Reminder: Somebody Heal Me Newsletter

Don't forget to sign up for the new monthly Somebody Heal Me newsletter. Once you register you will receive a free copy of my book Help for Migraine: Best Practices. The book chronicles my experiences with migraine treatment and covers my suggestions for finding the best care.

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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.

Happy Memorial Day

Wishing you all a Happy Memorial Day, especially those who have served our nation in the military. Including my fantastic father in law who fought in Vietnam as a Marine, then enlisted in the Army. A truly brave, patriotic man. I could never do what our soldiers do, and I'm thinking of all those who are deployed away from home more than ever today.

Regular posting will resume tomorrow. I hope you're enjoying your long weekend.

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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.

New Migraine Prevention Strategy: An Update on My Dallas Trip

My appointment with my migraine specialist in Dallas was every bit as fantastic as I hoped it might be. They spent 5 hours with us going over my symptoms and discussing the options still available given what we've already tried. It's such a great feeling to be heard and treated by a doctor who is truly passionate about your disease.

I am starting the anti-seizure medication Vimpat as a preventative again. I had started it in the fall and quit for some unknown reason. I'm pretty sure it was nothing more than a depressive episode, which always seems to make it difficult for me to stay on track with my medications.

When I told them I was having sleep problems again despite using Zanaflex to try to get on a regular schedule the doctor suggested trying a different medication called Baclofen. I hope it helps because this business of bad sleep is wearing me down something awful.

I'm continuing with the Ketamine nasal spray and supposed to try to pay attention to whether it helps with the non-migraine pain I've been experiencing, such as muscle, joint and nerve pain. The doctor also said Ketamine can help reduce opioid tolerance, which is helpful for people like me with chronic pain who rely on opioids for relief of breakthrough pain.

We will probably add the medication Savella as an additional preventative 4 to 6 weeks down the road after I've given the Vimpat a chance to do its thing. You may have heard of this as one of the newest medications for treating fibromyalgia. He gave me samples of both medications, which is always nice when you're trying something new that isn't available in generic form.

Finally, I'm going to go back on the pain medication Ultram ER to see if that will help with the major muscle, joint and nerve pain I've been experiencing for the past eight to ten months. I'm hopeful it might have a positive impact because that additional pain has been a lot to bear and kept me incapacitated even when my head was handling things relatively okay.


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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.

99 Things: Which Have You Done?

I saw this fun meme on Jamee's A New Kind of Normal blog and thought it might be a cool way for you to learn a little bit more about me. Which of these things have you done?


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visted Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone Rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Effel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone Whale Watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Save a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Publish a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stanger at midnight on NYE
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Gotten a tatoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swan in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee


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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.

Don't Miss Tonight's Migraine Chat

Don't miss tonight's weekly migraine chat at 8 pm CST. We're using the hashtag #migrainechat. Hope to see you there!

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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.

The Attitude that Perpetuates Suffering

As I recently mentioned my therapist and I have been working with the techniques of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This theory sprang from the principles underlying mindfulness and many mindfulness meditation resources are perfectly relevant for those studying ACT. My therapist has kindly offered me many such resources to assist in my exploration, including a recording of a Dharma talk by Tara Brach. Tara is a psychologist and expert on mindfulness meditation who founded and teaches at the Insight Meditation Community in Washington DC.

I've been a subscriber to Tara's free podcast, which is available on iTunes, for a few years, but I'm dreadfully behind on actually listening to the episodes. I guess it was meant to be that my therapist gave me a copy of the episode "The Attitude that Perpetuates Suffering" to listen to last week because it's just what I needed to hear. Go to the link below and scroll down until you get to episode number 46, titled "The Attitude that Perpetuates Suffering."

Tara Brach's Podcast

Tara also has a wonderful book called Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha that I highly recommend. She's a truly beautiful spirit.


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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.

Announcing June 2010 Headache Blog Carnival

The theme of the June 2010 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival carnival will be "Food, Glorious Food: How Does Food Fit Into Your Life? As a trigger or something to avoid? A comfort? A temptation?" As always, feel free to interpret this topic however you like.

Entries are due by midnight (the end of the day) on Friday, June 11, 2010. The carnival will be published right here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, June 14, 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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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.

