// Migraine Awareness Month #27: “In My Head and Heart”//

Who inspires you to keep trying and not give up, despite your Migraines? 

My mom.

She’s suffered from migraines for longer than I can remember (and probably longer than she cares to)

She has always encouraged me to work toward my dreams and do the best that I can.

I feel like being proactive with my health will hopefully push her in the direction of being more proactive with hers. She’s been an example to me for so long that I’d love to give her something to look forward to. No, not everything that works for me will help her, but I’d like to be able to show her some holistic things that have helped me to see if they help her out.

She’s suffered in silence for too long, and I want to show her how successful I can be in spite of the migraines that I suffer from.

“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: “From the Outside Looking In”//

Write about what you think your family, friends and others think a day in life, a day with Migraine disease, is like.

I’m fortunate (and simultaneously unfortunate) to have a family where migraines are quite common. As I’ve discussed in earlier posts, every single member of my immediate family have had a migraine at least once in their life. I’m the youngest of six, so there’s always been empathy for migraines in my life.

When it comes to friends, it gets a bit trickier. Some of them understand completely, and - even if they’ve never suffered a migraine themselves - can understand why I can’t hang out or have to become a recluse for a few hours/days. On the other hand, there have been people who just don’t care and think I’m being flaky. In most cases, these people haven’t stuck around in my life for long.

For some people, I think that they think “migraine” is some kind of code for “I’m just tired and want to sleep all day” when nothing could be further from the truth.

In most cases though, I believe that my family and friends understand that a migraine day for me involves lots of water, ice packs, some graham crackers, and eventually, a hot shower.

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

// Migraine Awareness Month #24: “Dear Genie.”//

Put together a wish list for your life.

Honestly? I just want to be able to take any chances that I get and be happy.

I’m not that complicated hah.

“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!”//

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. 

I tried one of those juice cleanses that recommended juices that would “help migraines”.  A family friend recommended it because she had success and reduced the frequency of her migraines by sticking to this diet. It wasn’t 24/7 juice only, but the first few days were pure juice, and then you slowly added things back in. Like salads.And it was one of those “you’ll feel worse before you feel better” kinds of things.

Only I never felt better.

And if I had to juice and drink one more beet, I was going to stab myself.

I don’t have a problem eating beets (I actually find them pretty yummy) but juicing them and then mixing them with cucumber and carrot juice (among some other things) pretty much made me want to vomit.

That ended very quickly. I still have the book and every once in awhile I look at it, think about it for about 20 seconds and then think of that beet juice.

I don’t know how I thought that a juice diet/cleanse was going to help when most migraine sufferers know that eating is very important in staving off migraines.

Have you ever done something to “help” your migraines that your common sense told you wasn’t going to work?

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

// Migraine Awareness Month #22: “The Game Changer.”//

Tell us about a time your plans changed due either an unexpected Migraine or an unexpected Migraine-free experience.

Actually, I had an experiencethis past Saturdaywith exactly this situation.

I am a subscriber to Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ and had tickets to go and seeOnce on This Island with my sister.

However, on Friday, I had started to feel some sinus pressure, and was hoping that it was nothing more than a little sinus headache. By the middle of the night, I could tell that it wasmuchmore than that. I had a full blown migraine by the morning. I had to call out of work, and attending a musical was definitely out of the question.

Thankfully, my brother had also wanted to see the show (we were going to buy him a ticket at the door), so he took my seat and they went without me.I was bummedbecause it’s a show I enjoy (I saw my old HS’s production of it last Spring) and I like the music and would havelovedto see a professional production of the show.

My migraine just didn’t think that last Saturday was the time.

How has a migraine made you change your plans? Or have you ever had an unexpected migraine-free day?

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

// Migraine Awareness Month #21: “Shaking in My Boots.”//

What’s your biggest Migraine related fear. How do you cope with it?

I think that when it comes to migraines, my biggest fear is that I’m going to miss out on something because of a migraine.

And I mean this in a very general sense. Miss hanging out with my friends (having to cancel plans because of a migraine), miss having a great time at camp (because of a migraine), miss out on being able to be the best that I can at my job (because a migraine kept me in bed for an extra 30 minutes until I could muster the strength to move), and - most of all - miss out on taking chances.

I’m one of those people that’s always lived my life by a plan. Yes, I deviated from it every once in awhile, but when I didn’t get into Grad School for the coming Fall semester, I saw it as an opportunity for me to take chances without the added stress of school. Yes, I’ll still be working, but I’ll have more time to go out and audition and run and take care of myself in the way that I want to.

