Thankful

There are so many things that I'm grateful for. I've been blessed, and I really need to remember to be more thankful every day. Here are just some of the things I'm thankful for:

• Having the essentials (food, shelter...)
• Having a wonderful family (my family and in-laws)
• Jeremy having a good job
• Living in Texas again (near our families)
• Having a loving and caring husband
• Having an amazing, forgiving God

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, everyone!!!

This post was written as part of the National Health Blog Posting Month (NHBPM).

AHDA - Action Needed!

Help end the federal neglect of chronic disabling headache disorders

The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA) is working toward ensuring that our lawmakers appreciate the urgent need to ease the tremendous burden of migraine and headache disorders. Please take a moment and sign this petition.

There is so little funding for migraine and headache research, and yet the impact of these disorders extends to so many people.

• Chronic headache disorders, including migraine, are among the top 20 causes of disability in the US according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
• 19% of Americans will experience an attack of some form of migraine this year.
• 75% of Americans with episodic migraine are women, predominantly of child-bearing age.
• 4% of Americans experience 4 hours of headaches per day, at least 15 days per month.
• Among veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts, 37% of servicemen and 57% of servicewomen reported ongoing migraine if there was a deployment history of concussive injury and any pre-deployment history of migraine.
• Migraine results in an increased risk of cardiovascular disease which has been linked to more than 1500 additional deaths in the US annually.
• Headache disorders, including migraine, are responsible for more than $31B in economic costs in the US annually.
• The WHO estimates that migraine causes more lost years of healthy life in the US annually than multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ovarian cancer, and tuberculosis combined...
• ...in 2010, the combined NIH research funding for these four disorders ($684M) was more than 45 times greater than that for migraine ($15M).
• NIH funding for all research on headache disorders comprised less than 0.05% of the NIH budget in 2010.
• Only one innovative drug (sumatriptan), discovered, developed, and priority reviewed specifically for migraine treatment, has been FDA approved in the past 50 years.
• A total of only 290 American physicians have received Headache Medicine specialty training and are certified by the United Council on Neurologic Subspecialties.
• The US Congress has never held a public hearing devoted to headache disorders.

So, the AHDA is asking each of us to sign an on-line petition urging congressional hearings to be held on the impact of headache disorders. It takes only a minute to sign and they will deliver the signed petition to Congress. Please take a moment and sign this petition.

This post was written as part of the National Health Blog Posting Month (NHBPM).

Be Present

Today's challenge is to describe something peaceful with as much sensory imagery as I can (describing the sights, sounds, scents, and feelings).

Rhythmic breathing, a small breeze against my skin, the sound of each footstep in succession, and pure drive and determination to complete the challenge.

While it may not sound like something peaceful, running was the best outlet for my emotions (all of them). I found peace in being out running on the road... competing, fighting the urge to quit, and working through my thoughts. There's nothing like it. I haven't been able to run in... 10 years. Can that be right?! I injured myself in 2001, went through physical therapy, and was injured again in 2002. I miss it terribly!


This post was written as part of the National Health Blog Posting Month (NHBPM).

Ekphrasis Post

Today's challenge is to find a Flickr Image in Creative Commons that inspires me in some way (positively or negatively) and free write about it for 15 minutes. Brave bonus: Publish your free writing without editing!

Photo by ghayty

The caption that ghayty included with the above photo was:

"We must always have old memories and young hopes" (Arsene Houssaye)

I think that those living with chronic pain tend to try to hold tightly to their memories of a time without pain (or at least when it was more manageable). It can be difficult to come to terms with having to face life with chronic pain, and we shouldn't abandon our memories, but we mustn't live in (or stay in) our memories. We need to live in the moment. We can look toward the future... from where we are now, not where we'd hoped we would be. Our hopes from before the chronic pain may have to be changed or adapted... some may no longer be possible... but, we should continue having hope.

There's another quote that would work beautifully for this photo:

"God gave us memories that we might have roses in December" (J. M. Barry)

I love this quote. I absolutely love roses, and this quote paints such a lovely picture... roses in the cold, harsh winter months. Our memories are extremely powerful. They can bring us to tears, make us laugh, or otherwise re-live that moment.

In the photo above, the brightness of the roses beautifully contrast the black and white beneath them. I think it's important to remember that, even in the darkest times (e.g., pain, depression), there is always hope and beauty... if only we look.

This post was written as part of the National Health Blog Posting Month (NHBPM).

