Posted on by MyBeautifulMigraine

A Mama’s Greatest Christmas gift

Tonight, as I lay my head down (and listen to Marc’s soft snore); the chicks are ALL in the NEST: Corey, Nick & Iris, Robyn & Liam… and Ken & Courtney (just 30 min away in Austin Town) will be here with the babies Christmas day.
TRULY, this is THIS mama’s MOST wished-for Christmas gift  I can’t yet sleep; I am SO HAPPY and my heart is SO FULL.
Memories flood my mind of the years and years of God’s privilege of raising such remarkable humans with my amazing partner and the best father in the world: infancy, toddlerhood, school age, the teen years, and finally, college time… We did it together – teammates always.
As they grow and soar, these moments of all-together-ness become more and more rare. There are SO many ot them: FOUR! And I was prepared for this time (but we are never, REALLY prepared)… it is my greatest wish and privilege to see them become independent and break ceilings, find partners to love and who love them… I am the proudest of mamas.
If they allow me to snap a great FAMILY PHOTO on our steps again this year, I’ll be over the moon and Christmas cards can go out!
They are HERE; they are HOME… everything else is just confetti.

Posted on by MyBeautifulMigraine

Merry Christmas, Migraine

Slowly emerging from sleep. Christmas morning is here. Some migraines still shock me, and this is one. I have taken medicine, and I’ve placed ice all over my head and neck.

Analyzing the migraine that is Christmas morning… it’s like an irate parasite climbing up the left of my spinal cord, into the very center of my brain… reaching out through my right temple and left occipital.

This Christmas migraine is colors and sparks and electricity and fire. And my neck is so tender and sore from the weight of my enraged brain.

This is an all-body experience… Every part of my body is aching, wounded, and in pain.

Dear Christmas Migraine, please release me.

8:00-10:00 AM, but I still have hope I can turn this holiday with family into something worthy of celebrating.
Posted on by MyBeautifulMigraine

The Fourth of July – a Migraine Success Story

Every single year… it never fails: major migraine for Independence Day. I don’t know if it’s the heat or allergies, or whatever… a massive migraine for the holiday.

I usually push through until I can’t anymore. For instance, I’ll make it to the family party, but stay home while the rest of the family joins in neighborhood fireworks.

It works. It’s disappointing, but it works. Because my family has a good time while I work with my dumb head.

This was one particularly terrible Fourth of July migraine in ~2014. I was clinging to my Marc at the holiday pool party. My migraine was so severe, I was was firework-ing in my brain and nauseated beyond belief.

So it was a great surprise that this Fourth, I woke without horrendous head pain!

Marc and I leisurely got ready to attend a neighborhood celebration. We were so looking forward to seeing and celebrating with dear friends.

As the hours passed, I continued to marvel at the state of my low/no migraine. Where was she hiding?

We arrived at the celebration at about 4. And still was nearly migraine-free. We so enjoyed the party; I only had 2 glasses of wine – because I wanted to play it safe! And I had so much fun connecting with and enjoying sharing with friends!

I am so blessed with amazing neighbor friends who understand my health issues – and they seem to like me anyway! How do I know this? Because they continue to invite us to their parties – even though I sometimes can not attend due to migraine.

We stayed a few hours and got home in time to enjoy the neighborhood fireworks from our back porch.

And there is was! A true WIN! And we went to sleep after a very, very nice holiday! #winning and #grateful!