Near Cross Creek, FL (c)2010

Absolutely and of course I am grateful for my family, my husband and children, my birth-extended family, and my husband’s family. Without all the family love and support I am so fortunate to have, I cannot begin to imagine how different my life would be. Then there are friends, those who have touched my life briefly and those who have stayed a lifetime, for which I am thankful.

My daughters took a happiness course in college, and one of the ways to feel happier is to keep a gratefulness journal, each day recording five things you are grateful for. This I did for a brief time on paper, and I still try to make mental note of at least one thing I’m grateful for every day.

But here I want to focus on targets of gratitude in my migraine life:

1) Finally after my 40-year war with migraine, we are seeing the kind of research and studies that have been so desperately needed for so long! And two different migraine-related genes have now been identified, confirming that it is a genetic disease. These are phenomenal developments for people with migraine worldwide.

2) A wonderfully helpful and supportive migraine community is flourishing online with migraine and headache organizations such as the Migraine Research Foundation, the National Headache Society and ACHE, and the National Headache Foundation. Lots of bloggers and health sites like Health Central and WEGO Health provide information and platforms for discussion and support.

3) The fact that I published Migraine Expressions, a longtime dream.

4) And that I made so many fabulous friends and connections in the migraine, headache, and epilepsy communities, mostly via my work on the book, and in the process have loved the literature, poetry, art, photography and even music that has presented itself.

5) Activist groups such as the AHDA and other organizations are beginning to have a serious impact in migraine education, awareness and with members of Congress and the NIH, which can only be beneficial for all.

All of these things I am grateful for, and I hope that progress will continue to be made relatively quickly.

Fred Freitag, D.O., once said to me that he misses in all the migraine expressions any mention of “the benefits that come from having migraine. What was it about the genes that led to migraine providing a role in the selection of mankind as we know it today? [I think an example of this is the theory that early on people with excitable brains were more alert and could warn others of danger.]  Consider the many marvelous traits associated with migraineurs, overall their positive traits far outweigh their negatives. It is matter of harnessing that ‘goodness,’ if you will, to make it work for one rather letting it work against one.”

I think of that — and my wonderful family and friends — whenever I wonder what I might have done or accomplished had I not had migraine disease, then I reflect on what I have and what I have done and enjoyed in my life.

And then I am very grateful, indeed.

Fall in Boston

A shout out to all migraine and pain bloggers, readers and activists: here are a few easy and meaningful activities this month!

Today, 9/8, is International Literacy Day; check it out, be aware of literacy status worldwide… and read to someone or help someone learn to read!

It’s Migraine Awareness Week in the UK, and Teri Robert reminds us why it matters! You can always help raise awareness.

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day; Nancy Harris Bonk discusses and Diana Lee displays the National Suicide Depression Hotline. What can you do?

Invisible Illness Week this year is 9/13 – 9/19 and everyone can get on board with this one! Each One can Reach One. And you can. Lots of great ideas here, and my favorite is to leave little notes wherever you can letting people know that if they are in pain, they are not alone. How cool is that?

The whole month of September is American Pain Foundation’s Virtual March on Washington for Better Pain Management. Ellen S describes the event and provides the link for you to join the effort and add your voice!

The Migraine and Research Foundation can always put donations of any size to good use, and even if you can’t donate right now, you can access great resources on the MRF site!

These are quick and easy things to do during a busy September, so pick something you can do — and DO IT!

Vicki sent a book to Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, and I sent a copy to each of my senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. Seven books are on their way to Congress now!

AND for every book sold in this effort, we will donate $1 to the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy. You can make a dual impact with your purchase.

Anyone can purchase a book for Congress to promote awareness and migraine research here: http://www.wordmetropress.com/congress.html. Simply make a note in the PayPal purchase form which Senator or Representative you would like to receive your book.

Members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, which oversees the National Institutes of Health are listed, and members of the Health Committees are indicated with an asterisk. So you can target a committee member or Congress person of your choice.

I’ll display recipients’ names or districts in blue as they’re chosen so we don’t duplicate efforts.

Along with your book we’ll send a letter (See Congress letter page) with your name, address and purpose or if you wish to write your own letter and e-mail it to me, I can include that.

The Momentum for Migraine is building! More articles appear in the media as more public people speak up as migraineurs. Cindy McCain has entered the fray as a migraine advocate, and as Teri Robert has mentioned, the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA) is planning another Headache on the Hill event.

It’s a great time to help Congress understand how much migraine has been neglected and how much attention and funding it needs.

Thank you so much for all you do for migraine understanding and advocacy!

MIGRAINE, anytime, urgent: Contact your senators and urge them to sponsor S 660, the National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009,  to improve  “research, education, training, access, outreach and care” for all painful conditions, including migraine. It’s fast and easy to send an e-mail to your senators through the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy.

Tuesday, April 21, watch “Frontline” on PBS (tonight, 9-11 pm.? check your local times): “Poisoned Waters.” If you miss it on television, you can watch it online later!

Wednesday, April 22, Earth Day (and my daughters’ birthdays!):  A world full of possible events and activities – the Sierra Club’s list of suggestions.

My favorite: We bought a tree via the NRDC’s Revive a Rainforest campaign in the name of each of our daughters to be planted in a Costa Rican rain forest. At $10 a tree it’s a reasonably priced and invaluable gift for all of us and our environment!

**Update on my April 17 post about Michelle Obama’s garden — did you see Stephen Colbert’s take on the story last night on The Colbert Report? Awesome.

HAPPY AND HEALTHY EARTH DAY!

The White House garden planting, 4/9/09

Michelle, Michelle, our country’s belle,
How does your garden grow?
No pesticides, no herbicides,
Just healthy children in a row!

If you’ve missed the buzz (and I’m not referring to the healthy sound of insects) over the First Lady’s organic garden, there are still plenty of places to catch up and a petition to sign if you’d like to support organic.

The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA), wasn’t too pleased that the White House garden would be organic; and in fact, two representatives of the association who “shuddered at the thought” wrote the First Lady a letter, published and discussed here on La Vida Locavore, encouraging her to consider using “crop protection products.”

You can read a perspective from the agricultural industry and call to action for MACA members here.

My mother has fun telling about the ‘crop protection method’ used in their Michigan farm garden while she was growing up. SHE pulled the weeds and hand-picked fat, juicy bugs from the plants. We had fun doing that with our children in our gardens, too, although I’m sure they picked (and ate) more fresh garden goodies than bugs off those plants every time!

If you didn’t participate last month, you can always be an advocate for migraine and headache disorder research and understanding. You can send e-mails to your representatives at any time and ask them to help increase awareness and research funding for migraine disease and all headache disorders.

Let’s have some real cheese action with our w(h)ine!

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