HAWMC Prompt 5: Haiku & Tanka

I'm participating in WEGO Health's Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (HAWMC) in April.

Today's challenge is to write a haiku for my condition (migraine). Haiku is "a form of Japanese poetry, consisting of 17 moras, in three phases of 5, 7, and 5 moras respectively." No rhyme or meter scheme is employed. Rather, the aim is to create something greater than the sum of the parts. Haiku were traditionally poems written about nature, and included a "season reference."

Migraine agony
brings uncertainty and fear,
throbbing pain and tears.

Ambitious Activist Challenge Add-on: Make your Haiku into a Tanka. Tanka is a type of Japanese poetry that "consists of five units (often treated as separate lines when Romanized or translated) usually with the following pattern or onji: 5-7-5-7-7... Tanka is a much older form of Japanese poetry than haiku."

Chronic migraines are
hard on mind, body, and soul.
Head pain, nausea,
Sleepless nights, daytime fatigue,
shattered dreams... my life has changed.

HAWMC Prompt 4: Ridiculous Headlines & Cures

I'm participating in WEGO Health's Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (HAWMC) in April.

Today's challenge is to write about a ludicrous headline or cure for my condition. The internet is rampant with examples of misinformation and quackery... it didn't take me long to look up and find a ludicrous headline/cure for migraine. (I know that I've been told A LOT of different - often ridiculous - "cures" and treatments to try by various people, but my migraine brain isn't working right now... online sources will have to do today).

Headline: Why sex can cure your migraine
Cure: There are various different treatments discussed in the article, including "sexual healing." However, it never actually states in the article that any of them "cure" migraine.
Link: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/3443445/Why-sex-can-cure-your-migraine.html

Headlines: How to cure a migraine
Cures: These 3 little articles claim to have cures for migraine. The first article discusses the effectiveness of peppermint oil for headache relief. The second article lists some steps to take to help relieve headache pain. the third article claims to have a natural cure for migraine (feverfew), and then lists some steps to take to relieve pain.
Links: http://www.ehow.com/how_4503957_cure-a-migraine.html, http://www.ehow.com/how_6055338_cure-migraine-headache.html, http://www.ehow.com/how_2310161_naturally-cure-migraine.html

What is strikingly clear from these articles is the mis-use of the term "cure." There is NO cure for migraine. There are treatments that can help relieve the symptoms, but there is NOT a cure. What all of these articles have in common is that they use "cure" as a synonym for "treatment." This got me thinking... I've known that "headache" and "migraine" are often (incorrectly) used interchangeably, but I hadn't really given much thought to the terms "treatment" and "cure" being used interchangeably (I knew that people threw the term "cure" around way too loosely, but I never connected the dots that people might be using it in the same way as "treatment"... two completely different things). I'm not sure what to really do with this revelation right now... So, I'll end with a little cartoon that I ran across...

Help: A Four-Letter Word

Patients For A Moment (PFAM) is a patient-centered blog carnival to build connections within the community of people who blog about illness, disease, and disability. Hayzell, of possibilism.org, is hosting the April edition of the PFAM blog carnival. This month's topic is: "Is help a four-letter word?"

Hayzell writes:

But nothing is simple with pain or illness. Help becomes a complicated "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario laden with conflicting emotions and mixed messages. When your predicament isn't obvious to others, people may not recognize that they can or need to help. Likewise, when your problems seem like everyday nuisances rather than full-blown catastrophes, you may avoidasking for help or recognize that you should. Why is it that asking for too much help makes you "helpless." but not asking enough makes you guilty of "not verbalizing your needs?" Where is the sweet spot between "toughing it out" and "being dependent?"

I've always been a very independent individual. I never wanted to be one of those women that needed a man. I wanted to be able to provide for myself... to be able to stand on my own two feet and take care of myself. However, chronic pain put me face-to-face with some things in life that I've always struggled with.

Sharing with others. I've always had trouble letting others get close to me. For example, I used to never let other people read my writing because it's so personal. It's actually been a strange occurance, since my chronic pain began... I've found myself shutting off around people that I perceive don't understand or care (I'm working on being more forgiving and not just shutting down). But, with people that I feel really care or at least somewhat understand (especially those that I've met through the online blogging community), I've been much more real and open with. I feel more comfortable in sharing a glimpse into what my world is really like. It's such a good feeling to share your heart and your world, and allow others to see such a vulnerable side of you... it's still a little scary... but I feel that God is calling me to write, and the only way I know how to write is from my heart.

Asking for help. I've never been "good at" asking for help. I like to be able to do things "on my own." But, there are times that I simply cannot do things for myself, and I have to ask for help. I'm getting better at asking my husband for help, when I need it; but asking others for help is more of a challenge. I really hate needing to ask for help. I appreciate my husband so very much. He takes good care of me, and he never makes me feel like I'm weak and dependent (though that's how I sometimes feel). He knows where my limits are... sometimes better than even I do. He helps me respect and stay within my limitations, so that I don't have to pay dearly later for it.

Asking for help can be even more difficult because I have an invisible illness. Since people cannot see my illness (as they would a visible illness), they think I look "fine"... capable of doing things without needing any help or assistance. It's difficult enough to muster up the courage to ask for help, but it's humiliating to be looked at with disbelief and treated as though you're making up the pain in order to get attention or something. I hate having to try to defend that I even have an illness or disability; and at some point, I guess I just stopped even trying.

