Tough day at work. Turns out, I really am the best choice of all the staff, if the question is, who should accompany one of the people to a funeral. Damn this being all sensitive and warm and caring, as well as having a good balance of humor and firmness.

WindSparrow, I'm sorry you had a tough day, but I am not at all surprised that you would be chosen for the job. Your kind and loving nature and good humor have been a comfort to many on this board, and I know the person in your care was lucky to have you there.

amyth, thinking lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of good thoughts for your brother, his doctors and nurses, your SiL, you, and everyone else in your family. (And then some more, for good measure.)

I've been getting headaches for a couple weeks. Only once last weekend was the pain bad enough that it made me cry. And still I know it was nothing compared to a migraine. You guys living with migraines are champs.

Voting is now closed, and we have our first unanimous vote! (I think)

And the unanimous vote being: Pix "Voting Discussion: We're Screwing In Light Bulbs AIFG!" May 30, 2009 8:05:48 am PDT

So it looks like f2f and weddings get unanimous votes. Guess we like gatherings.

Sinus headaches might be migraines. I was startled to find out that what I'd been characterising as a "normal" headache was passing the migraine sniff test. I thought all headaches came with a sensitivity to light and sound and smell. All of mine certainly do. Migraine characteristics also include being on one side of the head, and throbbing and nausea. They are also characterised by triggers: foods, smells, stress, loud noises, allergies, hormones, flashing lights, etc.

It is possible that buffistas are more likely to be well-diagnosed. I mean, I've been suffering from migraines since I was 8, but it wasn't until my late 30s that I found out that 90% of my headaches were migraines, not the 50% I'd been assuming.

I get migraines maybe 4 times per year as a hormonal gift with purchase. That's it. I don't have to deal with the chronic migraines others like ita and Betsy get. I can't even imagine what those are like.

Thanks, Kate. My coworkers were great support to me, too, afterwards. They really let me have a chance to recharge, and veg out a bit. I have to say, I was glad that I could be there for that person, to provide exactly the kind of support needed. I know the individual appreciated it, and the whole family did as well.

omnis, I have had just enough migraines to know what they feel like, but I don't suffer from them often. And I'm blessed in that Excedrin actually does afford significant relief for me. It takes the pain down to a later-the-next-day-hangover level. Or if I can catch it when the visual effects start but before the actual pain starts, then it might not hurt at all.

I used to get them chronically, and they got progressively worse as I got older. Once the pounding and the nausea was so bad I passed out. I haven't had another migraine in about 10 years. I dunno what happened.

I don't have any drugs at home that can stop a migraine. I have one that gives me an hour break, and I ration myself to three times a day during the work week, and try my best not to take much on the weekends, because I'm certainly in rebound headache territory by now.

The only thing that can give me hours off is a good ER visit. They're not all good, because doctors and nurses sometimes waffle about what to give me, how much to give me, and how to administer it, all of which are key to my relief. It's stunning how willing they are to give me drugs I say won't work well, but I'm so desperate I'll take anything just in case.

I used to think I had insomnia till I read some of these Buffista stories. I don't, compared to that, although it's hard for me to wind down at night and I don't always sleep that well. But I've never gone for a week or anything. So I guess that is more like "restless nights". Dang, ita, I hope somebody gets a good idea for you soon.

Sinus headaches might be migraines.

I've read that most of what people think are sinus headaches are migraines. I always thought mine were sinus, until I went to an ENT for them. Not sinus, mostly migraine.

I think my biggest trigger is not getting enough sleep, but the weather is pretty bad, too.