If I want to drive to Pittsburgh to visit friends for a weekend, I’ll be able to do that. Migraines have stood in my way of going out on a limb, and I refuse to let them do that anymore. I guess you could say I’m pushing that fear to the side.

I don’t want to miss out on what my lifecould bebecause I’m too preoccupied with a migraine that Icould have.

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

// Migraine Awareness Month #20: “Run, Forrest, Run!”//

Describe the approach you think is best when it’s time to more on to a new doctor. 

So thankfully I’ve never had to go through this (besides when a doctor retired), but I think the best way to approach it would be with honesty.

Obviously I wouldn’t sit there and say “These are all of the reasons why I don’t want you to be my doctor anymore”, but I would be honest and say “Listen, I just don’t think that our doctor/patient relationship is working out, and I’ve decided to start working with someone else to treat my migraines.”

If they asked me for more information about why I was changing doctors, I would provide it.

I don’t know. I hope it’s not something I have to do.

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

// Migraine Awareness Month #19: “The Match Game.”//

 Describe your perfect doctor to treat your Migraines. 

I have to say that I’m pretty happy with my general physician. I don’t go to a headache specialist (though I’ve thought about it). My general physician is the one who put me on the path to being diagnosed with migraines and is also very open to me discussing my medications, supplements, and alternative treatments.

For me, these would be the hallmarks of a perfect headache specialist:

• Understands my triggers and helps me pinpoint anything I could change lifestyle wise to reduce the amount of migraines I get even further.
• Is open to alternative treatments and supplements and does not automatically turn to more prescription medication.
• Works in tandem with alternative treatment physicians (herbalist, nutritionist, that kind of thing)
• Is open and receptive to research that I’ve done and things that I want to try.
• Will be honest with me about why they recommend (or are against) certain forms of treatments.
• Is willing to have open discussions about my healthcare.
• …Is covered by my insurance plan.

What kinds of things do you look for in a doctor?

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

// Migraine Awareness Month #12: “Let’s Do the Monster Mash!”//

Choose a movie monster that reminds you of your Migraines and tell us why. 

So I gave this one a lot of thought. Like, A LOT a lot.

I thought while making cake pops.

I thought while at work.

I thought while taking a shower.

I thought while watching Dance Moms (thank God my migraines aren’t like Abby Lee Miller. I think that would be even worse).

Eventually, I turned to my mom on this one. I loved the idea of Darth Vader being a Migraine Monster used over at That M Word (Star Wars nerds unite!), so I tried to turn to a more unconventional idea of a monster as well. I guess it’s not technically a monster in the traditional sense of the word, but I chose:

Maleficent.

As I’ve mentioned, I’m the youngest of 6 six kids. Three of my sisters are married, and I’m an aunt 7 times over, meaning I watch kids movies very frequently. I have 5 nieces, so I’ve seen a lot of princess movies in my day (and in all honesty, it doesn’t take much convincing for me to watch a Disney movie… or really any convincing at all.)

So here’s the thing about Maleficent. You know that bitch means business right away. When it comes to my migraines they start out in one of two ways. Either: 1) I get an aura that throws me completely off balance and distracts me from being able to function; or 2) The pain starts instantly. Usually I’ll get a dull pain behind my eye or at that spot on my parietal bone and it quickly intensifies.

And in either instance, things go from bad to worse, and that’s when the monster really comes out:

Maleficent in her usual form is just a warning. When she morphs into the dragon, you know that it’s time to just turn out the lights, pop the pain pills, fill up a Nalgene bottle with ice cold water, grab an ice pack, and shut out the world until the pain stops.

In true Disney fashion, good must prevail over evil, and two things contribute to Maleficent’s demise:

• A sword through her heart via Prince Phillip. What does this have to do with my migraines? In many instances, my pain becomes concentrated behind one of my eyes. I’ve learned that one of the best remedies is to utilize the pressure point that is the supraorbital foramen in whichever eye/side of my head the pain has settled in (recently it’s been left more than right). Although there’s a stabbing pain, I also end up stabbing myself in order to relieve some of the pain.
• Falling to her death due to a cliff collapsing .In all honesty, sometimes the only thing I can do is sleep. Once I’m able to quiet my brain (I sometimes meditate and use visualization that helps me relax enough to sleep) and can “collapse” it allows something to happen that gets rid of my migraine. Or at least lessens the pain.

What movie monster reminds you of your migraines?

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