LOL Post (Gamarjobat)

Source: talktoyouforever

Today's challenge is to write a post about something that made me laugh (a moment, video, picture, blog post, etc...).

Humor and laughter are extremely important for everyone to have in their lives, but perhaps especially for those living with chronic pain. An article that I found interesting was Laughter in the Best Medicine: The Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter.

Laughter is contagious, and may just be "the best medicine." Laughter is good for the mind and the body. It can boost your immune system, diminish pain, relax muscles, and help protect you from the damaging effects of stress... in addition to adding joy to your life, easing anxiety and fear, relieving stress, improving mood, and strengthening relationships.

There are theories as to why humor and laughter ease your pain... but, the why doesn't really matter, if you're a chronic pain sufferer... all that's important is that it eases your pain. And, even if it doesn't eliminate your pain, it can boost your spirits and bring some joy into your life on some of the more difficult days. Accept it as a gift and a blessing, when you're able to find something that makes you laugh.

I've been blessed with a husband that has always been able to make me laugh. I think it's one of my husband's life missions to make me laugh (and he's very good at it). I'm reminded every day how important it is to have laughter in your life. I'm the "too serious" type, while Jeremy is the "laid back" type. Luckily, his strength in "rolling with the punches" and finding humor in everyday things has helped me immensely living with chronic pain. Some days, though, I just can't laugh. I may feel some joy on the inside, but just can't laugh on the outside. Sometimes, just hearing my husband laugh (which happens A LOT), puts a smile on my face... which is a step closer to laughter.

I'd like to share something that my husband shared with me. It makes me laugh every time I see it! Just as a warning, some of you may not find this funny. But, we think it's hilarious! It starts out a little slow, so if you find yourself getting bored with it, at least watch from 4:20 to the end. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

http://youtu.be/0-5QMRgXreY

This post was written as part of the National Health Blog Posting Month (NHBPM).

"Best of" Post (Fear in the Life of a Chronic Migraineur)

Today's challenge is to grab a post from my archives and repost it, adding a few sentences at the beginning to frame it, writing why I chose it, why I liked it, and why it should be shared again.

With Thanksgiving coming up next week, I'm facing fear... fear of the unknown. Am I going to feel okay for the Thanksgiving festivities? Will I be able to handle being around so many people all day long? How long will it take me to recover from the day?

Fear comes up a lot in my life. So, I'd like to re-share a post that I wrote in October 2010. The post is titled Fear in the Life of a Chronic Migraineur:

Fear is something that I try to ignore - you know, just sweep it under the rug. But, fear in the life of a person with chronic pain builds up quickly, and it cannot stay contained under the rug for long... it must be acknowledged and dealt with.... much easier said than done!

Fear is a constant struggle for those battling any chronic illness. The fear of being unable to complete a task, fear that the pain is going to become or remain unbearable, fear that medications aren't going to help, etc... These are things that we battle daily, almost continually. Fear runs through all different areas of life - physical, emotional, spiritual, personal, professional, relational, financial, etc...

My fears are numerous and many are unspoken. Most of them are centered on the future... Will the pain ever lessen or cease? Will I ever live a "normal" life? Will I be able to return to and complete graduate school? Will I be able to return to work? Will I be able to have kid(s) - and be the type of mother I want to be? Basically, what kind of future can/will I have with chronic pain?

Fear and depression are both familiar to many people that live with chronic illness. I fear falling into depression... yet again. I fear depression's hold on my life. I fear being thrust into the darkness and the feelings of loneliness that comes with depression. But, fear casts me farther into the depths of depression.

I try to lead as close to a normal life as I can, despite having chronic pain; but it is difficult. My pain can become debilitating and take me out at a moment's notice... for an unknown amount of time. It's difficult to plan or commit to anything ahead of time and I hate having to back out of plans at the last minute.

The irrational (but very real for many living in chronic pain) reality is that there is even fear during the "good" times. When I feel "good" (a relative term), I find myself consciously fighting fearful thoughts that the bad will soon come/return to ruin it.

I honestly wish I had a list of ways to overcome these (and other) fears, but I don't. My advice is this:

1. Be honest with yourself about what your fears are.
2. Share your fears with a trusted friend or loved one.
3. If you feel that you cannot share or handle your fears alone - seek professional help.
4. Know that you are NOT alone!

This post was written as part of the National Health Blog Posting Month (NHBPM).