Migraine Awareness Month #30: Blogger's Pick.

Migraine Awareness Month #30: Blogger's Pick. Choose your favorite blog from any of this month's prompts from someone else's blog to share with us and tell us why it's your favorite.

There have been many terrific blog entries this month. One that has stuck with me, however, is by Jill at What Hill?

She writes of a greeting she'd use for migraine sufferers that means " hope, confidence, faith, expectation; to hope; thoughts that rise or float, like expectation and hope" in Hawaiian. The word is mana'olana. I love this as a greeting and think it represents all the things I'd like to say to fellow to migraine sufferers and to keep in mind for myself.

Thank you, Jill!

 "National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month #29: "More Often that Not."

Migraine Awareness Month #29: "More Often that Not." Today is Chronic Migraine Awareness Day. People with chronic Migraine have a Migraine more often than not. Think of and share a random act of kindness that you could do for someone with chronic Migraine.

There are times I feel like I have chronic migraine. I have weeks when I get a migraine every day and then I'll go for a week without one (thank heavens!) I'm SO thankful that during the awful weeks, if I take my rescue meds as soon as I feel a headache coming on, I can usually stop it in its tracks. Learned this the hard way, though!

Anyway, I know that when I have a migraine, the last thing I feel like doing is shopping for food and cooking. A kindness for someone with Chronic Migraine would be to take over a prepared dinner that could be kept frozen for one of "those" days. I know I would love to have a homemade meal I could just pop in the oven or microwave and then go to bed while it cooked and not feel guilty about my family not having dinner. If I were really smart, I'd give this gift to myself and prepare some meals ahead of time and freeze them, but, really, what planet are we living on?!!

"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

anne taintor

Migraine Awareness Month #28: "Lights, Camera, Action."

Migraine Awareness Month #28: "Lights, Camera, Action." Pick a movie character you can identify with, talk a bit about them and why you identify with them.


'nuff said.



"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month #27: "In my Head and Heart."

Migraine Awareness Month #27: "In my Head and Heart." Who inspires you to keep trying and not give up, despite your Migraines?

Definitely my family. They need me. I know this even though when I'm at my worst, I sometimes feel like more of a burden than a help. I know my husband loves me unconditionally as does my daughter. My two boys (the dogs) would be bereft without me! Knowing that my family depends on me keeps me going even when I'd rather give up. Since my daughter also has migraines, I want to set a good example for her of not giving up despite the pain and unfairness of this awful disease. I try not to be unrealistic and pretend that everything is great when it's not, but I also don't want to model that's I think it's okay to use migraines as an excuse for not doing one's best, avoiding responsibility, and/or not following through on commitments. I'm proud to say that despite her migraines, my daughter doesn't give in either.

Some days are just a fail (http://migraineland.tumblr.com/)

"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month 26 : "I learned the hard way..."

Migraine Awareness Month 26 : "I learned the hard way..." We learn a great many things the hard way, through experiences that are often difficult and unpleasant. Of all the things you're learned the hard way, what sticks in your mind the most?

(This is a substitute post)

One of the things I've learned the hard way about having migraines is that in order to manage this disease in the best way possible, I've got to honor what my body tells me and not try to ignore these signals in order to get more done, not inconvenience myself or others, or even try to hide that I have migraines.

I now carry small "mini meals" around in my purse when I know that we may go for long stretches of time without eating. In the past, I wouldn't mention that I needed to stop and eat something or risk getting a migraine because I didn't want to make others have to comply with my schedule for meals. The result was often that by the time we stopped for a big meal, I was too sick to eat. I don't do that to myself any more. My husband now knows that when I say "I need to eat," I mean NOW and not in an hour or 2.

I also learned that I get easily overstimulated by sights, sounds, and smells. Everything seems to register in my brain at an increased intensity, especially at certain times of the month. What to most people is an exciting, fun filled day in New York City is, for me, a dizzying frenzy of competing stimuli that leaves me anxious and exhausted. I can enjoy it for only limited amounts of time and need rests, like ducking into less crowded stores or restaurants for a break to recharge. Now that I understand this, I can plan better for it, as can my family, with fewer misunderstandings.

