Migraine Blog

Migraine Takes Center Stage Once Again At The Grammy Awards

Migraineur Sean Diddy Combs Suffers Post Stress Letdown Migraine Requiring Hospitalization Following Playboy Mansion Grammy Awards Event 

 

(LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA) WASHINGTON, DC-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13th, 2012-(MAGNUM)-UPDATED THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16th, 2012-According to a breaking news and wire reports rap star Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who has been known for being so-called headache at past Grammy Award events is hospitalized himself for what appears to be a post stress letdown Migraine today.

P. Diddy aka Sean Combs aka Puff Daddy aka Migraine suffer had to be taken to the UCLA Emergency Room in Los Angeles, California after the rap star complained of a severe Migraine this past Sunday night (February 12^th).  The 42 year-old started suffering from massive head pain the following Monday (February 13^th) morning and he was taken to University of California, Los Angeles ER for care and treatment of is Migraine attack.

Once again Migraine takes center stage at the Grammy Awards as Sean Combs had hosted the all star-studded event at the Hugh Hefner Play Mansion which followed the Grammy Awards.  No doubt some will blame the rap mogul’s Migraine attack on his hectic schedule in addition to his trade mark partying claiming it was the cause severe incapacitating Migraine. 

But if the stress of the rap star’s hectic schedule would have played a role in his visit to the ER, then that visit would have taken place Sunday when the stress was most was at its peak.  But the fact the Migraine hit Mr. Puff Daddy on Monday morning is a classic sign we are dealing with a more common “Post Stress Letdown Migraine”.  Which tend to hit the Migraineurs when the stress is finally over.  We wish the best to the artist, and hope he is feeling better.

UCLA ER Entertance where Sean Combs was taken for his Migraine after the Grammy Party.

According to TMZ.com Migraineur Sean Combs is doing well after his treatment at UCLA emergency room, he was released is resting at home comfortably. 

His close music industry friend Russell Simmons writes in a post, “…glad that Puff is ok…probably just working too hard.” And sadly it begins again that fast, as you don’t get a Migraine from “working too hard”. But a common trigger is the sudden absence of stress which can trigger a Migraine--commonly called a post stress letdown Migraine. What apparently happened to this hard working artist is between his doctor and himself. But to his concerned fans it appears he suffered a Post Stress Letdown Migraine, and we wish him well as it looks as if he was under good medical care as the UCLA ER took his Migraine quite seriously. Something we can tell you from all the calls and e-mails MAGNUM receives, can be a real problem for many American Migraineurs when they end up at their local ER with complaints of Migraine and they are not given such good care or even worse are turned away.

Now that would have been a major story if the UCLA ER refused to treat his 'Migraine' and accused him to be a ‘drug seeker’ as so often happens to people at OTHER ER's across the nation who are legitimately sick just like Puffy just not famous.

The size of the UCLA medical facility for those not familial with it, it is a very large medical institition. But then it serves a very large city many of our reader would point out.  Which is all the more important to see how well they treated a Migraine patient.

 

Mary Lamielle Receives Martin Luther King Freedom Medal For Helping Those With Disabilities

Executive Director of the National Center for Environmental Health Strategies Mary Lamielle Honored For Fighting The Sick & Disabled Americans

WASHINGTON, DC; FRIDAY, JANUARY 20^th, 2012—(MAGNUM)—UPDATED FEBFUARY 7, 2012 — We at MAGNUM are very proud to report that Mary Lamielle, executive director of the National Center for Environmental Health Strategies, is one of fourteen Camden County , New Jersey , residents chosen to receive the 2012 Camden County Freedom Medal, honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for their unselfish contributions to improving their community.

 

Improving the quality of life for Migraineurs would not be possible if not for such people as Executive Director Mary Lamielle.  Which is why we know this story will warm many of your hearts to know we have such people in the health world in a time when we read all too many negative health care articles.

