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Thursday, March 8, 2018

From My Friend Julie Fleck: A Life on "Standby"

Life with migraine is like living on standby. Standby may be viewed as negative, like the standby passenger all disheveled after sleeping three days in the airport.  But standby also describes someone who is ready to deploy, jump into action, and -- last but not least -- a person that is available for emergencies.

So, living with migraine, I stand by, ready and available for immediate action:

  • To STAND UP against stigma
  • To use my voice in all mediums
  • To educate myself to be the best advocate for myself and others and NOT stand by while others try to pull us down
  • Julie Fleck
  • I'll STAND BY with hope for the new treatments in development.
There are over 300 different headache and migraine disorders.  Over 36 million individuals in the US are afflicted with this disease. Many go undiagnosed and untreated.

Standby -- IT'S NOT JUST A HEADACHE!  These attacks are defined by neurological symptoms that may include head pain, sensitivity to light, sound, nausea, vomiting, inability to speak, as well as a myriad of other symptoms.  Some never fully recover from an attack and ride along the roller coaster with daily symptoms.

Migraine has no boundaries.  It affects men, women, boys and girls; all socioeconomic classes and races.  Sadly, many have to STANDBY for adequate treatment and care. They all deserve attack-based treatment paradigms.

There are only 510 headache specialists in the US. That's about one practitioner per 85,000 headache/migraine patients. That's a LOT of people standing by.  I've been fortunate, but I WON'T stand by and be silent. It's hard enough to have an invisible illness, but to feel invisible too?  Well, lI don't want to stand by for that.

I've always said that through all pain there is a gift. You may not see it at first, but it always shows.  I've had many gifts and more will continue.  Stand by me on this adventure.

LET'S MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

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