"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month #25: "Through My Children's Eyes."

Migraine Awareness Month #25: "Through My Children's Eyes." Write a letter to yourself from your children. 

Dear Mom,

I know it's sometimes hard to find the right gift for kids. You watch commercials; you ask friends; you wander the aisles of stores looking for just the perfect thing to make your child happy. I know that you do that for me. I know that you try. I appreciate the effort, I really do. And I love that we're close. I love that we enjoy the same TV shows, laugh at the same odd humor, and find most of humanity insufferable. I even tolerated when you highlighted your hair the same color as mine. But...

These migraines, Mom. I have to tell you that this gift sucks. It sucks more than the awful eyesight you and Dad gave me when I was in kindergarten. Don't think I forgot that one! This migraine gift tops it. No, sharing meds with you isn't cool, and yours don't even work that well for me. Plus, it's not like when you were in school and could just whip some pills or a cigarette or some pot or whatever out of your purse and head to the girls' room. I have to ask the teacher for a pass to go to the nurse to get my meds every time I get a migraine and then I miss class time, which is really inconvenient!

Why the hell did you ever think I wanted migraines?!! I really hope you can return this gift because I don't want it! I hope you're not offended or that your feelings aren't hurt. We can still be close, but you can keep the headaches--I don't want them!

Your loving daughter,

Baby Mouse

source

"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month #23: "I Drank the Kool-Aid!"

Migraine Awareness Month #23:  "I Drank the Kool-Aid!" We all try things out of desperation, even when our common sense is telling us they're not going to do anything. Share your experience with this. 

Even though cigarette smoke is a MAJOR trigger for my migraines, in college I was so desperately sick with a migraine at one time that I stupidly decided to try smoking pot to see if it would help decrease the pain or the nausea (hey, it works for chemotherapy patients, right?) I happened to have a small stash from an old boyfriend left over so I gave it a try. VERY BAD IDEA. Not only did it not help the migraine, but it made it worse. What a waste of weed. It figures--that relationship was nothing but a big headache!




"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month #17: "Father Knows Best." Some understand Migraines, some don't.

Migraine Awareness Month #17: "Father Knows Best." Some understand Migraines, some don't. Write a letter to your father or the man closest to, and talk about your Migraines.

This letter is to my husband, who has always been supportive and understanding.

Dear David,

Thank you for sticking with me through the good days and the bad. I how that my migraines frustrate you as much as they do me. Thank you for your help--the neck rubs, eyes rubs, acupressure, calming talks, and all of the prescriptions you've called in for me without complaint (he's a physician-it's legal!) I know it hasn't always been easy to understand that migraine disease is more than just the pain itself, and I wasn't always the best at explaining it, especially in the midst of a pre- or post- migraine fog. Thank you for striving to understand my strange neurology and how it affects my moods and behavior. Not everyone would have the patience or the desire to do that. You did, and I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. I love you.

"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month #13: "You Are Beautiful." Write yourself a love letter.

Migraine Awareness Month #13: "You Are Beautiful." Write yourself a love letter. Tell yourself how wonderful you are. Remind yourself of the things you have accomplished despite Migraines. There are times when we need to be reminded of the good things about ourselves that others see that we may have missed.

So true. Yes, I have accomplished a lot despite having migraines. Although I can't bring myself to compose a love letter to myself (not a fan of schmaltz!), I will make a list of some accomplishments to remind myself that there is more to me than these damn headaches.

• I am a good wife and mother
• I am a devoted and loyal daughter, sister, friend, pet owner
• I have a Masters degree and a Ph.D. in psychology
• I volunteer in my community
• I just completed training to become a community mediator and a mediator for the District Court
• I write poetry
• I blog
• I have taken up painting
• I have a wicked sense of humor
• I have NEVER backed out of a commitment because of a migraine

 Not bad for off the top of my head! Yay me!

"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month #11: "Say What?!" What's the most ridiculous thing ever said to you about Migraines, who said it, and under what circumstances?

Migraine Awareness Month #11:  "Say What?!" What's the most ridiculous thing ever said to you about Migraines, who said it, and under what circumstances?