For three decades Mary has dedicated herself to promoting the public health and improving the lives of people sick or disabled by environmental exposures. She has served on dozens of federal and state advisory committees including the recently concluded CDC National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures. She is a member of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Public Interest Partners and HUD’s Disability Task Force.

Mary was nominated for the Freedom Medal by Diane Reibel, Assistant Professor of Physiology at Thomas Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia . In nominating Mary, Dr. Reibel noted that I met Mary twenty-five years ago when I became ill from chemicals in my research laboratory. Mary’s knowledge, support, and advocacy were a life saver for me. What Mary did for me, she has done for thousands of people across New Jersey and tens of thousands nationwide.

”

Mary was recently honored with the 2011 New Jersey Governor’s Jefferson Award for Public Service, PSEG Environmental Stewardship Award, and a 2010 US EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award, the highest civilian award given by the EPA.

The Camden County Freedom Medal award was created in 2001 to honor the ideals indicative of the slain civil rights leader. According to Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr., “This is Camden County ‘s way of honoring Dr. King.”

Medals will be presented during an evening ceremony at the Camden County Boathouse at Cooper River on January 20.

EDITORS NOTE: We are sorry as several articles where taken offline by mistake while we are making other updates to MigraineBlog. So if an article you read a while back was not here when you returned to forward it, please do not adjust your medication, your memories and recall are fine.  It is just the staff working on one of your favorite Migraine blogs and 'that' posting was up last month and you will be happy to know your recall is working well.

 

Migraineur Martin Luther King Jr’s--King Center Imagine Project--To Open This Holiday Weekend

King Center Imagine Project Goes OnLine Today!

WASHINGTON, DC; FRIDAY, JANUARY 13^TH, 2012— (MAGNUM)—(UPDATED: MONDAY, JANUARY 16^th, 2012 )—  "I remember Dr. King came to the meeting late. And he said, 'I have been agonizing this week about our struggle. I've had a Migraine headache for three days, it won't stop hurting’" noted Reverend Jesse Jackson commenting on Dr. King's remarks regarding his severe Migraine attack that faithful day on a History Channel interview about the great American Migraineur Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last night. On this MLK holiday MAGNUM reminds us not to forget, although we remember him as an important African American civil rights hero and Nobel Peace Prize winner, he was simply a Great American. A large and comprehensive collection of Martin Luther King Jr.'s documents is now available online. The collection, consisting of nearly 1 million documents, will be available at the King Center Imagine Project. You can find them here.”

 

You can revisit the full text of the MigraineBlog.org  “American Migraineur Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”. Originally published on January 15^th, 2007 the short title was “Dr. King Heals A Nation”.  Which we at MAGNUM feel is quite appropriate.  

 

That was written in MigraineBlog.org in 2007 when the King Center Imagine Project was taken for granted. Well this article has become one of MAGNUM’s most popular famous Migraineur stories as the purpose of this piece was to introduce the fact that not only was Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. an African American civil rights hero, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and of  course he was simply a Great American—he was a disabled America who struggled with Migraine disease, a neurological illness which the World Health Organization ranks as one of the globes most disabling diseases.

To that fact a condition he confronted to the last day of his life, even the night before he gave one of his most historic speeches which is still lifting millions of us from needness social pain.  When you have a Migraine free day go visit King Center Imaging Project, you never know what you might learn and you cannot beat the cost of the this education.

200,000 MLK Documents Now Available Online Free

(UPDATED: MONDAY, JANUARY 16^th, 2012 )— (MAGNUM)— The King Center is happy to announce The King Center Imaging Project is going online today, on his Federal holiday recognizing a Great American-- Migraineur Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  When you visit The King Center Imaging Project’s website you will find a treasure trove of American history.  Everything from a handwritten draft, complete with cross-outs, of Martin Luther King's acceptance speech for the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.  To the charming letters he received from American children.  To such insight to the ‘our nation’s healer’ thinking as his personal notes about the ending of King's iconic I Have a Dream speech.

These and other King papers — 200,000 documents in all — will be available online for the first time today, as the nation marks Martin Luther King Day, nice timing we would say.

