Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Reminder: Chat About Migraines with My Migraine Connection

Don't forget about the next set of My Migraine Connection monthly migraine chats, which are scheduled to be held tomorrow, Wednesday, March 31 from 2 pm to 4 pm Eastern and 7 pm to 9 pm Eastern. Tomorrow's chats will be on the theme of the risks associated with migraines.

Visit this link for more information:

Let's Chat About Migraines: Wednesday, March 31


I'm going to try to sign on for at least one of the sessions, most likely the afternoon one. Hope I see you there!

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Tips for Being an Empowered Patient from Trisha Torrey

Patient advocate and empowerment enthusiast Trisha Torrey recently participated in a fantastic WEGO Health webinar on the topic of patient empowerment. She shared some great tips on how to become an empowered patient and a partner in your own care. As is so often the case, Trisha developed her passion for patient empowerment after experiencing a health crisis herself and learning what it's really like for people trying to navigate the intricacies of an intimidating health system.

Trisha was diagnosed with a rare, fatal form of cancer. After waiting three weeks for an appointment with an oncologist, the initial tests indicated no sign of the cancer she'd been diagnosed with. When her oncologist wanted to push forward as though she had the cancer and start her on chemotherapy, her intuition told her to ask for a second opinion.

"At that point I became very empowered because I was so ticked off," Trisha said. "I got a hold of my medical records and started Googling the living daylights out of all those words I didn't understand and by the time I got to the second doctor I said 'I don't think I even have cancer.' "

Her second oncologist submitted her records to the National Institutes of Health for review to determine whether or not she had cancer. The response was good news: she didn't have cancer. But she experienced a mixed set of emotions upon receiving this information.

"Those who knew I'd had the diagnosis said 'You must be so relieved', and I was," she said. "But more than that I was angry. Here was this health care system I was so sure was out to make me well that had failed me. It was not only the doctor, but two labs who misdiagnosed me. I don't think they were intentionally giving me bad information. The system just wasn't set up to bring them to the right answer."

Trisha's Tips for Patient Empowerment:
  • On becoming an empowered patient: Learn to manage your doctor's expectations by letting her know you intend to be an engaged patient from the beginning of the relationship. Explain that if you work together you'll be able to be a more adherent, compliant patient. Try not to be intimidated. Most doctors don't want to be treated like gods. Instead, take charge of the relationship with your doctor. Be better prepared and ask questions.
  • On avoiding being perceived as a pain in the butt patient: "Any patient who asks questions is considered a pain in the butt patient. It's not because they don't want to answer our questions but because it takes more time than they've allotted for us in the appointment book. Tell the doctor you know time is limited, but you have three questions today. Or realize the doctor is never going to get it and go looking for someone else."
  • Recognize why the doctor / patient relationship has changed: It's all about the connection between money and care. Jerome Groopman, author of How Doctors Think, says we're interrupted an average of 18 seconds into telling a doctor what's wrong with us. Trisha calls this drive-by-doctoring.
  • Use the Internet as a resource and a tool, but do so wisely. To do this verify the information you discover by finding at least one independent, confirming source.
  • Some people say docs are intimidated by the Internet. Some are, especially those who haven't kept up with the latest & greatest, but they are mainly worried about the time it takes to discuss the information patients find. This is where managing your doctor's expectations comes into play.
  • Online support groups are fabulous resources, but don't just take another patient's word for it. Do your own research. By getting into discussions with patients who have already have good & bad experiences, you will feel more comfortable once you get to your doctor.
  • Use your intuition. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Build your confidence. The more confident someone becomes, from the relationship they're establishing with providers to confidence they've chosen best treatment option and are staying up with the latest research on treatments, the better the situation will be.
  • But there will be times when you don't feel especially confident. "If you start feeling fearful or your intuition tells you something seems askew, that is the time to do more research and ask more questions. Just don't stop asking questions. The more info you gain, the more confident you'll feel."

Learn more about Trisha's work by visiting:

Every Patient's Advocate
Patient Empowerment at About.com
AdvoConnection
DiagKNOWsis

Kudos to Six Until Me's Kerri Morrone Sparling for her great work hosting this webinar.

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Am I Risking It All? Facing My Depressed Reality

Every single day I don't do the things that help me cope and manage my pain and depression and every single day I risk losing the things I still have in my life. The most important things. The things I can't ever bear to lose. You couldn't tell it by the way I'm letting myself live.

