There are several particularly horrible experiences in my time with chronic migraine that stand out vividly in my memory. Instead of pushing them down and trying to hide them away, I hold on tightly as a reminder of my incredible strength and fortitude. Read about those memories and the lessons they have taught me in Migraine Strength on Migraine.com, in which I say to all migraineurs currently in a place of despair,
…[P]lease believe that you are enormously brave for hanging in there. You are not weak because you are sick, but are instead stronger and more courageous than you can possibly imagine. Keep waking up each day and continue to try new treatments. You will eventually find relief.
The worst advice and best advice I ever received, repeatedly, is to learn to live with pain. I rejected this completely at first and have slowly come to walk a tight rope. Accepting pain and living with it is extraordinarily difficult but it frees me from the fruitless search for improvement from external sources.
So much time, money, and added suffering chasing one useless intervention after another.
Now it takes a lot of research and consideration about how an intervention may fit ME in order for me to even raise an eyebrow.
I think the greatest statement in this department relates to what we accomplish despite the pain. As I have slowly revealed my condition to others, some close colleagues and friends have said “I had a really bad headache the other day and I just cannot imagine how you do what you do.” That fortifies me. And they really recognize that a “bad headache” is not the same thing as what I deal with.
To Kerrie’s post about epic bad experiences, I have some pretty awesome #fails around 8/10. Should not be around other people yet I persist. With some really hilariously bad results.
To me, have a daily headache / migraine is like sailing the ocean. Some days are filled with light and ease. Some days are stormy and I think I might die. On all days, my only choice is to stay on the damn boat. Will I get to land someday and be greeted with necklaces of flowers? I highly doubt it, but that would be awesome. So I look through my spyglass in search of land.
That’s beautiful, Juli. Thanks for sharing.
Take care,
Kerrie