Dealing with Chronic Migraines/New Year's Resolution

I'm sure if you've known me well at all, you know I've dealt with chronic migraines for the past five years of my life. While it's happened, it hasn't seemed like a long period of time, but it's almost been a quarter of my life! For a couple years, we put them off, much as we disregard any medical happenings in my family. Finally, though, they were getting so frequent (4-5 times per week) that we had to do something.

Fast forward to CAT scans, multiple neurologist appointments, medications, natural remedies, and anything else you can think of, and we are still trying to find a cure. As of now, we are leaning towards the assumption that they are more than likely stress-induced and I think I am generally a stressful person when it comes to anything (i.e., I get stressed trying to find change in my wallet when someone is waiting behind me in line). I actually went to the chiropractor for the first time the other week for my migraines and he asked if I had a migraine when he felt my neck. I said I didn't, and he seemed surprised at the answer. Apparently my neck was full of pressure points that typically pointed to stress migraines, and if this was the condition they were in when I was relaxed, it was no surprise I so frequently got them.

However, whether you have migraines and are stumbling on this and it helps you or you don't get them, I hope this can provide many stress-relieving tips I have acquired over the years that sometimes relax me.

1. Head wrap
    Me and my mom bought this on a whim one day at Ross when we thought my headaches were related to my sinuses. It's an "Anti-Stress Microwaveable Sinus Pillow", according to the box and website. You can warm it up to put it on your forehead or put it in the freezer to put it over your eyes depending on how you like it. Normally I keep it cold and wrap it around my eyes and fall asleep with it like that, waking up with it plastered to my eyes. I've seen this at places like Kohl's, Ross, and I'm sure any other retail stores like that carry it. It's my first choice when I'm feeling stressed because it provides complete darkness over my eyes, pressure around my head to relieve a little, and some coolness to add another layer of relaxation. It almost always works!

    

   (source: http://www.earththerapeutics.net/prodinfo.asp?number=9178)

2. Sound Machines
    Usually if I go to sleep I'm able to get rid of my headache because my body is able to relax. However, I'm sure everyone has those nights when their minds seem to flip on and remind them of that one time when that guy in class looked at them from across the room and maybe they should keep their gaze slightly longer than usual because maybe they'll get married someday. Okay...maybe not everyone has those thoughts, but you get my drift! So sometimes when I focus on repetitive sounds, my mind kind of gets lulled into sleep.
    The past couple years I have started to use sound machines. I just use apps on my phone that I set to turn off after an hour, but you can surely invest in a cheap, $20 sound machine available at almost any retail store. The apps I use are: Sleep Pillow Sounds by Clear Sky Apps and Sleep Bug by Arnt-Henning Moberg (pictures below). They work great, are free, and have a variety of sounds for anyone. If you like actual sound machines and not just apps, my sister actually uses one by Homedics.

3. Playlists

    My escape is almost always music accompanied by a good book, so I always have a few playlists for whatever mood I happen to be in, including for varying headaches. For me, I usually have some classical (which includes most of the Pride & Prejudice 2005 movie score), along with some more mellow music with lyrics, too. I'm not going to tell you what music to listen to in order to make you less stressed because you know yourself better than anyone, but probably some of the more soothing music in your mix is better!

4. Baths

    I guess I'm European, too, in the way that I like baths almost weekly. I wish I could take the time to get to them that often, but they are a luxury, and usually one of my last resorts to curing my headache before crashing in my bed. I try to have a bath fizzy or something to make it that much more relaxing, too! If you have never really been a bath person, I challenge you to try grabbing a cup of whatever hot drink you like and giving it a go...you will enjoy it! 

5. Letting the little things go

    Next time that person cuts you off on the freeway or someone has that little tick that gets to you...don't dwell on it, don't let it get you mad. When I consciously made the decision to not get stressed at things like being a little late, being frustrated when I do something wrong and instead laughing at the situation, or getting angry at other people over what I can't control, I became a lot more relaxed. To some people, it probably gets really annoying because it takes a lot to get me mad, but it works for me!

(source: tumblr.com)

I guess that's what my New Year's resolution is, too. I've never really had one, but I thought with so much in my life changing, I think it would be good to try. So, for 2013, I am going to try to be less stressed, which will hopefully lead to my other goals, but I guess that is the prevailing one that will lead to the others. 

I hope this helps anyone with migraines or anyone just looking to be less stressed. Please if you have migraines, feel free to ask questions; I know a lot from these years of battling them. Don't just put them off, because they could be more serious than you think. 

I would love to know what everyone else's New Year's resolutions are! See you in the new year! 