It's not so much about not being able to keep the house clean or get dinner on the table or put out the trash. We're talking down & dirty stuff now, people. We're talking about not showering, not brushing my teeth and certainly not leaving the house. When I don't face that stuff I can't face anything else. And everything comes to a screeching halt in my life and in this household.

Because he's quitting his second job my husband's going to be home more now. This is a really good thing. But it means I'm going to have to get real about what's going on with my depression and my day-to-day struggles because I won't be able to hide it so well anymore. If I don't I'm afraid I could ruin my relationship.

I honestly don't think he knows just how bad things have been with me because he's so busy and has so little time with me to observe how I'm spending my time. I know guys can be less than observant and I know he tends to be that way, but I think some of these very basic issues will stand out even to him. How long would he be willing to live with a spouse who doesn't always take care of basic hygiene and spends a large part of every day in bed? How is it fair to ask that of him or of anyone, for that matter? Even though I don't feel motivated to try for myself, I will try for him because I love him.

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Reminder: Migraine Poetry Contest Deadline Approaching

Don't forget to write your poem and submit it to the 2010 Putting Our Heads Together Migraine & Headache Poetry Contest sponsored by Health Central's My Migraine Connection, Help for Headaches and the National Headache Foundation.

Submissions are due Wednesday, March 31. To familiarize yourself with the other rules of the contest and enter your poem, please visit:

2010 Putting Our Heads Together Migraine & Headache Poetry Contest

Related Post:
Migraine & Headache Poetry Contest 2010

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Music as Makeshift Therapy: Wallowing Edition

Music is widely acknowledged as a therapeutic mechanism for people suffering with a wide range of different health issues. From time to time I like to share the music that helps me cope. In a recent post (Like a Moth to a a Flame) I mentioned my "Wallowing" playlist, which I turn to when I'm feeling especially dark and full of angst. Though it is somewhat contrary to the idea behind music as therapy because it doesn't lift the spirit as much as celebrate darkness, there are some great tunes here.

Dinosaur Jr. - Without a Sound - Feel the Pain
Dinosaur Jr. - Without a Sound - Feel the Pain

Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk - A Sorta Fairytale
Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk - A Sorta Fairytale

The Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass - Blue
The Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass - Blue

Neil Young - Neil Young: Greatest Hits - Heart of Gold
Neil Young - Neil Young: Greatest Hits - Heart of Gold

Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading: Greatest Hits - The Weakness in Me
Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading: Greatest Hits - The Weakness in Me

U2 - Rattle and Hum - All I Want Is You
U2 - Rattle and Hum - All I Want Is You

Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See - Fade Into You
Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See - Fade Into You

R.E.M. - Monster - Strange Currencies
R.E.M. - Monster - Strange Currencies

Van Morrison - His Band and the Street Choir - If I Ever Needed Someone
Van Morrison - His Band and the Street Choir - If I Ever Needed Someone

Stone Temple Pilots - Core - Creep
Stone Temple Pilots - Core - Creep

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III (Remastered) - Tangerine
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III (Remastered) - Tangerine

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Chat About Migraines with My Migraine Connection

If you're looking for another way to interact with other migraine patients or have questions for an expert, check out the online migraine chats at Health Central's My Migraine Connection site. I missed the first chat, but heard it was really great and definitely plan to participate in at least one of the upcoming chats.

The next monthly chats will be held on Wednesday, March 31 from 2 pm to 4 pm Eastern and 7 pm to 9 pm Eastern. These chats will be on the theme of the risks associated with migraines. Visit this link for more information:

Let's Chat About Migraines: Wednesday, March 31

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Carnival of Chronic Babes: Coping Mechanisms Edition

The brand-new carnival of bloggers who participate on the Chronic Babe Forum is up at It's Time to Get Over How Fragile You Are. Contributors wrote on the topic of their favorite and most-useful coping mechanisms.

Chronic Babe Bloggers' Blog Carnival (Favorite & Most-Useful Coping Mechanisms)

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Health Care Reform All But a Done Deal

As of late last night health care reform is all but a done deal. The House passed the Senate bill and a reconciliation bill with amendments to the Senate bill. The Senate bill will go to President Obama for his signature (some say not to expect that before Tuesday) and the reconciliation bill will go to the Senate for a vote. It needs just 50 votes to pass rather than a filibuster-proof majority of 60 votes. This was the main motivation for using the reconciliation procedure.

