30 Things Meme

Migraine & Headache Bloggers’ 30 Things

Bloggers who have shared their 30 Things About Life With Migraine on their own blogs:

Fellow Migraine.com writers who have shared their 30 things:

Did I miss someone? Please leave a comment with the URL and I’ll add it to the list! (These are links to responses posted on other websites. If you’ve submitted your response on The Daily Headache, you can find it here.)

Chronic Migraine, Community, Coping

“Migraineur,” an Offensive Term?

Migraineur: a person who has migraine (according to Merriam-Webster)

I use the term “migraineur” regularly to refer to people who have migraine. I’ve deliberately chosen “migraineur” over “migraine sufferer” in my writing because the latter makes us sound like victims, which I refuse to identify as. I also believe suffering is a state of mind and that one can have an illness without suffering from it. As the Buddhist wisdom says, “pain is inevitable, suffering is optional” — embracing that belief has been a life-affirming, empowering shift in my attitude toward chronic migraine’s role in my life.

Now I’ve learned from Am I a Migraineur? on the fabulous blog Migraine Monologues that “migraineur” has it’s own controversy. Some people believe that calling oneself a migraineur is tying a person’s identity to migraine. I had no idea it carried that connotation and, while I understand the argument, I don’t buy into it personally.

Maybe because I don’t really use migraineur as an identifier (I rarely say “I am a migraineur,” preferring “I have chronic migraine” instead), but to refer to someone or a group of people who have migraine — such as, “…anything that helps families better comprehend the plight of migraine is a boon to all migraineurs.” For me, “migraineur” is a less wordy way to say “people with migraine,” not an identity.

Or maybe I’m so opposed to “migraine sufferer” (and am not thrilled with “migraine patient”) that I have no room left to be offended by the alternatives!

What do you think? Do you have a preference for “migraineur,” “migraine sufferer,” “migraine patient,” “person with migraine,” or some other description?

Community, Coping, Mental Health

Terrific Migraine Blog: Somebody Heal Me

Somebody Heal Me is a migraine blog that I’ve been digging. A migraine sufferer for 25+ years, Diana also struggles with depression. She writes poignant personal posts, provides regular migraine news roundups and shares links to helpful resources.

Excerpts from some of my favorite posts:

Short Cuts
“Depression has pinned me under its weight, making my household responsibilities next to impossible to meet. Laundry, dirty dishes, pet care, errands and finances all suffer from my inattention.”

Depression Should Not Lead to Dismissal
“[F]urther stigmatizing those with depression and lumping them all together under the umbrella of “danger” isn’t going to do a darned thing to keep anyone safe or get people the help they need. It will do nothing more than discourage people from seeking out help and getting the treatment they so desperately need.”

Laughter
“I love to laugh. It is probably the only part of my uber depressed personality I’ve been able to retain, and I hope I never lose it.”

For other migraine and headache blogs, see the blogroll in the left-hand column. Send me a note if you know of any that I don’t have listed.

Resources

TMJ Friends

No More Mashed Potatoes, originally focused on living with TMJ disorder, has developed into a blog for anyone with chronic illness. In So, You’ve Been Diagnosed as “Chronically Ill”, Stacy explores the overwhelming emotions — anger, denial, hopelessness, fear, guilt, confusion, grief and avoidance — that accompany a diagnosis.

Stacy’s most recent project has been transforming the website she co-founded into a non-profit resource for people with TMJ disorder. Pain Management 101, the latest resource on the site is a must-read.

It’s a great resource for anyone with a chronic illness or pain disorder. Be sure to check it out.

Reader Stories, Treatment

A Nerve Stimulatoree’s Positive Experience

My feelings about nerve stimulation has obviously changed over time and I have often wished that I wrote about the process as I went along. Mary Gustafson, a journalist in her mid-20s, has done exactly that on her blog That Headache Girl.

Mary, who is insightful and hilarious, describes the personal and technical aspects of the surgery and the device. During all this, she’s been interviewed by some TV stations that were writing about the procedure.

Be sure to check it out for another — and positive — view from a nerve stimulatoree or just for a great blog on life with headache. Here are some nerve stimulator-specific posts to get you started.

[9/21/06: Mary’s blog is not currently available.]