Somewhere in my early 30s, I had a sharp increase in migraine frequency. An increase noticeable enough to send me to the doctor.
No matter the decade or your age, you never know when you might find something that can make living life with migraine a little bit easier.
You might not be able to see all the measures a migraine warrior takes to include themselves in their own life, and in yours.
One of the best ways to prevent a migraine attack is to limit exposure to my known triggers. To do this, there are certain things that I will not do.
The smallest gestures of kindness can make a huge difference in the life of a migraine warrior.
Before I knew the facts about migraine, I felt responsible for my inability to participate in activities with family and friends. I worried about the impact of my disease on my career path.
I feel a sense of relief just thinking about the make-believe world the genie and I have created with my three wishes.
Migraine has played a major role in the story of my life. Learn how to guide the unfolding of your migraine story.
I have added listening to my dreams to my migraine management plan. Everything evolves, and migraine is no exception.
It’s been about 4 years since my last migraine-induced vomit. That’s a good run. I’m crossing my fingers in hopes of keeping the run going for as long as possible.
I’ve had to learn to advocate for myself. Standing up for myself has become an important part of my migraine management plan. The process I followed to get where I am today started with acquiring knowledge.
Migraines play a big role in why I'm a complicated woman. Learn about some of my food triggers and how to determine your own food triggers.
I thrived in the walking culture lifestyle of my favorite home, a condo in the heart of the city. I enjoyed my fairytale dream world until Michelle purchased the condo below ours and turned my dream into a nightmare.
Migraine disease is always with me. Like it or not, we live together. I learned to accept my burden years ago, and I’ve found ways for us to coexist.
As frustrating as it is, migraine misconceptions are an opportunity to educate.
In practical terms, migraine stages aren’t always straightforward. Not all migraine warriors experience all stages, and the stages may overlap more than a step-by-step description suggests.
It’s in the way my migraine affects others that those people can be supportive of me.
The bottom line is that if your boss doesn’t understand your illness, then you have a teaching opportunity.
I can avoid the use of triggering odors myself. The problem lies in managing exposure to odors generated by other people.
The noise of the world exhausts me on a good day. On a migraine day, the noise of the world is nauseating, literally.
The bottom line is that what works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. You be you and I’ll be me.
Migraine is not what I would call a social illness. In fact, I would describe my migraine disease as quite the opposite.
Stress is the perfect word for the free space in the center of a buzzword bingo card.
Finding a balance between safety and experiencing the wonders of the world is difficult when it comes to managing a weather migraine, but not impossible.
Coming to terms with another human being’s quirks is difficult enough without adding migraine into the mix.
Migraine is part of my social life whether I like it or not. I don’t hide it and I don’t apologize for it. I’m not for everyone, and that’s fine.
I’d love to say I can’t substitute riced cauliflower for jasmine rice for medical reasons. That’s not how it works though.
It doesn’t matter how we connect as long as we keep coming together. That’s the important takeaway here.
Should your aging parent have a pet or not? That’s a tricky question to talk about.
I plan for our future but roll with today. I pick up the slack for her a little at a time and do my best to let her give me permission to do so.
There are days it doesn’t seem fair to either of us. Mom and I know frustrations will happen and we forgive each other for being in a mood once in a while.
I do not sugarcoat what lies ahead for Mom and me. Cherishing the little blessings of day-to-day life requires reaching for the volume button and turning it up.
Christmas feels a little different for us each year. People come and go along with the ebb and flow of life’s tide.
Becoming a parent’s parent sneaks up on you even when you know it is coming. For us, it was gradual until Dad’s death thrust Mom into living alone for the first time in her entire life.
One of the most difficult things about transitioning into the role of caregiver is maintaining an emotional poker face.
Despite knowing full well that the circle of life flows in this direction, the feelings of fear, sadness, and desperation surprise me, and fill my body with a strange combination of duty and denial.
Parent/child role reversal is nothing new. It was easy to ignore until it became the reality of my life. See how I'm learning to navigate into the role of caregiver.
Life is full of choices, each leading to another series of options, then another and another. Perhaps a path not taken could be my next identity.
How do you answer when the person in your mirror asks, “What is faith?”
Do the younger generations ignore the presence of their elders, or are we making ourselves unseeable to them?
It is my fault the world is now a meaner place. Somewhere along the way, I misplaced my own benevolence. I do not like people very much and that feels wrong. My circle is shrinking.
Who determines the definitions of success and failure in your life? Failure can be the path to success.
An unexpected feeling of despair brings clarity to the nature of loss.
Writing is a tool for relieving the pressures of life. Bear with me as I work some things out.
Parents never stop being a role model to their children. Respecting the value of the elderly is an important element of the circle of life.
What does a cat have to do with migraines? I’ll get to that in a minute. First, let me tell you Bubba’s story, or at least what I know about Bubba’s story.