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Hope Will Long Last
A migraine poem by Deborah Bloom: Hope Will Long Last – Some may question this disease that they cannot see but it is not invisible to you and to me. Migraine you may refuse to let me loose, but I will continue on my quest; today and the tomorrows I will pick myself up and strive to do my best
Read MoreIs the Nerivio For Me?
Is the Nerivio device by Theranica really helpful for migraine? So far, it’s looking hopeful for me but the jury is still out.
Read MoreConstant Companion
Pain is our constant compaion
Read MoreI Have a Friend
I Have a Friend poem that talks about the impact of connection when you live with chronic pain or illness.
Read MoreAn Open Letter to My Doctors
“Please don’t give up on me!” It’s a silent plea that rarely is verbalized but which trails so many of us doggedly. Even when we’ve had good experiences with the medical profession this concept of “giving up” often lingers. Sadly, migraine disease is often treated differently than other diseases. There is more of a tendency to give up – both ourselves, society and even healthcare professionals. It is more likely for people with migraine to be told to “accept” things as they are or accept minimal improvement.
Read MoreSome Migraine Questions May Not Have Easy Answers
When it comes to migraine, I want to have answers – for myself and for others. It’s important for me to be able to explain what is going on, when the migraine attacks started, and why they are not getting better. There is a driving desire to know what is currently unknowable. – to understand, be understood, and have migraine acknowledged for the disabling disease it truly is.
Read MoreYou are MORE than Enough
When motherhood and migraine collide, you are more than enough!
Read MoreAn Insurmountable Task?
As a diehard Brit who was introduced to the delights of a “real British cuppa” as a young child, I basically don’t come alive in the mornings until I’ve downed at least one cup of my trusty PG Tips. However, some mornings are much harder than others, and there are many days when just crawling out of bed seems like an insurmountable task, British cuppa or not!
Read MoreThe End of the Line? Part 2
With six weeks of an intensive pain program under my belt I’m finally able to see the finish line of this 8-week journey. The lack of blogs and posts the past few weeks likely tells its own story – I’m exhausted! But apart from exhaustion, are there things to be learnt? Has this been a worthwhile experience or a lesson in futility?!
Read MoreTravelling with Migraine – The Perfect Storm?
Sometimes, saying “No” isn’t the best thing for us. In many ways we have lost much of the control over our lives that other people take for granted, and our bodies simply don’t cooperate. But what IF we were able to regain just a little bit of that control, and make decisions that empower and motivate us?
Read MoreThe End of the Line? Part 1
So today my journey finally began, and I have a ton of mixed emotions about going into the St. Judes’ Chronic Pain Program here in Orange County, CA. It’s a curious emotional cocktail of anxiety, hope, fear, curiosity, doubt, stress, courage, and even skepticism. Somehow I just refuse to give up hope, even when the odds for pain relief seem stacked in the wrong direction. There is in most of us an indomitable spirit that ultimately just wants to keep going. But there are so many questions: Is this the end of the line? What if I fail in the program or rather, if the program fails me? What are realistic expectations? Is it possible to set goals when there are so many unknowns?
Read MoreYou Can Do This!
When tomorrow looks bleak, don’t lose hope! Migraine disease can be very challenging to manage but building a toolbox of things to help can be transformative in this journey that you never asked for!
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