The King Center Imaging Project, was financed and overseen by JPMorgan Chase, offers free public access to the papers at the website located here at  www.TheKingCenter.org/archive.

Support The King Center, Support the Dream!

 

National Media Mocks Migraine Disease In Order To Belittle National Presidential Candidate!

 

Hold the presses—Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, gets—gasp—Migraines! 

WASHINGTON, DC- Friday July 22^nd, 2011 (MAGNUM)–-Updated Sunday July 24^th, 2011--It has been barely a month since one former federal tax attorney and current Minnesota congresswoman has announced her run for the highest office of the land.  We have gone from the traditional hair and wardrobe attacks we expect to see relished upon our female political candidates to personal health issues questioning her ability to so called handle stress.  We saw this with a two very qualified woman in the last election with Hillary Clinton and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and sadly it appears as a nation we have not grown.  There is a stubborn persistence by the Bill Maher’s of the world who are full of hate and attempt to hide it with veiled stab at clever or not so clever humor.

So when we lift the veil from such poor humor what we find is several former staffers of Rep. Bachmann who have set this national headache in motion.

Even though Fox News Analysis, and former President George W. Bush Advisor & Republican strategist Karl Rove offered on air free advice to candidate Bachmann to do damage control regarding her Migraines during this week of news headaches, it appears she has only heeded some of his advice.

“For the Bachmann campaign, this is the first big challenge,” Karl Rove said “It’s going to be important for her to get her doctors out there, quickly, to provide medical records and to provide the reassurance that people are going to want to have that this is not a serious issue.”

 

              

 Of course there is a double edged sword of a public health issue due the fact that Migraine is a disease, one of the top 20 most debilitating according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and headaches are generally mild to moderate symptoms.  The presses persistence in confusing the two disorders is just a sad fact that too many in this nation still do not understand the impact of Migraine disease in this nation.  Yes anyone who suffers from Migraine can go without medical care, they will suffer horrible pain and discomfort. But that does not mean one cannot go on to lead outstanding political career in spite of his or her disability.

In addition the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA) issued a statement via a press release regarding this issue which MAGNUM will run as a full article.  The AHDA is also concerned about the neglected burden of Migraine in America Representative Michele Bachmann is shinning in the press.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

  
 
                                                                               To that fact let us take a look at those American leaders who had Migraine disease and yet turned out to be some of our most beloved and productive U.S. Presidents.  Confirmed historical records tell of Thomas Jefferson Migraineur President of the United States from March 4, 1801 - March 4, 1809; Ulysses S. Grant Migraineur President of the United States from March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877; and John F. Kennedy Migraineur President of the United States from January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963.  If not for an assassin’s bullets (Let’s face Kennedy would have won a second term with ease.) we can speculate all three commander in chiefs severed two terms with their Migraine disease haunting them, and consider how much poorer medical care for their illness was in their lifetimes.  Some in a time of enlighten Migraine disease awareness MAGNUM, The National Migraine Association can say anyone running for public office might have a day when they suffer while running the nation, but that suffering will not make for a bad national leader, just look at the past record of Migraineurs Jefferson, Grant, & Kennedy and it speaks for itself.

There will come a day when we see enlighten Migraine disease awareness, when that day comes MAGNUM, The National Migraine Association can say anyone running for public office might have a day when they suffer a Migraine while running the nation, but that suffering will not make for a bad national leader, just look at the past record of Migraineurs--Jefferson, Grant, & Kennedy and it speaks for itself.

 

One of the things we noticed at MAGNUM was the propensity  of the Congresswoman to fail to take Migraine prevention action such as wearing sun glasses during sunny days.  Bright sun light is a very common Migraine trigger but many woman fail to take the proper precaution due to the concern of the appearance of a fashion faux pas! Sadly we see he again and again without eye protection against sun or flood light glare, both powerful Migraine triggers. 