Alexis

"You Need Me, I Don't Need You"

A lot has been running through my mind these past few weeks, even months, really. I think that's why I've been slacking on my blog recently. I have a whole list of things I want to cover, this post's topic being one of the last on my list. But as I sat in my room at home (finally on winter break!), listening to Ed Sheeran and just thinking, I decided to give this post the priority it deserves.

As cheesy as it sounds, Ed Sheeran was one of my motivators in sitting down to write this. His song "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (YouTube link at the bottom) really tells his story of how he quit school at 16 to move to London and pursue his dream of song-writing and singing. He's 21 now, and you cannot deny the talent and success he has gained from his hard work and the great risk he took at the age of 16. I look up to him as an artist and hope to gain similar success, for singer/songwriters aren't much different than writers...we're all trying to tell a story in our own way.

That brings me to my current situation. I plan on writing a post in the near future on something that has affected me over the past five years now: chronic migraines. I think a lot of people doubt the severity of headaches and how they can debilitate a person's life, but being locked in my room with pain these past years has allowed me to do quite a lot of thinking (more on that later). I still don't know what causes the pain and after countless medications, I've decided to try something I haven't done for most of my life: doing more of what makes me happy.

I know you're dying to know what I mean, but first I owe a few explanations/excuses/whatever other "e"-beginning word you can think of to describe how my headaches and doing more of what makes me happy relate. 

I found myself in the midst of my first year of college suffering more and more frequently from these migraines even though my classes were going fairly smoothly and weren't particularly difficult in the way I had been warned about in high school. To be honest, I was bored, but I liked being bored. It's difficult to explain, but since elementary school, I had always been involved in extracurricular activities and wasn't ever really able to be bored. Given the chance, I liked it. At least for the time being. 

In my free time and in beginning this blog and joining Twitter, I found many inspirations about my age who were enjoying their time doing the things they loved, whether it be making videos, touring and performing original songs to small or large crowds, or starting their own businesses. I couldn't deny my envy in their endeavors and their opportunities that I felt I was missing and that I so desperately wanted. 

I found in my headaches the undeniably perfect excuse to spend time to pursue my life dream: to make a living out of writing. I want millions to read my work, worldwide, to share ideas and maybe bring solace to those who take written work to heart and have it change their lives, just like it has for me so many times. 

So, I'm taking this next semester off of school. To some it's a surprise, to others it's not, but although my headaches were the main reason for my absence this next semester, it provides the means for me being able to place my full attention on my writing. 

Ed Sheeran said in an interview that he was just trying to be the best artist he could possibly be, not the best singer, or the most esteemed. He said he looked at his inspirations and determined that he just had to work three times as hard to even be close to reaching the same potential as them. (interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VluS-_21uTE) 

Whether this break leads to my eventual continuous absence from university education or not, I don't know; but I ask this: what's the worst that could happen? I'm not going to be homeless in the near future, I have family that supports me (although I feel they battle between supporting me or hitting me over the head with a good dose of reality), I can always return to school, and more importantly, why not?

Right now, I am more excited to begin writing and don't really have a desire to go back to school, but maybe when my headaches become more manageable, my mind will change. But that's the beauty, isn't it? It's my mind. My decisions. I'm excited. I'm terribly scared of the next year. I have experienced so much but now I want to tell my story. So many people tell me I'm making a mistake. But imagine all of the artists we've lost because they've listened to the naysayers. I'm not saying I'm going to be the next Harper Lee by any means, but I can't refute the results that exist by being the best artist you can be. 

Alexis

Ed Sheeran "You Need Me, I Don't Need You": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXvzzTICvJs

Gobble Gobble!

Hello, everyone! So, I've been awful at updating every Friday. I'm disappointed in myself...maybe Friday's not the best day to do it? I will keep trying, but if it keeps getting ignored I will change the day.

Anyway, I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to be home for a week for Thanksgiving! Yes, I got a week off because most of my classes were cancelled the day before Thanksgiving and I've never missed my other classes, so I thought 'what the heck?' It was well worth it!

We had so much family come to our house this year for Thanksgiving...about 27 people in total (give or take a few). I absolutely loved it!

Being away from home this semester has made me so much more thankful for the little things (and big ones, too!). I will try to compact my Thanksgiving break and all that I am thankful for below:

Amazing food! I actually think I lost some weight during Thanksgiving break because the food on campus is so crappy that it is hard to find something completely healthy. We had quite the array of food for everyone! I am also thankful for the luxury of going to the store to buy all this stuff. I'm the type of person who gets cabin fever quite easily that could be fixed by a simple drive up the road. Driving around town to pick up groceries for my parents was a privilege, let me tell you! 