The Ups & Downs

I don't know if I'll ever understand why my moods can vary so much from one day to the next. Monday (yesterday) was a very positive day. We woke up in our hotel room in Dallas after a decent night's sleep, ate a leisurely complimentary breakfast and watched TV & played on the Internet until the time came for my doctor's appointment with my migraine specialist.

We spent five hours at my doctor's office going over symptoms, medications, treatments, possibilities and plans. I left feeling good about the plan we set in place for moving forward. (I need to write another post about that because there are a ton of details to share.)

We went to a mall and shopped at about three stores before I felt like collapsing, so we stopped for dinner and ice cream. I was dead tired at the end of the day, and I started to feel like I was gonna lose it. I was that kind of tired you got when you were a kid and you would crumble into a heap and bawl. I wanted to do that so bad. Instead I fell into bed and read myself to sleep.

Last night's downswing carried into today. A migraine woke me up at 4:30 am. I tried to go back to sleep a few times instead of just getting up and treating it, but I couldn't possibly stand it for another second at 6 am and finally did get up. I was so tired and antsy to get going.

We hit the road after breakfast and I felt from that point forward that my husband was in a terrible mood all day. The last thing I needed on top of my own instability. I kept asking him to try not to take his fatigue and frustration out on me, but by the time we got stuck in traffic right outside Norman, Okla., where it took us an hour and a half to travel four miles, he was fried. So you can imagine how it went over when we finally got home, showed up at the vet to pick up the pup and faced a $250 bill. It's my fault for wrapping all her exams, shots, boarding and grooming into one visit, but pets are expensive. They are also essential for my well being. The last thing I needed was to get grief from him in front of the vet staff when we were both tired and irritable.

I'm really trying hard not to put my moods on everyone else, but hell, why doesn't he hold himself to that standard? I'm the one who's been diagnosed with a mental illness here, not him. If I can work on it so can he.


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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.

Simplify Life with Migraines & Chronic Illness: Cleaning

Keeping a clean, neat home when you're living with chronic illness can be incredibly challenging. Our energy suffers as a result of our health challenges and we tend to beat ourselves up for no longer being able to do what we used to do in the household. It can be very demoralizing to realize you have to ask for help because you can no longer keep up. However, by relying on some of these short cuts and strategies for getting help, you may find it easier to keep things clean around the house despite your limits.

Using this list as a starting point, assemble the products and tools you need to be able to keep everything clean. Some items won't apply to your household and there are probably things you'll need to add, but this is a good place to start.


List of Basic Cleaning Supplies:

Dusting Supplies
Cleaning Cloths
Dust Mop or
Vacuum Cleaner Dusting Attachment
Dusting Spray and/or
Furniture Polish

Trash Supplies
Trash Cans
Trash Can Liners
Baking Soda
Recycling Bins

General Surface Supplies
All-Purpose Cleaner
Kitchen Cleaner or Wipes
Bathroom Cleaner or Wipes
Sponges
Paper Towels
Scrubbers
Gloves

Special Surface Supplies
Oven Cleaner
Stone Cleaner
Dish Soap
Automatic Dishwasher Detergent
Oven Cleaner
Stone Cleaner
Dish Soap
Wood Polish
Upholstery Spot Remover
Leather Cleaner
Laundry Soap
Laundry Stain Remover
Laundry Additives
Toilet Bowl Cleaners
Soft Scrubbing Cleaner
Air Freshener
Glass Cleaner
Bleach
Silver or Metal Polish

Floor Cleaning Supplies
Broom
Dustpan
Vacuum Cleaner
Mop
Mop Bucket
Mopping Solution
Floor Polish  

Ideas:

Practice pacing: Housekeeping is the perfect place to start practicing the concept of pacing. It is so easy to get going and completely overdo it. You must not do this to yourself. Do just a little bit every day, when possible, and stop before you're completely worn out. Set an alarm and do a 15 minute cleaning session. Stop cleaning when the 15 minutes are up and go on with other things you need to get done or rest for a while. You can read more about the concept in a post I recently shared: Pacing: An Important Tool for Coping with Chronic Illness.