Either she feels sunglasses are unattractive, or more likely her attending physician has failed to inform her she needs to be taking Migraine preventive actions to improve her chances of avoiding severe attacks when possible. Someone such as her who suffers from chronic and debilitating Migraines would normally take all actions to avoid possible future attacks, wearing dark UV glasses is a common precaution, yet after viewing hundreds of PR photos of Rep. Bachmann speaking a sunny day and never once seen protecting herself from such a common Migraine trigger.  So it appears she needs to see a real Migraine expert, which might be the best outcome of all this tabloid attention her health has garnered recently. No more belittling Ms. Bachmann or Migraine disease please as we have seen enough of both in spades.    

  

But according to the normally elegant National Journalwhich highlights just how bad that lack of understanding of Migraine disease persists as we peruse this week’s attacks on Rep Bachmann;

“Migraines, in fact—“incapacitating” ones brought on by bad moods, according to a story relying on anonymous ex-Bachmann aides published by conservative online publication the Daily Caller. The implication seems to be that the condition could disqualify her from the post of commander-in-chief (never mind the long line of commanders that came before her that suffered from much more severe medical conditions).”

 

Well yet another popular journal of political news Politicoreports that after Rep. Bachmann had an appendectomy in March 2006, Migraines prolonged her recovery from surgery. Back then she was a Minnesota state senator at which time she missed a week of work. Then Politico reported;

“A migraine episode in May 2010 forced her to retreat to her congressional office and lie down in the dark, Politico reported. She flew to California to attend two political events, but she was in pain and sought emergency treatment. Bachmann missed a day of votes following that migraine attack.

And she missed eight House votes in July 2010 while being treated at a Washington hospital, the Politico article says.” 

Some say the source that started it all was The Daily Callerwhich broke news with interviews by three former Bachmann employees with such detail of the Congresswoman’s personal health such as;

“When she gets ‘em, frankly, she can’t function at all. It’s not like a little thing with a couple Advils. It’s bad,” the adviser says. “The migraines are so bad and so intense, she carries and takes all sorts of pills. Prevention pills. Pills during the migraine. Pills after the migraine, to keep them under control. She has to take these pills wherever she goes.”

The Daily Caller also noted that the Bachmann staff had “implausibly blamed the headaches on uncomfortable high-heel shoes…”  The article goes on report the staff, all part time neurologists no doubt, diagnosed “stress, a busy schedule and anything going badly for Bachmann as causes.”  Sadly all right out of observer’s book of Migraine disease ignorance since stress is not a Migraine trigger.  MAGNUM is sure the misuse of this medical information about Migraine disease to do harm to a female presidential candidate deservers an article of its own, that is if heath advocate Teri Robert just quoted on Fox News this evening has not already done so!

Back at the The Daily Caller it is reported that Bachmann spokeswoman Alice Stewart told them ”[Bachmann] suffers from migraines and they’re under control with medicine.” The Caller noted that;

 “Stewart contested descriptions of the episodes as “incapacitating” Bachmann but did not specify how the descriptions were wrong. “The information you have is incorrect,” Stewart gave an interview but did not give details on the Congresswoman trips to the ER. “I’m not going to go into her medical history.”

As we see more and more personal Migraine health information trickle out regarding Rep. Bachmann if you anything about the disease you can see how misinformation can have a life of its own. Take The Daily Caller’s report of Rep. Bachmann Migraine during a six hour transcontinental flight;

“On the evening of May 13, 2010, Bachmann flew to Los Angeles for a series of political and fundraising events. In part because of complications with her flight schedule, Bachmann’s mood plunged. During the entire six-hour flight, she was desperately sick from headaches.

“Her husband, Marcus Bachmann, met his wife at LAX and ushered her to a nearby urgent care center. Though Bachmann managed to attend several events in California, including an appearance before a California chapter of the Eagle Forum and a fundraiser in Palm Springs, she struggled through the weekend, in pain throughout.”

This is not rocket science, Migraine triggers are additive, lack of sleep, red wine, aspartame and oh let’s toss in 6 hours at 36,000 feet!  Yes air pressure, what we call the ‘weather trigger’ can be mimicked by the artificial atmospheric pressure or the cabin air pressure of an airliner at high altitude.  So fellow Migraineurs feel for Rep. Bachmann, but to intimate that she is incapacitated by stress is laughable, and that is the only joke is Bill Maher.

