Migraines and My Loving Wife and Caregiver!!

I get very emotional and cry for those who suffer with migraines throughout their lives, ones who suffer every single day, and I cry with joy for those who have endured migraines and then were completely healed--it is something to be very happy about if our pain is ever completely gone!

I have endured migraines since I was 3 years old--I will be 48 this September. It looks like the cause of my migraines are related to a cerebral AVM that I was diagnosed with in 2005. I have seen several neurosurgeons, and I will seek medical testing again in the next few months--there are only three options for treating the AVM, and they are all invasive. At this time, I am not seeking this type of treatment.

As many of you can relate to, I deal with many symptoms along with the intense head pain, such as, intense nausea and vomiting, dizziness, achiness, cold spells, shaky legs, blurred vision and extreme tiredness due to losing about 4-5 hours of sleep with each migraine--I have suffered with 5+ migraines every week for the past four years.

I am so very thankful that my wife is truly loving and shows a very rare level of compassion--I did not want her to have to take care of my needs at my age, but she has always been willing--isn't that what a committed marriage and loving couple should be willing to do for each other? We all should, but many of us have difficulty finding that special person--a friend, family member, or spouse--we all need that level of care when we are experiencing this type of pain--it is a true disease, just as diabetes is, or cardiovascular disease, or mental health issues--it is no less severe!!

My wife has a pure and understanding mindset, and she does not question the pain or the symptoms along with it, but she asks what she can do, and she does it, and she continues to do it. We have cried together over how it affects our lives together, and how we function with others--we do have a loving family and group of friends, but even many of them have denied my pain, and some have even said it was psychosomatic--that really digs deep and is unfair to anyone that suffers pain!

I want to encourage everyone that suffers with pain that there are wonderful and loving people that will want to care for you and be involved in your life--even if you have had many bad experiences where people have not believed that you had the level of pain that you said, or are blatantly negligent of your needs. There are always those people who will truly respect and love you, and realize that it is not the disease that defines who you are--BUT--you do need understanding and the willingness to help you in whatever way they can.

There is nothing more encouraging and inspiring than to have a loving person in your life, and to take care of you as your needs increase. My migraines have not lessened in frequency or severity, but my wife has not turned away from the pain that I suffer, but she has endured the pain right there with me -despite the fact that she works over 40 hours per week and takes care of the daily chores in our home.

We pray that all of you seek the love of your family and friends, and hope that you gain encouragement in dealing with migraines, which will only help with the physical and psychological effects of this dreaded disease.