Be creative: Brainstorm the challenges your symptoms present and enlist your friends and loved ones to help you come up with ways to meet them. If you have one of those super nice, but heavy as all get out vacuum cleaners and can't lift it, get something more lightweight.

Hire someone: It might not be as expensive as you think to hire someone to come clean your home every couple of weeks. If you can possibly find room in your budget, I highly recommend it.

Trade services: What are you good at? Can you trade baby sitting, house sitting, writing, web design, scrapbooking or knitting services with someone who doesn't have the same physical limitations as you do? Be as creative as you can.

Make sure you have the right tools on hand: Experts recommend microfiber cloths, Mr Clean Magic Erasers, a microfiber extendable duster and shower squeegees.

Utilize short-cut products such as paper plates, cups & bowls, disposable cleaning cloths (such as the Method wipes sold at Target), Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner and Cascade Complete All-in-1 ActionPacs.

Rely on products that do at least double or triple duty such as white vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and an all purpose cleaner

Make a weekly chore chart: Divide chores up so the chronically ill person in the household does the less physical tasks around the house.

Clean as you go: Otherwise you'll never get caught up. Start dish water as you're cooking so you can immediately wash prep dishes, utensils and pots.

Simple tips:

• Make your bed when you get up to set the tone for your day and inspire you to clean as you go all day long.

• Put a fabric softener sheet in casserole dish or slow cooker crock with hot water to soak & loosen up dried on food;

• Go through mail as soon as it comes arrives & shred or recycle anything you don't need;

• Keep a set of cleaning supplies in each room;

• Line baking sheets with foil so there's no need to scrub after baking;

• Use a lint roller to dust cloth lampshades;

• Stick to one pot recipes so you'll have fewer dishes to do.

• Line the bottom of your oven with a non-stick oven liner that can be washed in the dishwasher. 

• If you already have it on hand put a teaspoon of Tang Drink Mix in the toilet bowl. The citric acid will clean the bowl & it's nontoxic so it won't harm pets.

Put away shoes, backpacks, purses, keys, etc., as soon as you come in the house.

Make a sweep of the house to put away items from the day and throw away trash before bedtime each night.

Work on projects like filing household papers or sorting mail while you watch a favorite TV program

Be realistic about your capabilities: Don't hold yourself to the same standard you would if you weren't living with chronic illness.

If having a pristine house isn't your top priority, don't feel obligated to treat it as one. You only have so much energy, so spend a good portion of it doing what you love.


Sources:
Crazy-Busy Cleaning Shortcuts with Donna Smallin
Cleaning Shortcuts, Speed Secrets and Quick Cleanups
Basic Cleaning Supply List
30 Quick & Easy Cleaning Tips


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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.

Found: Wisp Disposable Toothbrushes

One of my favorite recent convenience finds is the Colgate Wisp Disposable Toothbrush. Ironically, they're marketed for partiers looking to hook up after a long night out on the town, almost the exact opposite of the nights many of us spend as people living with chronic pain. But they're absolutely perfect for migraineurs. The only thing worse than losing your cookies on the go is having no way to clean your mouth or freshen your breath.

These little brushes do their job without needing any water, so you can keep them in your car or purse or wherever you may need to clean your mouth in a pinch. I love that they're individually wrapped and small. You could easily use them in your child migraineur's mouth, too.

They're a great shortcut for all my chronic pals who need to pair down their routines when they're experiencing a flair. I popped a couple in my bedside table for times when I'm feeling so bad I can't bear the thought of looking around for my necessities. Yup, they're so good they've made it onto my must-haves for migraine emergencies list!

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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.

Lifeline: Celebrating Two Million

Do you know about the National Suicide Depression Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK), the national suicide hotline that helps anyone who calls find mental health resources for themselves or their loved ones? Needless to say, their work is incredibly important. As a measure of just how much impact their work has had we're celebrating the milestone of their two millionth call today. They've helped somewhere in the neighborhood of two million people/families/loved ones. Isn't that astonishing and wonderful?

Lifeline is especially important because they act as a sort of national clearinghouse for crisis calls. Anyone anywhere in the country just needs this one phone number to get help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When Lifeline gets a call they match the caller with the nearest possible resource in their network of approximately 140 crisis centers that can respond to the caller's needs. No need for an individual in crisis or someone concerned about a loved one to search around for a local phone number or wait for an office to open.