In case you were wondering with all the bro haa haa where Congresswoman Bachmann stands in the polls with all this pain, well according to the July Daily Caller/Conservative Home tracking poll it is Perry & the embattled Migraineur Bachmann in the lead, so there you have it.

Now according to Google News there are 846 articles on Rep. Bachmann and Migraines with the main worry coming up again and again if you buy the argument about Congresswoman Bachmann’s Migraines, making her in the worst case scenario, a less capable candidate due to the fact that she might miss available to make important decisions due to being —“incapacitated” oh my.  Of course there are a host of other conditions such as heart disease, cancer, to even a severe flu can incapacitate the best of us what are going to do about that twice a year?

If we look at the worst case scenario and say you win what would it mean if someone missed some of the political obligations?  How would that effect their job?  How would that effect their electability?  Well let’s take a look shall we?

Senator Barack Obama missed 314 (24%) of 1,300 roll call votes since Jan 6, 2005 - 2008.   Congresswoman Michele Bachmann missed 233 (6%) of 4,159 roll call votes since Jan 4, 2007.  So we can see the Migraine free, stress free young & healthy Senator Barack Obama missed 314 votes in his two and half years of public service.  While candidate Migraineur Bachmann had missed 233 votes in her four and a half years of public service.  So you make the call; healthy past candidate who misses 24% or almost a quarter of his votes or our present candidate who is disabled by Migraines has only missed 6% of her votes while serving the public twice as long as Senator Obama.

So even if we concede Rep. Bachmann’s Migraines will on occasion take her out of action for a day or two.  It did not hurt past hurting Migraineur Presidents Jefferson, Grant, & Kennedy our past Migraineur in Chiefs.

For more information on Migraine disease please visit our main website www.migraines.org .

Representative Michele Bachmann Casts Light on the Neglected Burden of Migraine in America

 

BURLINGTON, VERMONT – July 20, 2011 (MAGNUM) - As a member of The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy MAGNUM wants to bring you the following press release from the AHDA regarding the current negative light being cast on Migraine disease by the national press in recent coverage of Migraineur presidential candidate Michele Bachmann.  If you are not familar with th ADHA it is comprised of nonprofit organizations, including MAGNUM, who are vitally concerned about the health of patients with headache disorders including migraine disease, cluster headaches, chronic daily headache, new daily persistent headache, tension-type headaches. All headache disorders.

 The AHDA is dedicated to advocacy efforts that can result in better treatment for all headache disorder patients. Which is why they released the following press release;

US Representative, and presidential candidate, Michele Bachmann reported yesterday that “I experience migraines that are easily controlled with medication," and that “…my ability to function effectively has never been impeded by migraines and will not affect my ability to serve as commander in chief.” Representative Bachmann’s reassuring remarks require no further clarification; several distinguished US presidents, including Ulysses Grant and probably Thomas Jefferson, suffered severe migraine attacks during their terms in office.

However, Representative Bachmann’s candid disclosures bring to public awareness the stark fact that, for millions of other Americans, migraine attacks can be severely disabling, as well as a compulsory undisclosed private matter due to the widespread stigmatization of the disorder.

This year nearly 1 in 5 Americans will experience some form of migraine attack, and 1 in 25 Americans will have headaches at least 15 days per month. Available migraine therapies are few in number and often limited in effectiveness and tolerability. Over the past 49 years, only one innovative drug, discovered and developed specifically for migraine treatment and given priority review by the FDA, has been approved for clinical use. Since breakthrough drugs are typically discovered by publicly funded research investigators, rather than within pharmaceutical company laboratories, it is alarming that US federally funded migraine research totaled only $15M in 2010. The World Health Organization estimates that migraine is responsible for more lost years of healthy life in the US than multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ovarian cancer, and tuberculosis combined, yet these disorders received more than 45 times more research funding from the National Institutes of Health than migraine last year.

