Migraineur and the Mall

It's been a while since I've been to the mall (mostly because I don't really have money to spend there). However, yesterday I had a crisis: my favorite pair of cheap sunglasses broke. Every migraineur knows we need sunglasses on a sunny day. My backup pair was too small.

As I walked in, I tend to always start at Macy's, I noticed some amazing outfits and handbags I'd dream to own. Them the dreaded section full of migraine triggers was I'm been me and the rest of the mall: the perfume area. I tend to hold my breath and run out without sniffing too much fragrance. I'm sure many other migraineurs agree with me. I feel awful for looking rude, but I've been stuck in that section before and ended up with a painful attack.

Another migraine trigger present at the mall: noise. Being in customer service since I was 26, I've learned how to tune out screaming children and yelling parents. However, since I'm wanting to be a parent within the next five years, I haven't been able to tune it out. So now I just try to run into a store when it starts getting loud.

Third migraine trigger in a mall: food. Mall concessions and food courts are full of food triggers like MSG, dairy, and yeast. I always tend to grab pretzel bites, which are full of yeast and MSG. Today, I got a healthy smoothie to curb my appetite. The move thing was the menu had shown which smoothies contained dairy. I thought that was amazing. At an I've cream cart, I found a daily free mango passion fruit gelato to take home for a snack tonight.

How do you avoid migraine triggers at the mall?

Back to Reality - and it SUCKS!

Well, vacation is done and over with. I had a great time visiting with family, not having a care in the world, and being free of any stressor.

Now I'm back and the woes I had when I left are still here. Did I think they would magically disappear? This week has already been challenging thanks to some body aches (weather & hormone triggers) and migraine. I had to cancel my MRI yesterday because I physically could not get out of bed. Tomorrow is my GI consult so hopefully we can do some testing in that area to see what's going on with my body not absorbing essential vitamins.

The other day, I saw a person follow me on Twitter that claimed he "cures" migraines. Sorry, but last I knew, there is no cure. Unless there's some new scientific breakthrough that the spoonie community doesn't know about, then I'm not buying it. I see so many products and even a smoothie that claims to "cure" migraine. If there was a real cure, it'd be extremely expensive, not something you could get at a drug store.

Okay I need to stop ranting. Can you tell I'm in a poor mood today? :)

This week I'm working on the format of my next writing project. It's a guide to the headache diet I keep blabbing about and I think it'll be a good resource to those who want to eat cleaner and reduce migraine dietary triggers. I'm working very hard on it and hope to have it out in print and digital (yes, I'm doing both this time) by the fall. I'm trying not to work on multiple projects at one time because that will slow down my goals. So once this one is out, I have my next one to do! I'm a busy bee but I definitely have been taking proper breaks for rest/relaxation.

Vacation is All I Ever Wanted!

Guys, I need to tell you that taking time off from work to actually relax is a blessing. So much less stress, being with family, and having less pain.

Don't get me wrong, I still have my pains. They are so much less though. My parents and sisters understand so when I need a nap, they let me go with no questions.

Yesterday we went to the zoo and I was doing fine until the end. My knees, ankles, and feet were aching. So when I got back to the house, after sleeping in the car, I took a muscle relaxer and recharged the body battery.

Today begins my ebook's free promotion! Please download it, read (it's a short one), and right me a short review to let me know what you think. All criticisms help me become a better writer for my other projects.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DOMWPKE/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_FKRC

My Mind Gets the Best of Me

Oh man sometimes when you look over your own situation, it doesn't look pretty. I did a short entry about the cost of migraines and I'm really feeling it now. I haven't even received my hospital bill or gone to Mayo yet!

Today, I'm doing my budget and things aren't panning out like they should. I'm going to start calling debtors and try to work things out before I look at other options. Sometimes when these situations happen, you just need to cry. So that's what I'm going to do: cry the frustration out.

So many questions are unanswered, yet I don't have to means to have them ALL answered. Anyone else feel that way? I make too much money to get any help, yet I don't make nearly enough to pay everybody. So what do you do? Do I accept defeat and consider moving back with the folks? Do I look at bankruptcy if everything else doesn't work? Do I just hope for the best and try to keep a roof over my head, food on the table (might be eating spaghetti noodles and sauce for a while), and a phone for contact?

So how do you decide which bills are worthy of panic? How do you decide what gets shut off and what dings your credit even more than it already is?

What's next?

Dogs are our Children

I just had a moment with my dog today that pretty much describes a toddler or young school aged child:

When I came home, with a migraine, she cuddled with me for a while then proceeded to tear up a cardboard box since I wasn't looking. This is a popular occurrence because when Mommy isn't looking, the rules don't apply right?

She'd do the potty dance (which is running around in circles by the door) and we'd go out. Sometimes she becomes a little rascal and "fake pees" just to be outside to see if there are people to jump and lick. She faked potty time twice in 20 minutes so she got to be put into time out aka her kennel.

While she was lying with me for a second time, her tummy kept making loud noises. I noticed her bowl was still full from yesterday so she was obviously hungry but refusing to eat. She just got a huge rawhide bone the other day so I could have some quiet time and she forgot to eat! I know that feeling because sometimes I forget to eat while working so much.

I kept trying to get her to eat, but she wasn't having it. So I took her bone and hid it. I told her she couldn't have it until she ate. This is equivalent with telling your child they can't have dessert until they finish their vegetables. They whine and cry, but with some coaxing, they'll eventually give in.

So I had to make a game out of eating. I would throw the food scattered on the floor and she'd suck it up like a vacuum. Then, just like when she gets treats, she sat all pretty waiting for the next round of food. Finally, after I was satisfied, she got her bone back.

Dogs are definitely good training for children, especially the hyperactive ones like boxers. I've learned so much about potty training, structure, and keeping items out of reach. Bridget constantly keeps me on my toes and life isn't boring at all.

I Wanna See The World!

Every think: what if one day I sell all my belongings and live out of a suitcase? What experiences will I have? Could I afford it? What if I have a migraine attack?

I went to El Paso a couple months ago and had some moments of "I gotta lie down." Luckily I was with my friend and she understands completely.

So if I want to travel the world out of a suitcase how could I do it? Could I take my dog? How will I pay the bills? Who would be my primary doctor?

Obviously at this time in my life I can't do that, but you never know what the future might hold. Some ways to save money while traveling are: house swapping, using sites like LivingSocial to get a deal, going with a group and pulling I'm the hotel room, and using credit card rewards.

For a spoonie, you never know when you're going to have an attack so be prepared. Keep your emergency meds with you at all times. Mine are always I'm my purse. Consult your doctor about your trip and ask their advice for what to do if something happens during your flare up. Take a friend or family member that understands your symptoms. Last, try not to stress because that'll trigger an attack on itself. Relax and enjoy your time. Be distracted by your worries and fears.

I Miss the Me I Used To Be

My doctor told me to go on 30-45 minute walks (or some kind of exercise) every day. Well, today I went on my usual trail and only got about 3/4 of a mile because for some reason, the trail was spinning. It felt like someone was shaking me while I was walking. I had to stop a couple times. This is so frustrating so I quickly took a pen to paper and wrote this poem. Hope you like it


I miss the me I used to be
the girl who danced until her feet bled
the girl who kept her promises
I miss the me I used to be

I miss the me I used to be
the girl who juggled a vibrant journey
the girl who seldom said no to anybody
I miss the me I used to be

I miss the me I used to be
the girl who accepted great challenge
the girl who always saw the silver lining
I miss the me I used to be

I miss the laughs, loves, and being free
But most of all...
I miss the me I used to be