Migraines

Migraines are the bane of my existence at this moment.  They rob me of so much...the ability to work out, the ability to run and play with my daughter...the ability to function properly.  

I often wonder, when seeing an advertisement for migraine remedies, why do the models look like this...
Source

Or this...
Source

And this...
Source  
Seriously folks, I don't look like any of these lovely ladies on a GOOD migraine-free day, so why on earth would we depict a migraine like this?  It looks somewhat glamorous.  It looks less than painful...more of an irritation or annoyance.  Anyone who suffers any kind of headaches/migraines/tension headaches/cluster headaches/sinus headaches knows that a migraine looks more like this...
Source
 And this...
Source  
I swear the next time I'm writhing in excruciating pain, I'm going to have Brandon snap a few photos so that people can see what a migraine really looks like.

I find it extremely disheartening that the medical community doesn't seem to care.  There aren't any "find a cure for migraine" bracelets or 5ks or fundraisers that I know of.  If there are any, they aren't very well known.  I understand the importance of curing terminal illnesses, such as cancer and AIDS, but I have to ask: what about quality of life?  When you are in so much pain (not exaggerating, like some people think...migraine sufferers are the toughest people I've ever met) that dying seems to be an acceptable option, how rich is your quality of life?  And speaking of terminal illnesses, did you know a study shows that 1 in 5 cancer survivors experience chronic pain, sometimes lasting an indefinite amount of time?  Pain also leads to extreme depression in many, due to the lack of understanding, support, and the things it robs people of (social experiences, relationships, work success, etc.)

Pain is a problem our healthcare system fails at solving.  I say this boldly because I've experienced such medial atrocities in my 15 years of suffering, it isn't excusable.  When are we going to wake up and stop treating people with REAL physical problems that cause unbearable pain like suffering humans instead of mental cases?  When will we get it right?

Comments

  1. Stephanie PearlAugust 2, 2011 at 3:03 PM

    The second picture (of the one's of your choosing) is exactly how my migraines feel. Brilliant illustation, terrible reality. I have thankfully not had one for over a year, but still have no idea what was causing them when I did. Are you on any birth control? I think that hormones were my trigger for sure. I feel your pain girl, and think you hit the nail on the head (pun intended).

    ReplyDelete
  2. AmberAugust 2, 2011 at 6:24 PM

    Thanks Steph! I am not on any BC (I got pregnant on BC last time...haha). Sometimes hormones can be a trigger, but a lot of times there is no "real" trigger. My doc prescribed me a medication that should help. I just hate taking meds, but when all the natural alternatives don't work, there's little choice if I want to function. Thanks for commenting...I love keeping up with your blog as well. <3

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Babies

I want another baby someday, but I'm afraid. Truly.  I so very much want to have another sweet little one, another pregnancy (for all its ups and downs), and I want A to be a big sister. But I'm afraid.  I am afraid of those moments when I feel like I've gone "'round the bend" as Alice would say (we've been watching the Tim Burton version daily, sometimes more than once).  The things I've been through paralyze me with fear of having another--the stresses, the worries and sleeplessness, the anxiety and classic post-partum OCD thoughts... Those things made me feel, and still do at times, like a failure of a mother. But you know what?  I am a good mom.  I might even venture out there to say I'm a great mom.  There are certainly things I'd do differently and areas I still want to work on presently, but I feel like someday, when Ayes is all grown up, she will look back and know I did the best I could for her.  I hope that she will feel tha
Read more

"The great joy in life is doing what people say you cannot do."

Wednesday.  Happy hump day!  My day has been rather uneventful, though my frustrations about teachers in my county not getting a pay raise or level of experience "step" and the public's negative reaction to teachers in general (i.e. "Get over it teachers, enjoy your paid summers off"--which by the way are not paid!!) has me hot under the collar.  But I'm not going to expand on that. My sweet little Ayla is a hitting, kicking, mean-machine.  I arrive to pick her up.  Slap hello.  Buckle her in the car seat and lean in for a kiss.  Slap.  Take her to the park for a half hour and amazingly do NOT get smacked.  Arrive home to get her a snack and milk.  Slap me, slap my laptop.  Time out number one.  Sorry, hugs, kisses.  Two seconds later, she is swinging a book at me.  Time out number two.  Make Brandon talk to her.   The frustration level I have with her over these behaviors is boiling.  Last night, she hit my mom's dog (Molly, who Brandon and I rescue
Read more

San Pellegrino, Juicy Juice, and Gerber--oh my!

Image
Our family has recently marked the beginning of our journey participating in the Nestlé boycott .  I won't re-write the posts that have inspired me with information, but I will cover some highlights.  For the entire article, please visit PhD in Parenting here .  Author Annie pointed out the following issues with Nestlé and their practices: Controlling and abusing water sources Purchasing from suppliers who utilize child slaves Anti-union/anti-collective bargaining behavior Advertising formula in a harmful and misleading way (especially in emerging countries where clean water isn't available, see video below explained by brilliant mom blogger Jessica Gottlieb .  Yes, she's in her pajamas.  Mom bloggers rule!) Now, I will be the first to admit that this information isn't brand new to me.  I read some of facts above a few months ago, and I decided it was a battle I wasn't going to fight. Then the information was in my face again, and this time, I couldn't
Read more