In light of the pivotal role for NIH funded research in the discovery of novel drugs, the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy strongly urges Congress to prioritize marked increases in federal research funding to understand the causes of migraine and to discover novel effective treatments for it.

The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy is comprised of ten not-for-profit national and regional member organizations advocating on behalf of patients with migraine and other headache disorders.

 
http://www.allianceforheadacheadvocacy.org/

Pursuing Happiness Has More To Do With A Throbbing Head Than You Know!

                           Imagine suffering a Migraine in 90 degree heat wearing wool. There is a man in there in just that condition!  There is a moment in Migraine time for you fellow Migraineurs! Enjoy your July holiday days or week(s) just don't forget what is at the heart at it all. 

This Time of Year Migraineurs Recall We Have Certain Unalienable Rights, That Among These Are Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness.
But Try Pursuing Happiness With A Throbbing Head This Independence Day Holiday—NOT Going To Happen!

 

 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed . . .”

Special by MAGNUM Executive Director Michael John Coleman-

WASHINGTON, DC- July 4th, 2011 (MAGNUM) –-(Updated July 8th, 2011)--These words that so often stir the hearts and souls of man & woman across the globe regardless of race, color, or creed and they were written by a 33 year old like myself, while not thirty three anymore which is academic, the rest we both share a life-long fight with Migraine disease, both Virginians, and both artists. Please understand, I am not placing myself next to Thomas Jefferson in intellectual capacity, nor have I ever owned any human beings as property, for that matter nor did I create the groundwork to end slavery in the United States as Mr. Jefferson did. During this time of year I am surprised at how many citizens are unaware that the Declaration of Independence was created from the mind of a Migraineur during a status Migraine. To clarify our eloquent Declaration of Independence, a document which has inspired millions to journey across the seven seas to reach our shores to begin a better quality of life, or build one for their children decades later—was created from a brain in full neurological trauma! Something all Migraineurs everywhere can identify with even some two hundred and thirty-five years later.

If we step into our very own Wayback Machine and turn the dial to June 11th, 1776 and step out of the machine on a nice side street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we will come upon a small group of men our Congress had selected as a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence. This committee, is composed of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman, of course they selected Thomas Jefferson as he was known for his creative skills with the written and verbal word to write the declaration. Jefferson began his work on June 11 and toiled in seclusion writing a number of drafts. After presenting his final draft, the committee further revised the document and submitted it to the Continental Congress on June 28. On July 2, the Continental Congress voted for independence and refined its Declaration of Independence before releasing it to the public on July 4th. What the history book leave out is during this six weeks the east coast of the colonies was under a torturous summer heat-wave which as many Migraineur readers knows can play havoc with triggering ones Migraines, and it did exactly that for to Migraineur, Thomas Jefferson, during this period. Read on and learn about history's omissions from one Migraineur to another.

 
 One of the largest monuments to a Migraineur "The Jefferson Memorial" as seen from the air. © Michael John Coleman 2011

George Washington, the father of our country, was evidently headache free, but our two other pillars of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both lived until death overtook the two of them on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration, July 4, 1826. Jefferson was 83 and Adams was 91. Jefferson a Migraineur and he crafted the Declaration of Independence while suffering an intense Migraine while Adams wife Abigail was also plagued by intense Migraines throughout her life. No doubt both politics and the sick headaches AKA Migraines their family shared made their bond unique. Their friendship in their twilight years helped burnish their eloquent political reputations. According to historians in the 1790s and early 1800s, Jefferson had a justified reputation for backstabbing and Adams had an undeniable tendency to be a grumpy old man. Their correspondence sanded over the rough edges over their earlier differences just as it echoed the rough edges the young nation had as it worked to resolve the nations metaphoric ‘Migraines’ such as ending ALL slavery, stopping lynching of the Irish, German, African, & Eastern European or others who talked or looked funny.