Making History: House Passes Health Care Reform

I know some people are petrified this will mean the end of life as we know it and are actively preparing for the government to try to kill them through their private insurance carriers. Me? Well, I'm a bit more optimistic. Obviously only time will tell, but given that it is no longer legal to refuse to insure people because they have pre-existing conditions and that people will finally start to get financial help to buy insurance, there is no doubt in my mind this legislation is a first step in the right direction. I'd like to see more happen in the future. But I'm pleased as punch our leaders were able to accomplish this much.

If you're interested in reading about what will change right away, this is a great article:

What Can You & Your Family Expect Right Away?

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Patient Empowerment Webinar with Trisha Torrey Tonight

I know it's short notice, but I highly encourage all of you to participate in WEGO Health's Patient Empowerment Webinar featuring guest speaker Trisha Torrey tonight at 8 pm EDT. Trisha is a phenomenal patient advocate who shares the wisdom she gained navigating the health care system when she was misdiagnosed with cancer a few years ago. She writes about patient empowerment at About.com and is author of a new book called "You Bet Your Life: The Ten Mistakes Every Patient Makes."

Sign up for the webinar at the following link & you will receive an e-mail with the details about how to participate:

Patient Empowerment Webinar with Trisha Torrey

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Finding a Meaningful Path When Life Changes Course

I feel like I've been forced to give up most of what gave me satisfaction and made me, well, me since becoming sick seven years ago. In particular my legal career. However, stumbling into blogging and developing my voice as an advocate has helped me feel as though my life has a sense of purpose outside of me, my health and my day-to-day drama.

I started blogging in 2006 because I enjoyed conducting research about migraines, chronic pain and depression and sharing that information with other patients. Before law school I was a journalist and I also missed the research and writing that had been such an integral part of my life for so many years. Blogging seemed like a natural way to satisfy these interests. Little did I know how deeply satisfying the blogging would become and the kind of contribution I could make to other patients just by doing what I love.

In addition to writing about news and research developments and my own experiences and feelings about living with chronic diseases, I've also been able to help readers find resources to get help for legal problems, find health care providers and apply for and receive Social Security Disability benefits to which they are entitled.

The truth of the matter is that I'm finding that helping patients with health-related legal issues is what I'm truly passionate about. I loved my work in the legistlative branch of the government, but the reality is that I'm unlikely to ever be able to return to that setting. But a practice helping people with disability and benefits related legal issues on my own terms is probably within reach. I'm not healthy enough yet to give very much of my time, but I'm hopeful that I'll get there. In the meantime it's immensely gratifying to be able to give little bits & pieces of myself as I'm able to and to receive so much in return from my truly wonderful readers.

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Can I Overcome Fear?

For as long as I can remember my life and my mind have been controlled by fear. All different kinds of fears, but especially fear of failing and fear of looking stupid, which are similar but not exactly the same. I have made every big decision in my life (where to go to college, where to go to law school, where to move after law school, etc.) based on fear of trying something big and failing at it. I can't keep living this way.

Realizing you're gripped by a paralyzing fear of failing is just the beginning. The hard part is figuring out how to let go of that fear, how to face it down and not let it have so much power over you. While I have to acknowledge that some of my recent experiences with my career and employment have somewhat reinforced these fears, I also know I have many experiences with success to draw on as evidence of my ability to do well. But for some reason I tend to discount these successes as something anyone could accomplish and focus more heavily on my perceived failures. I'll be the first to admit this is an unhealthy, distorted way of viewing myself and my place in the world.

Depression contributes to a nasty cycle of ever increasing paralyzing fear. When I'm feeling especially down I don't do much and become more and more anxious about doing even simple things. Because I'm feeling so anxious, I isolate myself and become even more depressed. It continues on this way, each problem making the other worse.

There have been times when I've made an effort to do things that scare me. Last year I went to BlogHer '09 by myself despite not having previously met anyone who would be there. I even made an effort to meet people and had a pretty good time. I think I'll do even better at BlogHer '10. I guess little steps in the right direction are the only way to overcome this.

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Announcing April 2010 Headache Blog Carnival

The theme of the April 2010 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival carnival will be "Migraines in Literature." As always, feel free to interpret this topic however you like. We also welcome posts that don't fit the theme as long as they are of interest to people living with headaches and migraines.

