The Migraine Girl

05/10/2021

An oldie but goodie (& an idea I still think about nearly every time I have an episode).

Desperate treatments that sometimes seem like they just might work.

27/02/2021

New, quick video is up on migraine.com!

Is there a pattern here?

09/06/2020

I didn’t write this piece, but I can certainly identify with it. And the image is like a punch to the gut: the artist did an excellent job depicting the isolation of chronic migraine.

Feelings of isolation can often accompany chronic migraine. Even when friends and family understand, the true impact of migraine can make people feel alone.

23/04/2020

Completely Unofficial, Made-Up Migraine Types: The Kidnapper

21/04/2020

Waiting for the next migraine attack can make pain free days a challenge to enjoy. Janet shares shares how to cope with a missing migraine.

18/04/2020

During a migraine attack, some people experience difficulty talking and concentrating. One woman shares how she copes with this migraine symptom at work.

15/10/2019

Hi, y’all! I haven’t posted in a bit. I’m happy to say it’s because I’ve been busy and not because I’ve been feeling ill. This month (so far) I’ve been zipping around Georgia, working at , attending ATL Pride on my sister’s birthday (see photo), spending time with out-of-town visitors, hanging out with my mama, reading a lot, and taking long walks. Haven’t done much writing, but I have been thinking and incubating: key parts of the creative process. How are you? What’s new?

29/09/2019

Just got back from one of the most meaningful, touching, and affirming events I’ve ever been to. I’m deeply honored to be in the Milton HS Hall of Fame; it was a singular pleasure to look into the crowd and see so many teachers who changed my life. Thanks to my sister and all the friends who came to the events. Now I nap. @ Milton High School

26/09/2019

Alert! Alert! I went to the salon and tried something new while getting my hair washed (a common trigger for me). My massage therapist wondered if maybe I was keeping my neck and shoulders tense while trying to hold my head up [just enough so that it didn’t make full contact with the shampoo sink], and that ongoing tension was partly what was triggering me. She recommended I just lie back and focus on completely relaxing my neck and back. And guess what? No, it wasn’t 100% comfortable. But it was significantly more relaxing, and I didn’t get a migraine attack or even a tension headache. My hair stylists commented on how much more still and non-fidgety I was. Fingers crossed it works again next time!

19/09/2019

Cubbie is just like me: ready to snuggle and cuddle at any given moment. You?

17/09/2019

Views from my hotel bedroom on Monday morning in Spartanburg, SC, photographed a few seconds apart but with different light settings. The last day of my brain-, heart-, and soul-enriching bookseller conference was lovely. Now I must recalibrate and get back into normal* workload while trying to remember to give my body rest after putting it through the ringer for days. I love conferences, but the schedule can be grueling, especially now that I’m more advanced in my career and have more official tasks to accomplish when I travel. My sleep schedule gets screwy and I drink more alcohol than usual in the evenings during mixers and while connecting with colleagues. I operate on little sleep and then overdo the daytime caffeine to combat my tiredness. I get minimal downtime and, despite my being an extrovert, I find I need to sequester myself for a bit^ post-trip to attain better mental and physical health.
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*whatever that is
^with my cats, of course

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11/09/2019

This gray tabby cat is my best little companion. I love how he and his brother like to be right next to me most of the time, even if it means holding hands/paws while I work on stuff. @ Normaltown, Athens