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On the Forum: Getting Deep, Restorative Sleep

Getting sufficient high-quality sleep can be a huge challenge. On the online support group and forum, grateful describes some common sleep problems and asks for input on ensuring a good night’s rest. What are your techniques? Join the conversation to get ideas and share what works for you.

Worst Sounds to Phonophobic Ears

Metal curtain rings sliding across the metal shower rod is the absolute worst sound when a migraine makes my ears ultra-sensitive to sound. My fingers clattering on the keyboard is pretty unpleasant, too.
What sounds make your ears cringe and head scream?

Mindfulness & Meditation: An Introduction

Finally! Here’s an explanation of mindfulness meditation and the practice of mindfulness in general. The post is long but worth sticking with. (I think so at least!)
Mindfulness = Paying Attention
Mindfulness is captured by simple terms:

Paying attention
Being, not doing
Present moment awareness
Being “here”

Easy ideas, complicated concepts. The ubiquity of multitasking is an excellent example of the challenges. [...]

Update on My Dad

My dad has been back in the hospital since Monday. His cardiologist sent him in after his blood tests indicated kidney failure. We were thrilled to learn the problem is instead a blockage and a cyst on his left kidney. However, his symptoms are mimicking that of kidney failure, including more fluid around his [...]

April Headache Blog Carnival Posted

The April Headache & Migraine Blog Carnival is now up! This month’s carnival focuses on basic coping strategies for living with headache and migraine. I enjoyed reading the great posts and learning about some blogs I’d never heard of:

Fighting the Good Fight at My Life with Migraine
Coping with Migraine and Chronic Pain at Down the [...]

MyMigraineConnection’s Poetry Contest Winners

Congratulations to the winners of MyMigraineConnection’s Putting Our Heads Together poetry contest!

First Place: Massive Migraine by mopar496

Second Place: Car-jacked by Roey

Third Place: Perpetually Now by MaxJerz

Fourth Place: The Keeper by desrivgir

Honorable Mention:

My Ghostly Shadow by SEG
A Rare Day by cdelavarre
Pain Inside My Head by thedoglady
The Thorn by Brynnwriter
The Stranger’s Eyes by Roey
Be sure to [...]

Stress, Complaining & Coping (or Trying to Keep My Life Together)

I got home a week ago and have been doing poorly since Saturday. I felt great (compared to usual) when I was in Phoenix but, true to my away-from-home pattern, crashed when I returned home.
Meditating was a fantastic tool when I was in Phoenix. When I felt nausea or a meltdown coming on, I’d meditate [...]

An Update on My Dad & How I’m Doing

My dad came home from the hospital Friday and is doing well. He’s having trouble with atrial fibrillation, which shortens his breath and tires him out. This morning my mom went with him to see his cardiologist and came home with new medications. He’ll take them for a couple weeks then have a follow-up appointment.
My sister arrived Saturday and [...]

Where’s Kerrie?

In Phoenix! My dad is in the hospital with pericarditis and had a liter of fluid drained from his heart sac. I’m here spending time with him and helping my mom. My sister comes in Saturday and I’m looking forward to the four of us being together.
Thankfully, my head pain has been low this week. [...]

Hyperthyroidism. . . Or Not

The endocrinologist called with results for the thyroid and metabolic blood tests I had done. Everything looked great. I honestly can’t tell you how many different internists and specialists I’ve seen over the years. I do know that my tests always show that I’m on the good side of a normal range.
I made the [...]