Migraine and Literature | 028 Kathy O'Shea 

As a person who has lived with Chronic Intractable Daily Migraine for the past 6 years I found this to be a great interview. I appreciate Kathy O’Shea’s explanation of what it is like to live with Migraine Disease. I look forward to reading and sharing her book with the Migraine community. I also appreciate the active listening and dialogue the interviewers provided. It is hopeful to see younger individuals (especially men) engaged and gaining a better understanding of the disease. I am also pleased that for the most part the term/word “Migraine” was used in singular form, as it should be. By referring to Migraine in a singular form it will help to teach society that someone living with this brain disease always has it. It presents in attacks or flares that can be experienced at different levels from one individual to another. Our community is working hard to teach that it should only be referred in the singular form to help breakdown stigma. For example if someone has Asthma their attacks are not referred to as “Asthmas”. They are always living with the condition, regardless of how often they have attacks. As it is with Migraine. In the beginning of the interview when Kathy was trying to find the word “hysteria” it made me think of a great book by Joanna Kempner titled “Not Tonight: Migraine and the Politics of Gender and Health”. I highly recommend reading it.

ty9ls1 #von.ong