If you're on Twitter search for the hashtag #2million to find more information about Lifeline's important work and suicide prevention generally. And don't forget: 1-800-273-TALK.


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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.

Research Raises Questions About Migraine, MS

According to a recent article in USA Today, migraineurs need to watch for conditions that tend to accompany migraine disorder. Research has raised questions about so-called "fellow travelers" such as heart disease, depression, brain damage and multiple sclerosis. It's hardly gone unnoticed that many people deal with both migraines and depression, but more research into the origins of a possible connection between migraines and each of these conditions is needed. If you see these types of headlines and wonder what the deal is, just know we don't really know much of anything at this point.

Migraines Can Come with Fellow Travelers


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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.

Mini Medical Getaway

My husband and I are headed to Dallas on Sunday for a Monday afternoon appointment with my migraine specialist. I'm hoping we can work on setting out a new preventative plan to try and talk about some of my newer, rather troubling symptoms. As odd as it sounds, it's also a little bit of a getaway for my husband and I. We're spending two nights in Dallas and we're both excited about doing a road trip together. If we're lucky the weather will be nice enough for some swimming at our hotel. It's been a while since we had a weekend away together, so we're taking advantage of this time together.

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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.

Twitter Migraine Chat: Tonight's the Night

Join us tonight for the second weekly migraine chat on Twitter at 8 pm central. Some of my migrainista pals and I have started a weekly migraine chat, and I'm excited about the possibilities for support and information sharing. I wasn't able to participate last Thursday because I had a horrible migraine, so I must give a shout out to @drummerheather (War on Headaches) for keeping things going as planned for our first chat.

If you are already on Twitter we're using the hashtag #migrainechat to spread the word. If you haven't signed up for Twitter yet this is a great time to do it. Even if you don't use it for any other purpose than to join in the chat I think it will be worthwhile. My Twitter handle is @somebodyhealme, so please come follow me and I'll follow you back.

You can follow the chat by going to this link: TweetChat #migrainechat and logging in with your Twitter username and password. This filters the Twitter feed so you only get posts tagged with that hashtag.

Everyone is welcome, so spread the word far and wide. Hope to chat with you tonight or in the future. For the first few chats I thought we might keep things informal and not have a topic, but maybe we could try having topics later as we get more participants. What do you guys think about that?


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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.

Seven Years of Limits & Compromises

I spent some time this weekend looking back on when I started adjusting my lifestyle because I was having more frequent migraine attacks. I realized it started sooner than I'd ever thought. Of course there were times dating back to my childhood when I missed events because an attack came on and I had to stay home. Those were things I had no choice about. But there came a time when I increasingly started making the choice to avoid certain events and behaviors because of my increased propensity to experience attacks.

Seven years ago at this time I was finishing up my law degree and doing the whole hooding and graduation routine. Of course I attended the hooding ceremony, which is truly the most important part of honoring a doctoral or professional degree. My family and best friends came and it was wonderful. But in deciding whether to attend the all-university graduation ceremony that afternoon I declined. Not because I didn't want to participate in the ceremony and tradition (I did), but because it was a hot day and I knew my body couldn't stand up to it.

At the University of Kansas the big tradition is to walk down the hill in your cap and gown and walk through the Campanile for the first time as you head for Memorial Stadium for the graduation ceremony. It was a great day for that, unlike Sunday's gray, rainy, chilly ceremony. But I didn't go because of these blasted migraines. I don't have huge regrets about my decision. My parents agreed it was probably the best choice and were thrilled to have seen my hooding that morning. Between that and my undergraduate graduation ceremony, it was more than enough for them. It's just chilling to realize I've been making decisions about how to celebrate huge milestones in my life for an entire seven years now because of these chronic migraines. I can't complain. I'm incredibly lucky that I was able to finish my law degree and pass the bar exam before I became completely disabled. I'm grateful. It's just been a long road and I'm still learning how to walk it.

Sources:
What is a Hooding Ceremony?
Graduation Traditions Have Long History


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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.

Join the Thursday Twitter Migraine Chat

Some of my migrainista pals and I have started a weekly migraine chat on Twitter each Thursday at 8 pm central time. Everyone is welcome, so spread the word far and wide.

