Migraine Disease Is Not FUNny

                    
via GIPHY

Suffering from Migraine Disease will never be fun. I guess I'm stating the obvious, for anyone who is suffering with this invisible disease. I've suffered with the disease since the early '80's and it has never been fun. With this said, I have always tried to find the funny in the world.

I spend too much time in the dark confines of my bedroom. Blackout shades, no lights, no odors, no noise, and really no human contact. What does your brain do in this kind of environment? You either focus on the negative, or turn to thinking about, imagining, or questioning the world that exists outside of your cave. I choose the latter. I last had the ability to work at a professional career in 2008. Since then, I have experienced an average of 16 migraine days per month. So, when I'm in my carefully constructed migraine environment friendly cave, with an eye mask, icepack, and pillow on my head; I dream of the good 'ol days, and I think of the interesting, odd or funny things in life.

I have to do something to keep my mind distracted between the pain and sleep. I choose to analyze the world and attempt to find the funny. As I'm able, and remember, I keep notes on my phone of the strange things my brain comes up with. It can be scary, for the uninitiated and myself, to see the weird and funny things that pop into my mind. I have been a clown my whole life and I have no problem with people laughing with or at me.

When I'm down for the count, I push myself to think about things and not pain. I don't think, Why me? I think about the why's of the world. I put square pegs in round holes, solve world hunger, and cure cancer. Don't I wish. The funny is there if you allow yourself to think about it. I like to make myself and others laugh. When I'm stuck in my own head, I seek the funny. I make up jokes. They're not all great, not all laughable, or even something I can share with others. But, I try to remember the good stuff and write it down at my next opportunity.

When the "Monster" isn't on my back, I make the most of every moment. Trying to stay active is https://giphy.com/gifs/car-head-window-aBfSGPDRDSdqw
difficult at best. Between Aura, Prodrome, Migraine, and Postdrome, it can be very hard to be any kind of active. There are times when those around you up and moving and assume that your '100%. Having 16+ migraine days a month also means that you can have 3x that, while suffering the other three phases of migraine disease. Just believe me that the math works according to my limited knowledge of 'new math'. With the time that is available to me, I try to have fun.

Active days mean that my body and my brain are alert enough to participate in life, and when I do, MY PEOPLE know about it! You can hear my joy for miles! I have a bounce in my step, laugh at the stupid, joke around, and hang my head out of the car window and howl at the fresh air. Most times I'm even more gangster than that.

I've recently found stand-up comedy open mic nights. When my non-communicable disease (put smiley face here) allows me to get out of the house and there's a show, I go laugh. I laugh with others and I laugh at myself. I laugh at the absurd and the sublime. I make new friends and we laugh together, at least on the inside.

I urge my fellow migraine and invisible illness sufferers to take the opportunities they have to get out and live, when you can. Take chances. Don't be afraid or embarrassed. YOLO, You Only Live Once, so howl at the wind!

Pardon my rambling,

Migraine; You Scream, Ice Cream

It's true. Some migraine sufferers are finding relief in eating what we used to scream for as children. Ice cream, no matter what flavor, when eaten fast enough, may alleviate the head pain of a migraine.

Ice Cream headache, known as sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia (betch ya can't say that 10 times fast), means "nerve pain of the sphenopalatine ganglion" and is caused by a sudden application of a very cold substance touching the roof of your mouth or palate. It is believed to result from a nerve response causing rapid constriction and swelling of blood vessels.

Sure, it hurts, but only for a few minutes. Some find that when the brain freeze subsides, the migraine recedes as well. Why? Medical professionals are not currently sure. More and more victims of severe head pain are trying this as a remedy and finding some relief.

That's the name of the game, isn't it? Finding something that gives us relief from our migraines. Even if it only lasts a little while, its worth trying at least once.

What's your favorite flavor? Do you prefer a sorbet, or a popsicle to ice cream? Just make it cold and eat it fast. Let me know if this does or doesn't work for you. I want to know.

 

King Of Pain

Each migraine sufferer can show just cause as to why they are the king (or queen) of pain. We, the migraine sufferers, know as much about pain as those with other pain illnesses. I am not bashing other illnesses.  There are too many illnesses that cause extreme pain. Pain can vary from person to person and from attack to attack.

So, how do we measure pain in a way that takes into account each sufferers pain threshold?

This is a universal pain assessment tool that we can use to measure our pain. The scale takes into account that each individual may feel pain differently. It is accepted that each person's pain may measure differently. So this scale is a way to allow each person to adequately identify the severity of their own pain. When your doctor asks you to rate your pain, use this scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is absolutely no pain, to 10 which is the worst pain possible.

No matter what, your pain is yours alone. Each of us are the king or queen of pain in our own life.