Would you Rather?

When I worked for the Enterprise Fire Crew in 2006 we often played "Would you Rather..." to kill time. The game is pretty self explanatory. Would you rather be the hair-est person alive or have no hair at all? Would you rather be ugly and married to someone extremely attractive or be extremely attractive and married to someone ugly? Would you rather having to eat ten boogers everyday or have snot constantly dripping from your nose? etc... Then we would all make a decision and defend our position.

Today, while having the worst day possible that began with a tingly cold sore sensation on my upper lip, I had to stop and ask myself, "would I rather get migraines once a month or a cold sore once a year?" Both of which, I am cursed with.

This really gave me something to think about while the boys screamed and refused to take naps.

On one hand, I thought, migraines allow me to miss work and today wouldn't be such a terrible day to miss. B woke up screaming and hasn't stopped since he demanded I hold him close. D has taken the opportunity to use B as a distraction, and since then, has tried to get away with all the naughty he possible can. This includes turning the dishwasher on and off, grabbing the remote and hiding it, tossing Legos at the fireplace, finding a marker to color his mouth with, dumping cheerios on the floor, all within one half hour.

BUT cold sores are soo disgusting. It's hard to go anywhere at all because of the thoughts you imagine people having about you. A simple glance at the market becomes an "Oh no. He saw my cold sore. Now he's thinking about how I have herpes-which I don't. I have a freakin' cold sore." The cashier who checks you out with a friendly smile, suddenly smiles a little too quickly when she notices the Abreva you're purchasing and you feel like you have to explain, "I've been a little stressed out and sometimes I get cold sores when I am stressed." The feelings of judgement about cold sores never pass. Especially, when your reminded by your husband that he has never had one.

So we're back to migraines. There is no doubt, migraines are much more painful than a cold sore. However, migraines last a few hours where cold sores last days! I would preferably be out cold from an intense headache that I know will diminish after awhile. Cold sores can go on and on and on. Scabbing and then bleeding and almost healing back to scabbing and then bleeding.

Migraines make me feel helpless but cold sores make me feel revolting.

BUT...A cold sore once a year would mean ONE where a migraine once a month would mean TWELVE! One bad thing vs. twelve bad things in a year doesn't sound so bad.

I don't have to miss work (and that paycheck!) when I have a cold sore.

I never get anxiety over something that may give me a cold sore, like I do migraines. I know my cold sore trigger!

and then I continued to feel that tingly sensation...

My migraine medication at least works. It might not completely take away the pain, but the majority of the weirdness associated with a migraine goes away with an Imitrex. I swear, Abreva costs twenty dollars and does nothing!  

Tyler won't have anything to do with me when I have a cold sore. No kisses, no sharing anything, and all the reminding he does to help me remember I have this thing. (Like I can forget!) When I have a migraine, he does the exact opposite..."What can I do for you?" "I read that an ice-pack on your neck might help take the pain away." "Did you remember your medicine?"
Having empathy sure does help.

So there you have it.

"I would RATHER have a MIGRAINE once a MONTH than have a COLD SORE once a YEAR!" 

What would you rather?