Entries are due by midnight (the end of the day) on Friday, April 9, 2010. The carnival will be published by Teri Robert at My Migraine Connection on Monday, April 12, 2010.

For more information about the carnival please visit the main carnival page: Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival. Feel free to post comments or contact me to ask any questions you might have.
Please spread the word to any migraine or headache bloggers you know and consider posting an announcement on your own blog if you have one.

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Can't Stop Now: Health Care Reform's Last Push

We're now in the home stretch of what we hope will be a successful effort to reform health care in the United States. But this is no time to stop pushing and reminding our leaders how much we need this. I encourage you to use this link to write your Representative and reiterate your support for reform:

Organizing for America: Write Congress

For more information about the planned activities for this week and an explanation of how things are expected to work, I recommend these articles:

What to Expect this Week on Health Care Reform - Time

Democratic Leaders Say Health Bill Will Pass - Washington Post

Health Care Reform This Week: A Tour of the Sausage Factory - Newsweek

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Like a Moth to a Flame

Many times I've wondered why I'm drawn toward books, movies and TV programs that explore what life is like for people living with mental illness or chemical dependence. God knows I have enough first hand experience to fill volumes, so why do I keep going there? Is it serving some function for me or is it like picking a scab and never letting it heal? I feel very deeply for other people and their suffering. I recognize their pain because I know it. But I feel almost nothing for myself.

I am a dark, dark, dark person. I have an iTunes playlist called "Wallowing Songs". Songs that make me cry and hurt inside. I try to avoid listening to it. But sometimes it feels so good. I'm not a cutter, but I think it must be similar. A release. These depressing shows seem to serve the same function.

Good news. TLC is starting a new show about addicts called Addicted. It's like my birthday and Christmas all in one!

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Patients for a Moment Blog Carnival: Nineteenth Edition

The latest edition of the patient-centered blog carnival Patients for a Moment has been posted at Duncan Cross's blog. The theme of "Who would you be without illness?" elicited a variety of thoughtful responses.

Patients for a Moment # 19

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Tournament Time Helps My Sad Sack Guilt

Most of the time I'm completely embarrassed that I don't have a full time job, work for myself, raise kids or engage in any daily activity I consider remotely acceptable. When interacting with strangers I usually feel compelled to offer some brief explanation of why a woman with no children or wealth doesn't grind out the 9-to-5 like every other adult and often feel even more awkward than before I opened my mouth. But during March Madness? Well, during March Madness I allow myself to feel a tiny amount of pleasure that I get to watch every single game and follow every single piece of tournament-related news through every possible outlet up to and including Twitter because I answer to no one.

For me March Madness begins with the Big XII Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, which starts the Wednesday before Selection Sunday (the day the 65 teams selected for the NCAA Men's Tournament are announced). During the opening days of the conference tournament I get to kick back and watch the games from the comfort of my home while other b-ball fans follow along with the scores online and perhaps catch a few minutes of action on the radio. Then the weekend comes and everyone enjoys the champsionship game and Selection Sunday on their collective leisure time. And all is right with the world. We painstakingly fill out our brackets and join our pools and believe anything truly is possible when Cinderella comes to the Big Dance.

Once the NCAA Tournament starts I get a little more of the super satisfying guilty pleasure of watching college basketball in HD from my recliner while other fans are, at best, forced to watch online. That might not sound so bad, but as someone who watched a few years of first round games online while I worked late, it is. Watching online totally sucks compared to watching on a big TV in a relaxed atmosphere. Granted, during the day everyone is in the same bind, and being able to watch online is actually pretty cool. Yay for modern technology! But if you're stuck watching online while working late it becomes super depressing. While all your friends are at sports bars in their fan gear you're sitting at your desk in your less than fresh suit wondering whether this job is really worth missing all this fun. And I had a job that left me stuck watching online (or worse, working) every single year. It was truly one of the only inconvenient things about my job, especially for an attorney, but it still sucked that the only time I was ever required to work overtime was during the NCAA tournament. I'll never have to worry about that again. It's a small consolation 99% of the time, but during the Big Dance it feels pretty great.

After the tournament I'll almost immediately return to my regularly scheduled "beat myself up with guilt" programming over not having a job or a career, but the breather is fun while it lasts. Not only will March Madness come around again each year about this same time, but maybe I can build on this little silver lining and gradually learn to treat myself with less contempt all year long.