Laughter. I really do love to laugh. I like to think of this Jane Austen quote from Pride and Prejudice, spoken by Elizabeth Bennet: "I dearly love a laugh." Simple, but I think it represents me well. A lot of people think I fake my laughter because I do it so often, but I promise it's real! But, I haven't been able to laugh fully in awhile, and my week with my crazy, quirky family really did make me laugh quite a few times! For example, my favorite dad, proud of his turkey, posed oh-so-humbly for this photo!

FAMILY ♥ In case I haven't said it enough...I was so glad to see all of my family! A small story: I used to be embarrassed to say "I love you" to my family on the phone or in public or even at home. The words just never came easily to me (I've never been the emotional type). Now I can't go a day without saying it to someone in my family and I don't care if anyone hears me...in fact, I revel in it! I've never received so much support especially with my experiences in college and this blog, than I have from my family. Honestly, even if you're mad, say "I love you" to someone because you never know when it will be your last (sorry to be morbid). 

Also, I was so psyched to take this recreation photo! It's spot-on! From left to right: cousin Cody (top), cousin Josh (bottom), cousin Lacy, me (on Lacy's lap--I don't fit quite like I used to), my mom (top), and my sister, Merritt (bottom). I love this so much! 

There are so many more things I am thankful for but I don't think they'd fit, to be honest! However, whoever is taking the time to read this, I want to thank you, as well! So, thank you...you have no idea how much your one little page view means to me. Just imagine me checking the page views every day and my face being very excited. 

Alexis

My Blushing Problem!

Sooo, I've been trying to be more lax on my school work recently because I don't feel like it's worth the stress. But, after years and years of going over and above the necessary amount of work on any assignment, I obviously have some things to learn about doing the minimal amount...

I had a presentation in my Linguistics class that included doing a PowerPoint. Apparently, three slides wasn't sufficient. I realized that mine was scarce in comparison after about two presentations.

Now, I should mention that I have a slight blushing problem. Slight as in my face turned red and I felt the heat in my cheeks even when I was loading my presentation before class began. I felt everyone's eyes on me, and I was sure my face was about 10 degrees hotter than the rest of me.

This made me realize how college presentations are very different than high school presentations. In high school, you tend to know everyone pretty well. Even if you didn't grow up with them throughout elementary and middle school, like I didn't entering my high school, you get to know everyone just from having class with them every day. At a big university, you're lucky if your class has less than 100 people in it. My particular class was small, but only because it was a Friday discussion group composed of about 30 students from the 300+ lecture. I think I had managed to talk to a total of two other people in my discussion class, however. Needless to say, I was shocked to see the faces of the other students staring back at me when I stood in front to give my presentation.

I probably looked like I had a blushing disorder, plus I ended up getting a shoddy round of applause and  a B-. Not my best effort.

Moral of the story is: as you enter your college career, don't be too lax but also don't stress so much. If you're like me and feel like you've never had a break throughout all your school years, I recommend taking the time in college to really figure yourself out and decide what you want to do. Get involved in your career choice, and if you decide it's not for you, then you wouldn't have wasted any time preparing for it. I know for myself, I've never devoted large amounts of time into writing, and now that I have, I can't go a day without it. I don't know what I would do if I ended up not enjoying it, but it would be better to find that out now than in four years time.

I've gone a bit deep, there, but I hope my embarrassing story has some sort of impact on you, whether you can relate to it or whether it makes you think twice about spending a little under an hour on your next project...not that that's what I did.

Have a happy Thanksgiving and I will be posting that (lethargic) Friday following!

Alexis

November.

I can't believe November is already here. I think time has gone so quickly because of all my big transitions throughout these past three months...something new has happened every week it seems that it just all goes so quickly. I'm not complaining by any means! I never realized how much I loved fall until my life started to kind of revolve around the internet (the result of school and also not having a TV to conveniently flip on). I have begun to realize how cool it is that so many people can communicate through social media; I think I've seen Fall touch everyone from the UK to San Francisco all from Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. 

I see November as a nice transition between spending time outside when it's sunny and bundling up for winter (although it's still too hot here to wear any cute fall outfits). Today is the first day that it feels remotely like Fall at a nice 75 degrees...I absolutely love it and it seems to give me so much more energy! 

I thought I would make this post a little more relaxed and fun. I have found that being here in college, it's always the little things that make me the happiest, especially when you are bound to be spending a lot of time on your own between classes and such! So below are some of the few things that I have loved as November finally becomes a little more Fall-like!

My Anthem (excuse the cuss words):

I don't know why I like it so much, but it's really different and fun!

My project:

www.nanowrimo.org (check it out!)

My Drink of Choice:

Twinnings Earl Grey Tea!

My Favorite Clothing Item:

Burberry Scarf (source: burberry.com)

My favorite quote: 

Source: http://middlechildcomplex.tumblr.com/post/14216469071

Have a lovely Veteran's Day weekend! 

Alexis