If you haven't signed up for Twitter yet this is a great time to do it. Even if you don't use it for any other purpose than to join in the chat I think it will be worthwhile. If you are already on Twitter we're using the hashtag #migrainechat to spread the word.

You can follow the chat by going to this link: TweetChat #migrainechat. This filters the Twitter feed so you only get posts tagged with that hashtag.

My Twitter handle is @somebodyhealme. Please spread the word! Hope to chat with you this Thursday or in the future.


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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.

Challenging Stigma: Mental Health Month Blog Party

Being open about my depression and anxiety is one way I try to challenge the stigma associated with mental health issues. I want to use this blog as a forum to say it's okay to own our mental health conditions rather than feeling as though we need to shy away in embarrassment and shame. They are what they are. We don't ask for them. We do our best to treat them. We're not dangerous or scary. I want to say look at me as an example. I'm a seemingly "normal" person, yet I fit squarely within the label of having mental health issues.

One of the worst parts of the suggestion that people with mental health issues are scary is that so many of us deal with them. Although 1 in 4 Americans experiences a mental illness in a given year, only 30 to 40% of us will seek treatment for our conditions. Stigma is a big reason for this. (As is access, which I recently addressed in this post: Impact of Health Reform on Patient Mental Health Needs).

Not only do those of us with mental health issues face a higher level of stigma than people with other types of disabilities, we also treat ourselves poorly. We tend to use that stigma as a reason to mistreat ourselves the way a misguided outsider might. While we are challenging the stigma we find in the world, we must also confront the stigma we find within ourselves. We are wonderful individuals with many gifts and positive attributes. Our mental health issues do not explain or define us. They are just one part of who we are.

Stigma keeps people from asking for help and makes people feel pathetic when they do ask for help. Make no mistake: Asking for help is an act of bravery. It takes courage to say out loud that you are struggling. Many of us are not able to do so. There is no judgment either way, but don't ever feel like a failure for letting someone know you need help.

Perhaps the most important thing I want to ask of you today is to please keep this phone number handy in case you or someone you love experiences a mental health crisis: Know the Lifeline: 1‐800‐273‐TALK. Many of us who are suffering will never reach that point in our illnesses, but as people who are working to see past stigma and judgment, we've got to be prepared to help if someone we love needs it.

If you're a Twitter user, search for the hashtags #mentalhealth and #mhm2010 to find related posts from other writers. You'll likely find a number of them today as other bloggers participate in the American Psychological Association's Mental Health Month Blog Party (@APAHelpCenter on Twitter).

Thank you for opening your minds and being willing to challenge stigma.

Sources:
Mental Illness Stigma is Fading
Tools to Reduce Stigma of Mental Illness
Anti-Stigma: Do You Know the Facts?
Mental Health Awareness & Stigma


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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.

Yoga for Pain Relief Author's @ Google Talk

This past weekend I came across the @ Google Talk video of author Kelly McGonigal talking about her new book, Yoga for Pain Relief.

McGonigal is a yoga instructor and former chronic pain patient who wrote this book to show other people living with pain how gentle yoga poses and relaxation practices can help them cope with pain.

Authors @ Google: Kelly McGonigal

The video lasts about 60 minutes and truly offers a good amount of information about this important topic. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the mind body connection. McGonigal also has some wonderful resources on her website to supplement the book that are well worth exploring: Resources for People with Pain.


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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.

Book Review: So Much for That by Lionel Shriver

I just finished reading a fascinating book that does a wonderful job of capturing not only the physical and emotional impact of living with a serious illness, but the extreme financial burden. In Lionel Shriver's book, "So Much for That: A Novel", she illustrates what it's really like. She goes into all the graphic details without shying away from situations that make the least squeamish among us cringe. Being sick is an exercise in daily demoralization. Most people never have to think about this, but reading Shriver's book will make them face it.

Even for people with good insurance a serious chronic or terminal illness can break them financially and push them into bankruptcy. It's scary, and it's a real possibility for the families in this story. Shriver does a fabulous job developing well-rounded characters and building tension. My only complaint is that the secondary story line didn't cut it for me, but that's a minor distraction from an otherwise well-written novel. I highly recommend you pick up a copy of "So Much for That".
 

