Thank You

It’s hard to concentrate but my head won’t stop wandering. Between the throbbing pain in my head and the bright lights I’m not doing so well today. My “invisible illness” impacts everyone around me, that’s why it’s called an invisible disease. I’m not sure why but disease doesn’t sound right to me, heart disease, liver disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc. etc. I’m not dying from migraines but I suffer from them, so illness just feels more correct to me.

My illness is not one you can see, it’s not scheduled, it’s not easy to push through, it’s not what anyone wants to go through. However, millions of people just like me suffer from migraines. Some suffer only a few days a year all the way to suffering most every day, like me. I say suffer because there is no fix all, there is no cure, most of the time we don’t even know what causes it. We can only treat the symptoms which very so much from person to person. Sometimes, all you can do is get through, sometimes the medicine works, sometimes it’s doesn’t. Sometimes the medicine’s side effects weren’t worth taking. Sometimes the medicine is such the relief we needed.

I’m writing to everyone today to discuss this invisible illness and how it affects everyone around me. To my parents, who can only console me and make sure I have what I need. To all the ER visits and canceled plans. I’m thankful for your understanding and help when needed. To my boyfriend who has to live some of his life adventures without me, for his understanding in my day to day pain, for keeping the TV quiet enough for me to rest and for the concern he has for me when I need it most. Again, I’m thankful for your understanding, love and help when needed. To my friends, who I’ve canceled plans with, or just never make plans because I don’t want to make a commitment I can’t keep. Again, I’m thankful for your understanding and help when needed. To my coworkers who always pick up where I left off, for working shorthanded, for the extra time it may take me to think about something some days. Again, I’m thankful for your understanding and help when needed. To the people who come in contact with me and know nothing of my illness. I am not trying to mock you, ignore you, get out of something, or blow you off. My illness is probably the worst for your group because you may not know anything about this illness and yet it impacts you. You have no understanding of what this illness does to migrainures. You have no knowledge of what it makes us do or why we do things. This illness is a deep part of who and what people are. Migraines run our lives, and we are just along for a ride.

I can sit and talk about my pain all day, trying to help everyone understand but we have thousands of articles and testimonies already for that. This, here, today is my Thank You for Your Understanding! Thank you for just being in my life…