Thank You Migraine

At this festive time of year, many of my friends are writing “Thankful Posts” on social media. It is delightful to see everyone’s posts and read about all of the wonderful things for which they are thankful in their lives.

As a person with chronic migraine who is in constant pain, sometimes it can be hard to feel thankful. It can be hard to not feel bitter as you enter a season of eating, drinking and celebration - since most of these things can bring about even more pain and discomfort in your life.

But I try. I really try.

As a way to keep myself feeling positive and also as a sort of “therapy”, every year at Thanksgiving, I write a letter…to my Migraines.

This year I have decided to share my letter in hopes that maybe it will provide some support to others.

Dear Migraine:
I want to thank you for so many things. I know this may come as a shock to you, but in many ways you have given me a lot to be thankful for. Here are just a few…

• Thank you for forcing me to make healthy choices even when I don’t want to.
• Thank you for turning me into a vicious, outspoken advocate for my health.
• Thank you for helping me realize who my true friends are.
• Thank you for giving me the uncanny ability to know immediately whether or not a person/place/situation is worth even a second of my precious time and energy.
• Thank you for helping me see every day how truly amazing my parents are. How unbelievably supportive my husband is. How much unconditional love is in my life.
• Thank you for helping me recognize my limitations, teaching me to slow down when I need to, and accept that I cannot do everything and/or please everyone all the time. And know that’s OK.
• Thank you for making me appreciate the little things in life so much.
• Thank you for making me live in the moment.
• Thank you for helping me realize I am stronger than I ever realized, and that I am a relentless warrior who will never give up the fight to be pain-free.
• Thank you for giving me hope. Hope that things will get better. Because I refuse to ever abandon the notion that better days are ahead.

I know we are probably stuck with each other for many years to come, and hopefully one day I can stop writing these letters to you. But please know that you do not control me. You do not define me. And I look forward to the day when I can erase you from my life forever. In the meantime – you go ahead and keep causing me pain and I will keep fighting you. Because that's just what we do. And thankfully, I will always win. Because I am stronger than you.

Happy Thanksgiving
Mimi