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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.

We're Not Moving: When You Relocate You Take Your Problems with You

A few weeks ago I made a big announcement on this blog that my husband and I were moving to my hometown. I recently came to my senses that it was a bad idea. I had an epiphany last week when I realized we were doing exactly what I've seen other people do when one partner has mental health issues: uproot our lives thinking that changing location will fix the problems. It won't.

When I told my husband and parents I wanted to move I was just about as low into my depression as I have ever been. I was scared and tired of fighting my feelings and desperate for something to be different. They were willing to do whatever I thought I needed because they, too, are desperate for me to feel better. It never even occurred to me that things would be much different when my husband left his second job.

The truth is my husband didn't like the idea of moving at all. He was only doing it for me. He loves the town we live in, his customers and our house. He was willing to do it if it's what I need, but it's not. Things have been much better and more manageable since he left his second job. We spend almost every evening together. We talk, make dinner, go for walks with Maisy and watch TV. We're able to keep the house in better shape and maintain a closer connection.

The good news is we haven't done anything that took us past the point of no return. My parents let their renters out of their lease early to make way for us to move in, but the renters wanted to buy a house of their own anyway and were able to. Plus, my parents were going to let us more or less live there for free so they'll be getting rent money from regular tenants as soon as they find new renters. It worked out well for everyone involved.

The real issue remains that my anxiety has kept me from going out and engaging in the groups and activities that would help me better manage my depression. To work on this issue I'm going to start seeing my therapist again. We'll be using the techniques of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help me manage better and do the things I need and want to do. I'll be sharing more information about ACT and how I'm putting it to work in my life as I learn more. For now I'm reading The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living by Russ Harris in preparation for our next appointment.


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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.

New York Times Patient Voices Features Migraine Patients

The New York Times Health Guide has given six migraine sufferers an opportunity to share their stories of living with migraine disease as part of the Patient Voices series. Follow the link below to watch all six videos:

Patient Voices: Migraine

I love that they used the term migraine, as in the disease, rather than migraines with an "s". What do you think of the videos? Did you think the feature was well done? Do you think the six people chosen are a good representation of the migraine patient population? Share your thoughts in the comments.


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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.

Twitter Migraine Chat Starting Thursday

Some of my migraineur pals and I are starting a weekly migraine chat on Twitter this Thursday at 8 pm central time. We'll repeat the chat every week at that time. If you haven't signed up for Twitter yet this is a great time to do it. Even if you don't use it for any other purpose than to join in the chat I think it will be worthwhile. If you are already on Twitter we're using the hashtag #migrainechat to spread the word.

You can follow the chat by going to this link: TweetChat #migrainechat. This filters the Twitter feed so you only get posts tagged with that hashtag.

My Twitter handle is @somebodyhealme. Please spread the word! Hope to chat with you on Thursday.


Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail.

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.

Simplify Life with Migraines & Chronic Illness: Meal Planning

Planning ahead is essential for migraineurs in general, but especially where food is concerned. Between keeping an eye out for potential triggers, planning for unexpected, but certain to occur attacks, and keeping a regular eating schedule to avoid bringing on an attack, we have our work cut out for us. Not to mention the responsibility of feeding a family if you have one. This is why it is important to have a small repertoire of go to recipes and fake out options ready to put into action at a moment's notice. Meal planning and execution is equally difficult for people with any of a variety of chronic illnesses. This advice is for you, too.

Kid & Spouse Friendly Options. If you're the meal planner and cook for your family, include some options your older kids or spouse can take the lead on in your meal plan. Many husbands, mine included, love to grill. Take advantage of this by planning your meals around the grill. Pair some marinated grilled chicken with a steamed vegetable and rice or potatoes and you're good to go. Real Simple Magazine is a wonderful source of easy, family-friendly, healthy recipes that can be put together with little trouble or effort. Check their website for ideas: Real Simple Magazine. Their Fake It Don't Make It ideas are awesome.

