Weapons of a Migrainista

The constant fight that persists between my migraines and me is exhausting. But in the 7 years or so since the fight began my weapons have been sharpened and I've become more adept at using them. I am by no means an expert with them but I get a whole lot of practice. Here are some my weapons I use most frequently:

Darkness: Like so many of us with chronic migraines, light sensitivity is a big issue. I do everything I can to control the kind of light and the level of brightness of all light in the house. We've installed room darkening curtain to control the sunlight. When it comes to lamp light I make sure I have low wattage bulbs and keep them out of my direct line of vision from all the places I sit regularly. The TV and computer screens are both back-lit so adjusting their brightness levels is an easy way to make them kinder on my eyes. In addition, I've found that I need to always have another light on when using these electronics. The contrast between a dark room and the glow of the screens is too harsh and painful.

Comfortable Spot: Having a comfortable spot to rest, recoup or just ride out the worst of my pains is important. For now, this is my spot on the couch. I have a warm blanket, a soft pillow, an ottoman to stretch my legs out, and a table to hold water and pills right next to it. A comfortable spot sounds like such an obvious and simple thing but I like to think of it as my base of operations. It is from this spot that I blog, watch TV, write my grocery list, rest between household tasks and curl up when the pain gets the best of me. 

Laughs: Laughing may do nothing to actually reduce my migraines but it certainly is a great way to take my mind off the pain and all the crap that comes along with it. The remote is my ticket to many laughs. It is through this simple device which I access Family Guy, Saturday Night Live, South Park, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Arrested Development, Burning Love...etc. etc. Our remote even lets me access YouTube on our TV screen. These laughs are great during the day when I'm alone but the best laughs I have are the ones I share with my husband. 

Pet Therapy: I've said it before and I'll say it again, having a devoted furry friend to pet and snuggle with does wonders for me. My sweet little Gypsy wants nothing more than to be with me all the time. She lets me tell her all about whatever is going on. She's always ready to snuggle and hang out. She gets me out of the house and walking regularly. She is so loyal and so loving. I truly feel lucky to have her by my side through all of this.