no cigar—and was jolted out of my bed one night with a shooting pain in my jaw...the beginning of a TMJ episode that stuck with me on and off until I left for the States.
A melodramatic reminder to me (DUH!) by me to follow my bliss or else...etc. etc.
Hang in there...much more to follow...