So we did with hard work and sacrifice and as you travel home this 4th of July week just keep in mind if it were not for the genetics of Migraine disease we just might still be part of England (Or Lower Canada in late history, God forbid!) having to deal with waiting 14 months to see a neurologist and stuck with no HBO or American Idol. Yes, before you e-mail maybe The Republic of Texas would take over most of the breadbasket of America, the main point is; would it not have been for weeks and weeks of severe Migraine attacks a gifted Migraineur named Thomas Jefferson might not have crafted the Declaration of Independence, one of the grandest documents as a gift of gifts to birth a nation of nations.

Keep In Mind We Have Unalienable Rights to Migraine Education, Migraine Awareness, Migraine Research This Independence Holiday Season—If the Declaration Of Independence Can Be Created in the Troughs of a Severe Migraine Attack we can support Headache On The Hill today while holding these truths to be self-evident.

In retrospect, during the American Revolution, our hero Migraineur Thomas Jefferson frequently had to return to his Virginia home to help his sick wife, who finally died shortly after childbirth. As we know Jefferson himself was often debilitated by his severe intractable Migraines compounded by other ailments. According to historian, Walter A. McDougall, who wrote that Jefferson "often claim[ed] illness to avoid public debate."1 [Note: Walter A. McDougall chose the term “avoid” we did not. We find it offensive to think a person of Thomas Jefferson’s stature would use health to avoid anything after all he worked through one on the worst heat waves in American history in Philly pre-A/C to finish our Constitution—this like many of us is a person who does NOT use health to get out of personal reasonability no matter how painful it might be.] Of course Jefferson was only human and had his share of regular heath issues you may or may not have know about. Such as in 1781 Jefferson broke his wrist in a fall from his horse, the 1800’s equivalent of a fender bender. Four decades later in 1822, Jefferson again fell and broke his arm. Two ‘car accidents' in 40 years is a pretty safe driver as horseback goes.

As President, however, he developed recurrent diarrhea, something common with Migraine. He conducted experiments to determine the impact of fish on his symptoms. He referred his case to a fellow signer of the Declaration of Independence, Dr. Benjamin Rush.2 Diarrhea and Migraines were recurring problems for Jefferson. He was particularly affected by Migraines in May and June, 1790, when the federal assumption of state debts was being debated in the House of Representatives. Biographer Henry Stephens Randall wrote: "During most of the month of May, Mr. Jefferson was too ill to attend to much business, from the effect of a malady somewhat peculiar to him-a headache, occurring only at considerable intervals, but when it did occur, lasting for a number of days, and with such violence that it produced nearly as much prostration as a severe fit of sickness. Over exertion and the want of rest rendered the present attack a very protracted one, and its debilitating effects did not entirely disappear before July."3 Of course could you image having Migraines pre-air-conditioning in near 100 degree Philadelphia with 80% humidity in June and July. It must have been a nightmare and I, for one, am grateful for the service of Thomas Jefferson.

Even First Lady Abigail Adams shared with Thomas Jefferson a propensity for Migraine. In addition, she suffered with rheumatoid arthritis by the time her husband John Adams became president. Writing her husband in January 1789, Abigail noted that her health "is better than the last winter though very few days pass in which I can say I feel really well."4

In the spring of 1791, Jefferson sought physical and political renewal by taking a vacation through New York and New England with neighbor and friend James Madison In 1795, Jefferson wrote John Adams: "My health has entirely broken down in the last eight months."5 As Vice President, Jefferson had a health scare during the 1800 presidential election when newspapers reported rumors he had died. "I have never enjoyed better and more uninterrupted health," Jefferson wrote Pierre Samuel Dupont de Nemours. "I am much indebted to my enemies for proving by their recitals of my death, that I have friends."6 Writing of Jefferson in 1808, William G. Hyland and William G. Hyland, Jr. wrote that "he was a frail sixty-four years old, suffering from excruciating Migraine headaches, debilitating rheumatoid arthritis, diarrhea, and numerous intestinal infections."7 Who needs friends when the 1808 press is kind enough to splash your medical records before the world. But as you can see it was more than a lone historian claiming Thomas Jefferson to be Migraine sufferer, rather Migraine has an interesting role to play in the founding of our nation.