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Carnival of Chronic Babes: Inaugural Edition

I'm pleased to invite you to check out the first edition of a fun new carnival I'm a part of. All of the participants are women who are members of the Chronic Babe Forum, an extension of Jenni Prokopy's fabulous Chronic Babe blog/website, and who live with some kind of chronic illness or disability. The Chronic Babe Forum is an awesome place to get advice and support, and I'm incredibly proud we've been able to come together to bring you our collective thoughts about our lives with these conditions. A special thank you to Kathy at Fibrochondriac for establishing the carnival and hosting the first edition!

A Carnival of Our Own

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Monday, March 08, 2010

Opening Up to Family & Friends: March 2010 Headache Blog Carnival

LinkLinkWelcome to the March 2010 Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival.

The Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival has been created to provide both headache patients and people who blog about headaches with opportunities to share ideas on topics of particular interest and importance to us.

The theme of the March carnival is "Helping your loved ones understand what you go through and what you need from them."

Please keep reading for the March 2010 collection of posts.

I'd like to share a classic Somebody Heal Me post, Perspective: Turning the Tables on Suffering.

Sue presents What I Need posted at Inner Dorothy.

Emily presents Family and Illness posted at No Extended Warranty.

Janet presents When Your Partner's in Pain, Too posted at The Migraine Girl.

Teri Robert presents Migraines and Feeling Hopeless: Hang On posted at My Migraine Connection.

James Cottrill presents 15 Diseases, Disorders and Syndromes that Go Along with Migraine posted at Headache and Migraine News.


Submit your blog post to the April 2010 edition of the Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival using our carnival submission form or by e-mailing your submissions to me by e-mail. The theme will be "Migraines in Literature."
Entries are due by midnight on Friday, April 9, and the carnival will be posted by Teri Robert at My Migraine Connection on Monday, April 12.

Past posts and more information about the carnival can be found on our Headache Blog Carnival information page.

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Friday, March 05, 2010

How Living with Chronic Migraines Has Humbled Me

The theme for the next edition of the Patients for a Moment Blog Carnival is "Who would you be without your illness?"
There's a lot of emphasis in our community about staying positive, looking towards the future, optimism, et cetera - all of which has merit. But too much deliberate cheeriness denies us the ability to think and talk about what we've lost to our illnesses. We lose our ability to grieve for the person we wished to be, which seems to me an important part of adjusting to our circumstances. So the topic this time is that person, and how they would better, worse, or simply different than the person you are now?
In thinking about this theme, I knew right away I wanted to write about how the changes in my life brought about my illness have helped me become a more humble, cooperative person.

Before my migraines became chronic and began to interrupt my life on a near-daily basis, I was extremely career oriented. I allowed myself to be defined by my profession and my career-related achievements. I only did things around the house if I felt like doing them. I quite honestly felt I was under no obligation to contribute around the house because I made more money than my husband and worked longer hours. While it may be the case that the fairest balance would have been for him to do more than half of the housework, that in no way excuses my attitude and complete arrogance. Whenever I hear of a guy treating his wife that way I'm completely appalled. Yet somehow it was okay for me to do that because I was a modern woman with a dynamic, powerful career.

Mind you, I didn't realize at the time that I was approaching our lives this way. It was only after I could no longer work that my perspective started to change. It became clear to me that wasn't the kind of partner I wanted to be. I don't know if I would have come to this realization yet if things hadn't happened the way they did. I don't think this awareness is a fair trade off for losing my career, my connections to other people and the ability to earn my own living, not to mention the pain I live with daily, but I do think it is important to acknowledge the ways in which something positive has come out of an otherwise completely shitty situation.

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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.

Last Call: March 2010 Headache Blog Carnival

Submissions for the March 2010 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival are due by midnight (the end of the day) today, Friday, March 5. Posts may be submitted through the form on the carnival website or directly to me by e-mail.

The theme is "
Helping your loved ones understand what you go through and what you need from them."

The March carnival will be posted on Monday, March 8 right here at Somebody Heal Me
.

For more information about the carnival visit this link: Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival.

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Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket Content by Diana E. Lee.

DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site constitutes medical or legal advice. I am a patient who is engaged and educated and enjoys sharing my experiences and news about migraines, pain and depression. Please consult your own health care providers for advice on your unique situation.
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