Meal Assembly Stores are a great resource for providing yourself and your family with healthy, ready to heat meals that require very little effort on your part. Some stores ask you to come assemble your meals yourself, while others offer the option of picking up pre-assembled meals. Most of these stores are independent and set their own unique policies, so you'll want to familiarize yourself with each store and pick one that best suits your needs. Visit: Easy Meal Prep Association to find a meal assembly store in your area.

Frozen Dinners. Although they can be extremely high in sodium, there are many tasty, healthy frozen dinners available in grocery stores. There are even some brands that accommodate dietary restrictions and aim to eliminate chemicals and additives, such as Amy's Kitchen. The hardest part can be trying to pick dinners to try by looking at the packages. I recommend searching for recommendations from people who've already tried dinners and reviewed them. Visit: Heat Eat Review for reviews of many popular brands and dinners and the Amy's Kitchen website to familiarize yourself with their products.

Double Your Recipes and freeze half when you feel up to cooking. Most recipes are easily doubled, but it can become confusing to try to remember how much of each ingredient to add while you're in the process of cooking. Make it easier by writing out a list of the doubled amounts of each ingredient so you can refer to that instead of the original recipe while you're working. Eat one portion and freeze the other. Put the food in a freezer-safe, air tight container and label it with the date and name of the food. A Google search for "freezer friendly recipes" will give you an abundance of meal ideas perfect for doubling and freezing for later. The Food Network website has some great ideas: Freezer-Friendly Recipes and the Martha Stewart website offers advice: Tips for Freezing Food. 

What are your best tips, tricks and suggestions for getting a healthy, satisfying meal on the table when you're dealing with the strain of chronic illness? What do you eat? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Links in this post:

Amy's Kitchen
Easy Meal Prep Association
Food Network: Freezer-Friendly Recipes
Heat Eat Review
Martha Stewart: Tips for Freezing Food
Real Simple Magazine: Fake It Don't Make It
Real Simple Magazine


Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail.

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.

When It Seems Too Good to Be True: May 2010 Headache Blog Carnival

Welcome to the May 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 May carnival is "When it seems too good to be true."

Please keep reading for the May 2010 collection of posts.

Emily presents Occipital Stimulator Fairy Tale posted at No Extended Warranty. 

Teri Robert presents When a Migraine Treatment Seems to Good to Be True posted at My Migraine Connection. 

Annie Martin presents Oh What an Expensive Life I Lead posted at It's Time To Get Over How Fragile You Are. 

Rosalind Joffe presents Unpredictable Get the Best of You? posted at Working with Chronic Illness. 

I'd like to share a classic Somebody Heal Me post, Doctors, Failing Treatments & Guilt.

Monk Joe presents Foods for Migraine Headaches posted at Monk Me.


Ron Johnson presents Health Benefits of Magnesium posted at Health Fitness How To.  

Bernice Frankel presents 10 Incredible TED Video Lectures on Healthcare posted at The Health Express.

Diane Laine presents Everything You Need to Know About Sleep & Your Health posted at Health Nation.



Baily Hayden presents 5 Ways You Can Research Any Medicine Online (for free) posted at Masters in Clinical Research.


Submit your blog post to the June 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 "Food, Glorious Food: How Does Food Fit Into Your Life? As a trigger or something to avoid? A comfort? A temptation?" Entries are due by midnight on Friday, June 11, and the carnival will be here at Somebody Heal Me on Monday, June 14.


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


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Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail.

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.

Last Call: May 2010 Headache Blog Carnival

Submissions for the May 2010 Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival are due by midnight (the end of the day) today, Friday, May 7. Posts may be submitted through the form on the carnival website or directly to me by e-mail.

The theme is "When it seems too good to be true." As always, feel free to interpret this topic however you like. 

Have you had that feeling that a medication or treatment a doctor offered up as the perfect remedy couldn't possibly be the solution? Have you ever realized in hind sight that you so much so wanted to feel better that you allowed yourself to be talked into trying something that couldn't possibly have helped? Have you seen one of those scam-like offers online and bought the crummy product because you're willing to try anything out of desperation? As the old saying goes, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Perhaps this is more true with medicine than any other topic. If you don't have a chance to write on this topic we also welcome posts that don't fit the theme as long as they are of interest to people living with headaches & migraines.

The May carnival will be posted on Monday, May 10 right here at Somebody Heal Me.

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


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Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail.

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.