Migraine

Hi all -

I'm not sure if this is a success story, but I just wanted to express my gratitude here. Being in this ongoing conversation with all of you is really growing me up. (I'll be 49 in 2 1/2 weeks - maybe there's hope I'll be a grown-up some day!)

What I mean is - it is helping me with acceptance, with choosing my battles and knowing when to fight for something, instead of always fighting against something. I wrote about this on my blog yesterday, take a look if you like. But here's the thing - when I am practicing acceptance, instead of fighting against what I know I need to do, I can take more joy in life. I've had a worse migraine month than usual since joining the forum, but way less anxiety about it. Actually, it's been productive and pretty serene. I guess that's a success story after all.

So my heartfelt thanks - to Teri for all your work and making it happen, and to all my fellow migraineurs who keep it, and each other, and me, going! Love you!

- Megs

Certainly sounds like a success story to me. Congratulations! Some of our successes are medical, and some are matters of personal growth. The personal growth is at least as important to real healing.

We love you right back!

Yeah, I'd say that's definitely a success story.

I agree, a major success and growth.

Although, who really wants to really "grow up" LOL

Awww, that's so great! Yes, acceptance is a key tool in my box. "It is what it is" is one of my favorite mottos. Actually a friend says something really cool that your post reminded me of.

"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional."

Cause you said the migraines (pain) were worse but your anxiety (suffering) is less. Congratulations and happy "emotional maturity" birthday!! Here's some cake:



Love you right back. Group hug:

Like LauraSue said - "it is what it is". That's become my new motto at work whenever a coworker expresses the "how do you deal with being in pain every day?" It is what it is.

I commented on your blog entry too, but I wanted to add here that this forum has helped me in much the same way it's helped you. It took me a long time to be able to call migraine a disease. I'm still working on accepting the limits of this illness. This forum has done so much for my emotional well being, and I honestly can't remember how I got by without it. (I think denial was a big part of it.)

I'm very happy to see that this family has helped you, too.

Thanks guys, and aw shucks! I guess I wanted to add that some lessons need to be learned over again, and this has been one of them, but I think it keeps getting to new levels. You know, one of the amazing things about personal growth is that there's always another layer to the onion (thanks Shrek) and always more west to go (easy for an east-coaster to say!) And I fully plan to go on growing (up, not out) until I die.

- Megs

You're very wise to realize that you're changing.

That's what I liked about the 40's! My 30s were hard. That's when my head got out of control and I had to quit working and go in the hospital for depression and other hard things. But my 40s were great! Had to deal with a teenager, but he finally grew out of it. I grew into liking myself, all 245 pounds of me (now down to 173!).

50s are even better! I'll be 51 in a couple of weeks, and I already like it. DS has gone off to college, and it's nice for it to be just DH, the dog, and me.

Here's to middle age! At 47 or 48, I had to acknowledge that I wasn't in my late 20s anymore.

Gretchen in Mississippi