Tough one. I think I would have to go with a professor in a behavioral psychology class in college who introduced me to the "migraine personality." From what I can remember, this theory stated that migraineurs were anxious, depressive, and controlling and that our headaches were the result of these dysfunctional personality variables. I found this extremely offensive as well as impossible to prove. It's a chicken and egg question really. If you suffered from extreme and uncontrollable pain, you may be anxious and depressed as well. You also may try to control your environment to prevent headache triggers. 

Sadly, this theory still exists. As recently as 2007, a study was done on the "migraine personality." The results claimed that

Patients suffering from migraine show more depressive symptoms, difficult anger management with a tendency to hypercontrol, and a distinctive personality profile with high harm avoidance, high persistence and low self-directedness.... The results suggest that the personality traits and psychosomatic mechanisms of migraine patients may make them vulnerable to stress and less skilled in coping with pain.

Great. Just what we need. In addition to such helpful advice as "have you tried Advil?"now we can be subjected to advice about shoring up our poor coping skills and doing a better job dealing with our anger. Such blatant stupidity is enough to give me a migraine!

  "National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

Migraine Awareness Month #10: Name the Spokesperson

Migraine Awareness Month #10: Name the Spokesperson. Choose any celebrity to represent Migraine (whether they have Migraine or not) who would it be and why?

I think Kristin Chenoweth would be a great spokesperson for Migraine Disease since she actually lives with the condition.  She is an Emmy and Tony award winning actress and singer who has appeared on Broadway and television. She has struggled with migraines as well as other health conditions but continues to work and achieve. At one point in her life, she described having debilitating migraines once a week until finally agreeing to Botox treatments. Since then, her migraines have been under control.  Speak up, Kristin! Let the world know that you can have migraines and still be productive. So many migraineurs live under the stigma of their condition and try to hide it for fear of being denied jobs, promotions, etc. It's time for us to come out from under the covers!

"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."

June 1: Your First For the First

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Sorry to disappoint those of you hoping for a juicy sex story from my past. June is Migraine Awareness Month, and I'm participating in a blogging challenge.

1. Migraine Awareness Month #1: Your First for the First. Share the story of your first Migraine, what it was like, if you knew what it was, what you did, how you felt.  

I don't remember my first migraine. I do know that I've had them since I was at least 7 years old. At the time, however, no one knew they were migraines. My mother referred to them as my "sick headaches," since I would often throw up during one of these headaches. The only thing that helped the pain and nausea was sleep. I remember having a diary at the time and referring to them as "blah days." They often seemed to occur on Sundays, and even back then, I worried about how I would feel. Looking back through the diary (I had saved it over the years), I saw that I had written, "I hope that I don't have another 'blah day.'" How sad.

National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com.

Stand Back! I Feel a Rant Coming On!

What NOT to say to a woman you've just met who's in your ob/gyn office for an appointment with you because her regular doctor isn't available:

"Do you still get menstrual periods?"

What I wanted to answer: "Exactly how old do I look to you, bitch? I know that some women are in menopause by my age but by no means all. Do I look 80 years old? If I don't look at least 80, then don't ask me that question in that manner, you moron! How about, 'When was your last period?' Isn't that more subtle? Try that next time, you stupid cow!"

What I actually answered: "Yes."

And I still want to rip out her ovaries through her nostrils and hang them from my rear view mirror! (as a warning to others to be more sensitive when dealing with women "of a certain age.")

By the way, has anyone seen my hormones? And I've had a fuckin' migraine for the last 3 days that feels like someone's twisting my eyeball around in its socket.

Stupid People Give Me Migraines!

Hey,
Just had to get this out of my 46 year-old, hormonally whacked system, so you, my friends, get to be the beneficiary of my bile induced rant this evening. What kind of idiotic salesperson, who is, I may add, herself no spring chicken, asks a customer who's checking out and buying lingerie, dammit, lingerie, whether she's a member of the 50+ club?!! This is not a question one poses to a perimenopausal woman who's trying to cheer herself out of her bloated, fat funk by buying some new panties and a matching bra! I'm trying to decide whether to plead temporary insanity or justifiable homicide.