Migraine Awareness Month

June is designated as National Migraine Awareness Month (NMAM), initiated by the National Headache Foundation (NHF). This year's theme is "help make migraines visible!" Many of the obstacles facing Migraineurs have to do with myths, misconceptions, and stigma surrounding Migraine and other headache disorders. So, this month provides many different opportunities to jump-start this important awareness effort to make these invisible illnesses visible.

Ellen and Teri have put together a Migraine Awareness Month Blogging Challenge, where they provide a daily prompt. 30 posts in 30 days - to help make migraines more visible!

There is a National Migraine Awareness Month Facebook page, where we can share what we're doing to bring awareness to Migraine and other headache disorders.

The NHF shares some different resources to increase awareness - including a series of NHF hosted chat webinars (you can find out more information and register at this link), which will be each Tuesday in June, from 6:30-7:30pm (CDT). The topics are:

• June 5 - Migraine: How to Communicate with your Physician
• June 12 - Sinus & Allergy Headaches
• June 19 - Tension Headache
• June 26 - Hormones & Headache

Please take a few moments to take the Migraine in America Survey. It will be open through June 15. The contributors at Migraine.com will share the results with the community.

Also, please take a moment to sign the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy petition to urge Congress to hold hearings on the impact of Migraine and other headache disorders - you don't have to personally experience headaches or migraines to help support those of us that do, so please take a moment and sign this important petition.

Diana Lee of Somebody Heal Me will be hosting two Migraine Awareness Month chats:

• June 6 (3pm, CDT) - What do you wish people better understood about living with Migraine disease?
• June 20 (6pm, CDT) - What do you need in order to live well with Migraine disease that you currently don't have in your life - tangible or intangible, it's all fair game?!

Chronic Migraine Awareness Day is June 29, 2012. There is also a Facebook page for this event. Please show your support by wearing purple and red clothing (purple is the official color for Migraine disease, and red + purple represents Chronic Migraine).

Other ways that you can show your support: post a video about how you live with Migraine and headache disorders at Project Migraine Hope, and/or send a photo of you wearing purple to show support to Faces of Migraine and Headache.

There are plenty of ways to be involved this month, and I truly hope to be able to be able to participate in many of these initiatives. Things are busy for me this month (my sister is getting married in two weeks, so that's what I'll be busy with for the first half of the month... and probably recovering during the second half - lol), but I'm going to participate as much as I can!

This post was written as part of the Migraine Awareness Month Blogging Challenge (MAMBC), which is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com and the National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation (NHF).

Chronic Migraine and Suicide Awareness Day

Today is Chronic Migraine and Suicide Awareness Day.

People with Migraine Disease (especially those that have Migraine with aura) have been shown to have an increased risk of suicide. Dr. Naomi Breslau published the results of a study that examined the risk of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation in four groups:  1) people with Migraine with aura alone, 2) people with Migraine with aura and major depressive disorder, 3) people with Migraine without aura alone, and 4) people with Migraine without aura and major depressive disorder. More about this study and the findings of the study can be found in this article, Migraine and Suicide: Introduction.

Last year, a dear friend of mine wrote a series for National Suicide Awareness Week and Pain Awareness Month that she started with a post titled, Migraine and Suicide. The topics include:  how to cope when you are close to the end of your rope, personal stories from those who have been there (Greater Appreciation, When Living Seems Too Hard, and I Want to Live! But I Don't Feel Like I Am!), prevention, on suicide and faith (and a personal experience, Perspective Determines the View), a post especially for loved ones (family, friends, caregivers), and links to other blogs/articles on Migraine and suicide. She does a wonderful job discussing such a difficult subject, and it's definitely worth the read.

Living life day-in and day-out with Chronic Migraine is difficult. Feelings of loneliness and hopelessness often creep in. Living life in so much pain makes you wonder how much living you're really doing. But... there is always HOPE!

I want to encourage you to reach out to someone - a friend, a therapist, a fellow sufferer, a hotline - if you're struggling with feelings of hopelessness, especially if you're contemplating taking your own life.

