Diet Coke. Just as good as an Rx?

Chronic Pain Warriors, this one's for you.

Humans of the internet, I present to you a realistic image of the trifecta of chronic pain management: copious amounts of water, caffeine, and painkillers.

There are a lot of hopes and wishes channeled into this combo of items. Photo by Megan Eilers

Oh, and the silent fourth… fecta? Just getting stuff done because the world doesn’t stop for chronic pain, no matter how hard we try.

Chronic pain is no joke—just ask: anyone with chronic pain.

Although this topic is a bit off-brand (to my author platform mentors, apologies), it is a real part of life that warrants discussion because it recently came up during a writing endeavor.

Brief background: I’ve been suffering from chronic pain since 2007. That’s 18 years!

My ailment of choice (read: definitely not a choice): migraines.

To say I’ve dealt with something for 18 years makes me feel almost as old as Dorothy from Golden Girls! | Image from Reddit

Throbbing, stabbing, searing, occasionally nauseating pain can come in waves for hours and even days at a time. Sometimes there are obvious triggers, and sometimes it’s because I blinked “wrong.”

Betcha didn’t know that was possible!

You know what’s terrible for most migraine sufferers? Spending countless hours in front of your computer, hunched over like a shrimp.🍤

You know what requires you to spend countless hours in front of your computer (preferably not crunched like a shrimp)?

WRITING A BOOK.¹

As you know, I’m officially back in my drafting *era* (cue Taylor). And, in June, I challenged myself to show up and write every single day.

I succeeded. 🎉🎉🎉

For thirty days, I did the thing.

Except one day: Day 19.

Day 19 wasn’t the first day in June that I had “brain pain,” but that day I was *Down Bad* with a solid 8 on the pain scale…so I called it. No forward writing progress, just trying to survive.

But, 9 times out of 10, what do I do when it comes to writing (or doing anything else) and a migraine shows up? Do it through the pain, of course. The show must go on.

Image from https://www.istockphoto.com

Briefly, I must address the elephant in the room before the comments blow up. In the almost two decades of my life that I’ve been dealing with this pain, I promise you the following things are true:

1. I’ve been to many doctors (thankfully, no brain tumors for me)

2. I’ve tried many methods of care (West, East, and in between), and

3. Telling someone with chronic pain how your cousin’s father-in-law’s gardener’s twin brother’s hamster cured their [insert same chronic pain] is definitely NOT going to make them feel any better, but thanks.

Image from Here

So, armed with my beverages and meds, and an unreasonable level of hope that *this time* will be different, I carry on — like a LOT of humans do. Every. Day.

The reality is, I graduated from high school, college, and law school with migraines. I passed the California Bar Exam with migraines. And now, I’m writing a second manuscript with migraines.

Humans adapt. However, this sh*t is hard enough without pain.

Regarding writing in particular, I’m doing it because, like most things in life, I’ve adopted the C’est La Vie attitude.

Sometimes you have to look at a challenge and say, “That’s life!” Then, give it what you can, when you can, how you can.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all *look at me, pushing through* rainbows and butterflies all the time. It’s definitely not. Nor am I posting this for sympathy.

This is just reality. Sometimes humans need a gentle reminder that everyone is dealing with ~something~ whether or not we can see it. We can all benefit from being more empathetic toward one another.

Like many chronic pain sufferers, do I have to cancel fun plans and sit in the dark sometimes? Yes. Do I cut writing short some days because the screen exacerbates the stabbing behind my eyes? Absolutely.

But will I let another year go by without trying my best to balance progress and pain in order to make this dream come true? HELL NO!

In an ideal world, I’ll become a published author without migraines. But until then, we’re plowing forward with determination and caffeine-fueled hope that the first part will come true.

Fingers crossed that science can get me (and all the other migraine sufferers) to the rest of that dream one day, too.

Until next time,

Megan

P.S. To my fellow chronic pain warriors, we all know that “I’m sorry” doesn’t change anything, but please accept my sincere sympathies that you are having to walk through a world that may not see or understand your pain.

And, to the next person who offers you an essential oil that will *fix* everything, you have my full permission to make them walk across Legos (because that’s the only level of bad karma I’m willing to put into the world).

1. See also: revising a book, drafting query letters, working a corporate job, etc.