Don’t Stop Believing!

Hey Pain Warriors!

It has been a while since I posted an article – a lot has happened since then. We’ve had the holidays and welcomed in a new year. I hope you all welcomed the new year in a way that was great for you personally. I’m hoping that you all have made some plans and goals that you will achieve, or at least be en-route to achieving!

That being said, I set some goals for myself this year also – one of them being to post more frequently on the Pain Warrior Code blog. I’m excited for the things I have planned for the Pain Warrior Code so make sure you keep an eye out. I also have decided to share more about my own journey with chronic migraine, so you guys can get more of an understanding of my story.

So what’s the update on my story? 

Let’s Catch Up!

For the past few months, my migraines have started to become a bit more frequent unfortunately. My symptoms that had subsided, have decided to challenge me to take the wheel and control my life – but you guys know how I am.

You see it in my tweets all the time on twitter. I refuse to let my sickness dictate my life. Yes accommodations must be made and arranged, but I will not stop living and trying my best to enjoy life.

Now, I’ve been back and forth with doctors for the past 7-8 months to have another referral to a migraine clinic and to get the correct eyewear I need to deal with my sensitivity to lights.

The Rigmarole

I originally had a referral, but they took me off the list because I hadn’t been to the migraine clinic in a while. This was because the neurologist I had was…just no! The appointment I had with him felt like a waste of my time, considering I had to wait 6 months for that one appointment.

So after the clinic told me I had to receive another referral, I went to see a doctor who I had recently registered with due to moving house. This doctor wasn’t helpful at all in getting the right eyewear or a referral. I did explain that a specialists at the migraine clinic would be able to help me get the correct eyewear for migraineurs (just like a friend of mine had experienced). She told me I needed to go to the opticians. Now that would be a logical suggestion, if it wasn’t for the fact that I told her I already went; the opticians told me my eyes were perfectly HEALTHY, and that my visual problems were linked to migraine.

Although I was annoyed and frustrated, I went to the opticians again anyway to help my case. My time was wasted! They asked questions about my vision/migraines and finally concluded what I already knew; they couldn’t help me. I was then instructed to go back to the doctors. They also refused to write up a report for me as well.

So the following week I was fuming, and went back to the doctors but asked to be seen by a different one. I’m glad I did because he was very compassionate and actually listened. He heard everything I told him about my migraines and vision. And he gave me my referral! Yay! So I’ve got an appointment in May – with a migraine clinic in a hospital that is revered and respected even more than the hospital migraine clinic I originally went to! God is definitely helping me through this.

So that’s the referral down…as for the eyewear.

The Eyewear Journey

I originally came across a pair of glasses by a brand named ‘Cocoons’, via a colleague who deals with a degenerative eye condition. She also suffers with migraines as well and has found that the laser beams we call lights at work, trigger migraines for her – so she has also had to wear sunglasses to work.

After seeing her specialist, she received cocoons. She made me try them on one day at work, and my vision had not been so vivid since my migraines started. My vision returned to being as sharp as it used to be before my migraines became chronic.

For those of you who don’t know, my vision used to be 20/20. The impact this illness has had on me with all the constant, permanent auras & disturbances has been driving me insane. So the moment I tried these glasses on and got a taste of the eyesight I used to have – I decided that I needed to do everything I could to get them.

Only the search for them wasn’t quite as easy as I expected it to be. I have now received my Cocoon glasses, but I finally managed to get them after doing some heavy researching & tracking down to find out if they had any branches in London. They only had 4 optometrists that retailed them.

The optometrist was so helpful and paid close attention to their customers/patients. This company was much smaller than your average branch, yet they took more time with me than all those big-shot companies. The staff at this optometrist have had a greater impact on helping me than others had. As a matter of fact let me drop a shameless plug here – In Focus Optometrist in Hackney – check them out if you need a pair! I will from now on travel all the way up there just for their service with anything regarding my sight or vision. They were the best hands down!

My Experience With The Cocoon Glasses So Far

So now I have my glasses and I’m fairly impressed with them. My eyes feel less strain now so I’m hoping the frequency of migraines will decrease. My vision is extremely vivid and detailed & surprisingly enough – I actually like the way they look on my face! Whoever thought a large pair of low vision orange glasses would make me feel like a key accessory has been added to my image?!

Don’t Stop Believing!

Some of you are wondering what on earth is with the title ‘Don’t Stop Believin’, well I just wanted to encourage you guys to keep fighting and believing that things can turn around for you.

I had a moment when all the pain and struggle became unbearable for me. After taking out some time to pray, I released it up to God, so I could get up and fight another day. I wasn’t created to be a quitter. Neither were you.

I came to realise through a time of spiritual reflection, that I cannot afford to throw in the towel if one method that I use to achieve a goal doesn’t work. I have to come up with another plan. A plan B, C, D, E – however many plans it takes with my full trust in God that it will work out. That my healing will come.

So I encourage you to do the same; if you end up with a dodgy doctor, disappointing doctor/treatment – keep going. That plan may have not worked, but it doesn’t mean that the one that will work isn’t out there. You’ve just got to keep searching & remain adamant that you won’t give up until you get what you’re looking for. You’ve got so much strength in you; your pain is your power. Use that to help you on your journey.

I hope you have a blessed week and keep up the good fight!

Until next time Warriors,

Tasha Marie