If you, or someone you know, is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Quick Update: Sorry I've been Absent

I have to apologize for being absent for so long, but I'm afraid it's going to continue for a while (if the spirit moves me, though, I'll post again soon). Life has just been a whirlwind, and I feel overwhelmed! There are SOOO many things changing in the lives of those I love, and it all suddenly came crashing down... the most recent change I found out about must have been the "straw that broke the camel's back." These changes aren't all bad, but change of any type is stressful.

I've been struggling a lot with my migraines. I actually have one now (and I've taken my meds), so I don't know why I'm even on the computer to type this. I'm about to go lay down because the meds are kicking in and I'm feelin' it (oh, the joy of side effects!). Anyway, I just wanted to drop in and give a quick update. I hope to be back sooner than later... just can't do it right now.

In the meantime, I'm really trying to keep this in mind...

Recap HAWMC

I did it - 30 posts in 30 days!!! I had to double-up several times, but I did it!

I still have some blog posts in the series I started last week that are near 'publishing,' so hopefully I'll get those on the blog soon.

Thanks for sticking with me through this month's challenge. I had an extra-rough month, health-wise... so glad I was able to complete it. Now, back to lay down and nurse this out of control migraine today.


This post was written as part of the Health Activist Writer's Awareness Challenge (HAWMC).

Pain & Gratitude

I wrote this last fall in my hand-written journal, but I've been adding to my list (off and on). I thought of the journal entry the other day, so I thought I'd go ahead and share it on my blog.

*** Let me preface this by saying that this list is looking at things to be grateful for... that's definitely not to say that I don't want to work, or even long to be able to work... it's just something that isn't a burden to me during this time of living with so much pain and disability, and that's something I'm thankful for. ***

I've been struggling a lot with migraine pain, which is an ongoing reminder of all the things that my illness has changed and/or taken away from my life. But, I read an article today about cultivating gratitude by thinking of things I like about being sick. I hope to be able to expand and embrace the list of things to be grateful for about my illness. But, the first step is to start writing, so here goes...

Things I like about being sick (pain and gratitude):

• I don't answer to an alarm clock.
• I don't get stuck in traffic daily.
• I have the perfect excuse to avoid events I don't want to attend. (I really don't like thinking of it as an excuse, but I do have to be much more mindful of what events I do and don't attend because my health will punish me later)
• My "to-do" list is very short. (I don't know where I was coming from with this one... I have a long, ongoing to-do list)
• I'm ill / sick in the Internet Age - less isolation because easily connected online to others.
• I don't have to go to work.
• I don't have a job I hate.
• I don't have to deal with ignorant coworkers and employees (or dealing with office politics).
• I get to spend a lot of time with Jeremy.
• I've learned a lot about my health issues and medications.
• I have time to read and write (still having trouble mentally, but blessed with the time to).
• I don't have to buy new dressy clothes for work (or wear uncomfortable dress clothes/shoes).
• I get to wear comfortable clothes (house clothes) a lot.
• I don't have to shower very often. (can't believe I just said that!)
• I've had a chance to connect with some amazing people online.
• I notice and celebrate "the little things."
• My diet has improved (much healthier).
• I have time to cook (and try new recipes) with Jeremy. (often too nauseous to, but been able to do this more)
• My life is less scheduled.
• I have time to watch more movies and TV shows.
• I'm more attuned to what's going on with my body.
• I'm learning to live in the present moment better.
• I can make Jeremy's work-lunch on (at least most of) his work days.
• I have more time to pray and spend time deepening my relationship with God (I do need to work on this more, though).
• My home is my world (or a very big part of my world).
• I can go to bed and get up late.
• I've become a cyborg.
• I know so much about meds that I could almost be a pharmacist (and I recognize many meds on TV shows) - lol.
• I save money on gas because I don't really drive anymore.

Trying to focus less on the things that I've lost or the limitations imposed on me by my illness... really trying to be grateful for the "little things" and enjoy the present moment.


This post was written as part of the Health Activist Writer's Awareness Challenge (HAWMC).

Word Cloud

Today's challenge is to make a Word Cloud with a list of words that come to mind when I think about my blog, health, or interests. I really enjoyed this one!


This post was written as part of the Health Activist Writer's Awareness Challenge (HAWMC).