Helping myself. I'm even worse at helping myself than I am at asking for help from others. However, chronic pain has made it clear that it's incredibly important to help and take care of myself. One of the main obstacles that I've had to overcome is simply to allow myself to ask for help (from myself and others). This is definitely an area that I'm going to have to continually work on.


"Refusing to ask for help when you need it is refusing someone the chance to be helpful." ~ Ric Ocasek

Update:  The PFAM Carnival is live. Check it out here.

HAWMC Prompt 3: Health Q&A

I'm participating in WEGO Health's Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (HAWMC) in April.

Today's challenge is to write a health question and answer it. I've decided to share a question that I'd be thrilled to never be asked again:

Why don't you just take a few Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for your migraine, and continue on with your day?

This question irritates me to my very core. I just want to answer by saying,

"Wow! That's a wonderful idea! I can't believe I never thought to try Tylenol. I'll definitely have to give that a try (for my chronic debilitating migraines)."

OR

"Because taking Tylenol would be just as effective as eating Tic Tac's. I can't even 'continue on with my day' after I take my prescription medication... you really think that Tylenol is going to do the trick?!"

Instead, though, I respond by simply (and briefly) saying that Tylenol doesn't help my migraines.

HAWMC Prompt 2: Word of the Day

I'm participating in WEGO Health's Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (HAWMC) in April.

Today's challenge was to look up the word of the day on dictionary.com, and then write a post inspired by the new word. There's an "Ambitious Activist Challenge Add-on," which is to pick 5 new words and work them all into your post (and try to link them to your condition). I've always been an over-achiever, and I love taking on new challenges... so, of course, I'm going for it. I chose my words by looking up previous words of the day for my birthday (March 31).

• bivouac [biv-oo-ak, biv-wak] - a usually temporary encampment in the open; also, to encamp
• contretemps [kon-truh-tahn] - an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance
• xenophobia [zen-uh-foh-bee-uh] - fear or hatred of what is strange, foreign, or different
• edacious [ih-dey-shuh s] - devouring; voracious; consuming
• approbation [ap-ruh-bey-shuh n] - formal or official approval, sanction, or commendation; also, praise; an obsolete word for conclusive proof

When I first started getting migraines, I sheltered myself in a sort of bivouac - finding relief in random dark, quiet spaces. However, a bivouac can only stand so long before it gets tattered and can no longer provide protection from the enemy... in my case, migraine.

Then, the migraines became an edacious monster that disrupted every part of my life. It's hard to believe that a single contretemps could lead to so many changes. My relationships are different... many of my relationships have ended because of my chronic illness.

Dealing with so many changes in one's life (especially if they occur in a short time) can lead to xenophobia - not necessarily being afraid of or hating all strangers or foreigners, but having a fear or dislike for things that are strange or different. When you have chronic pain, you often try to surround yourself with things that make you comfortable... things that are familiar. It can be difficult to step beyond that comfort zone.

Living a life with chronic pain can be very lonely sometimes. I know that my emotions are often up and down like a roller coaster. Even though I don't need approbation, it's nice to be recognized and feel acceptance at least in an informal manner.

HAWMC Prompt 1: Acrostic

I've decided to participate in WEGO Health's Health Activist Writer's Month Challenge (HAWMC). I've been out of the writing/blogging world for a little while, so I hope I'm able to keep up. Luckily, they're providing a daily blog prompt. I'm looking forward to seeing what prompts there are and challenging myself to write in ways that are out of my comfort zone.

Today's challenge is to write an acrostic using the letters in the word HEALTH or for my condition (MIGRAINE), so I've decided to do one for each. An acrostic is a "form of writing in which the first letter, syllable, or word of each line, paragraph, or other recurring feature in the text spells out a word or a message."

HEALTH

History - It's important to know your medical history. And, especially if you're experiencing chronic pain, you should consider keeping a pain diary/journal.
Endurance - Being chronically ill often results in your mind and body enduring a lot. It can be very exhausting and discouraging, but it can also be a chance to learn and grow.
Assistance - Needing assistance (from other people, as well as from various tools and resources) can be very embarassing and humbling. It can be hard to ask for help... it's definitely a learning process.
Limitations - Learning to function around the limitations imposed by one's health issues can be incredibly difficult, but it's an important step toward acceptance.
Tested - Relationships, identity, emotions, faith, financial security, etc... can all be tested during times of illness. These tests can be very difficult, but they're opportunities for growth.
Hope - There is always reason to have hope for a better tomorrow... working toward an increased acceptance of one's health issues and situation.

MIGRAINE

Medication - Migraine is often treated with medication. Preventive medications are often used (in addition to abortive medications) in the treatment of chronic migraines.
Invisible Illness - Migraine is an invisible illness. This often leads to mis-conceptions and mis-understandings.
Genetic - Migraine is a genetically-based illness.
Routine - It's important to have and keep to a routine. Changes in eating and sleeping habits, for example, can be a trigger migraines.
Aura - Some people with migraine experience an aura, which is usually a visual (though it can be sensory, motor, or verbal) disturbances, prior to a migraine attack.
Incapacitating - Migraines can be debilitating, leaving the individual incapacitated for varying stretches of time.
Nausea - Many people with migraine experience nausea (to some degree) with their migraines.
Empathy - Experiencing migraines can lead to a stronger empathy and understanding for others. "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" ~ Plato