Migraine

Had a few migraine attacks recently. It seems that the problem does not disappear with age.

I had migraine since the age of 14. (My first attack was, alas, while I was reading Genesis.) It was the classic type, with aura and photophobia and all textbook symptoms. Although it only happened a few times each year, the episodes were so severe that every time I had to lock myself up and stop doing everything for a day or two. Thank god the attacks became less severe over the years, although it remains no fun to do the clinic while seeing the computer screen all disturbed by zig-zags.

Troublesome as it seems, I learn something important while living with the disease: Since the attacks always come suddenly at an inconvenient time, I have to prepare everything in advance - in case something unpredictable happens.

And it fulfills my grandiose ego to learn I share the trait with many big names in history: Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche - just to say a few.

Oh, and there was Cao Cao (曹操).

PS. It was fortunate for the legendary physician Hua Tuo (華佗) - I always wonder what would happen if the great dictator did accept the proposal of craniotomy.