Each year, National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is observedto educate the public and raise awareness

I've had a migraine/headache for 6 days straig...

I've had a migraine/headache for 6 days straight. Today was so bad I couldn't concentrate on what I was saying. I'm not even sure I knew WHAT I was saying because of the pain. I even mixed up two people's names and felt really dumb afterwards. Anyone got a migraine cure? 🙂 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

about invisible illnesses. One of the blogging activities this year is a “meme,” 30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know. So, here’s my meme…So that my readers can better understand who I am, maybe you also suffer and used alcohol to cope.  I felt compelled to post this:

  1. The illnesses I live with are: Migraine disease, IBS, chronic body pain, hypoglycemia and a few others.
  2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2003.
  3. But I had symptoms since: 1987 (4 years old)
  4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Keeping medication on me at all times, avoiding food and environmental triggers.
  5. Most people assume: that Migraines are “just headaches” or no big deal just deal with it.
  6. The hardest part about mornings is: waking up with pain
  7. My favorite medical TV show is: Greys anatomy
  8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my computer and my smart phone.  I track all my migraines with an app on my phone.
  9. The hardest part about nights is: occasional insomnia.
  10. Each day I take: 8-10 pills and nose spray
  11. Regarding alternative treatments I: use meditation, heat/cold therapy.
  12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: visible.
  13. Regarding working and career: I can work from home when I can’t make it to the office.
  14. People would be surprised to know: that I am in some type of pain every second of every minute of every day.
  15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: limitations.
  16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: make a difference for others with the disease.
  17. The commercials about my illness: are far and few between and inadequate.
  18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: I was diagnosed at 20 years old with migraines, but have had then since I was 4 – so not sure what I have missed other than a lot of work days.  IBS has made me change my diet. I have missed social events and work events due to overall body pain.
  19. It was really hard to have to give up: I had to give up eating, smelling or being around chocolate at all.
  20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Not much I can do while a migraine is in full swing.  But while being laid up in bed with other pain or unable to sleep – I like to blog, read, crochet, paint, cross stitch…lots of different things.  I like to play online games too once in a while.
  21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: not know what to do with myself.  better yet – who’s normal are we talking about?  All I have ever known is this pain.
  22. My illness has taught me: Not give up, that I am not alone and that the ones who love me really do care.
  23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: people thinking I can take a couple of Tylenol and “get over” a Migraine.

    Open bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol and Ext...

    Open bottles of Extra Strength Tylenol and Extra Strength Tylenol PM, pain relievers with the active ingredient acetaminophen/paracetamol. Tylenol PM (the white-and-blue tablets) also contains diphenhydramine, a sleep aid. These drugs were made by McNeil-PPC, Inc. The expiration date for the Tylenol is April 2007; the expiration date for the Tylenol PM is April 2005. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

  24. But I love it when people: actually ask questions and want to understand.
  25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is:  Can only live life on life’s terms – can only live one day at a time – Let go and let God – turn things over to a higher power, or a power greater than myself.
  26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: learn all you can about this disease, then take charge of your health, your own health care and pain management plan.
  27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: how many people come up with “cure” scams to make money from us.
  28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: my husband rubs my back and my neck for me once in a while.  He tries to keep the house quiet and dark for me.
  29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: if we’re to make progress, we must speak out and keep speaking out to educate people.
  30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: that we CAN make a difference!
Migraine Barbie has Snapped!

Migraine Barbie has Snapped! (Photo credit: Deborah Leigh (Migraine Chick))

It means a lot to me to be able to share with others the pain and the suffering that I live with every day in the hopes that maybe someone will find in it the comfort that they are not alone.  Just as with the openness that I have with the AA and AL-alanon aspects of our life, migraines and chronic pain is something I wish to be open about.  Through numbers we gain strength and hope.  Migraine sufferers have a high subside rate, its is hard to get health care professionals to understand that not all chronic pain sufferers are pill seeking.  Most of us would rather have a treatment plant than be drugged.  Those who seek only to drug themselves then live life might have started out this way, but through desperation have reached a point in which being unable to feel anything is better that feeling pain.  At least to me , if I can still feel – I am still alive.  It might be pain, it might be dark, lonely and terrifying, but I have faith that when the clouds part, I will have sunshine – even if its for a brief moment.

 

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