But Try Pursuing Happiness With A Throbbing Brain 24-7—NOT Going To Happen!

ENDNOTES:

1 Walter A. McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner: A New American History,, 1585-1828, p. 244
2 Dumas Malone, Jefferson the President : First Term 1801-1805, p. 186.
3 Henry Stephens Randall, The Life of Thomas Jefferson, Volume I, p. 612.
4 John P. Kaminski, editor, Founders on the Founders, p. 11. (Letter from Abigal Adams to John Adams, January 7, 1789).
5 William G. Hyland and William G. Hyland, Jr., In Defense of Thomas Jefferson: The Sally Hemings Sex Scandal, p. 61.
6 Susan Dunn, Jefferson's Second Revolution: The Election Crisis of 1800 and the Triumph of Republicanism, p. 3.
7 William Gl Hyland, William G. Hyland, Jr., In Defense of Thomas Jefferson: The Sally Hemings Sex Scandal, p. 61.

President Obama Speaks Directly to Tens of Thousands of Disabled American Migraineurs

 

Surprise News on Medicare Part D!

WASHINGTON, DC; JUNE 24th, 2009—UPDATED SUNDAY, JUNE 28th, 2009—Today President Barack Obama walked briskly into the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House as if speaking directly to tens of thousands of disabled Migraineurs when he offered surprise news on Medicare Part D.   The President informed us that he spoke to the American Medical Association last week, in his address he urged the continued need for health care reform and what will be required to achieve it.  One of the things he stressed was that “everyone in our health care community is going to have to come together and do their part.”

President Obama, with an almost joyful excitement in his demeanor went on to inform the American people our government has been hard at work over the weekend with what MAGNUM considers a real health care breakthrough!  To that fact Congressman Baucus, Chairman finance committee on this issue, as well as members President Obama’s administration, have been in discussions with the pharmaceutical industry to find a way to bring down costs of prescription drugs for America's seniors, and as the President and his key health advisors often do, forget younger Social Security disabled Americans will also share this White House healthcare breakthrough.

President Obama’s statement went on to say; “And I'm pleased to report that over the weekend we reached an understanding that will help close the notorious "doughnut hole" in Medicare Part D.  This is a significant breakthrough on the road to health care reform -- one that will make the difference in the lives of many older Americans.

Even if you are not over 62 years old you need to understand how important it is that President Obama close the notorious "doughnut hole" in Medicare Part D.  You see all working Americans pay into two long term insurance polices already managed by our government.

Medicare Part D--D Is For "Doughnut Hole"

These are NOT taxes, not give always to a privileged group which is what many people think of when they hear of “entitlements”.  Note; U.S. Citizens pay into two trust funds, they are not taxes, but rather you are paying for insurance policies--one is a long term Social Security benefit, and the other is Disability Insurance Trust Fund.  Both are there to protect the working Americans in old age, and in young middle-age or the older person who becomes disabled after having worked for roughly a decade.  Unfortunately there was a major oversight in both acts in their lack of prescription drug coverage.  Recently it had gotten so bad that it would not be uncommon for a young disabled person or an elderly person’s medication cost to actually be more than their total Social Security checks!  So during the last Administration President George W. Bush fixed this major burden to the elderly and the disabled American.  But in order to get this first major extremely expensive health care benefit in years through Congress, President George W. Bush would have to give something up. What the Congress decided to keep was Medicare money!  Which they kept in the form of a Congressional metaphoric pastry! But it allowed President Bush to get is health care improvement on the books, as they say it was a compromise. By late Spring the arrival of the "doughnut hole" showed the weakness of Medicare Part D.

Ironically, President Obama’s ‘people’ loved to quote the large amount of ‘wasteful’ spending President Bush did as a campaign point!  When more than half of the Bush budget bust was spent on giving needed medication to the elderly and the disabled under the then ‘dreaded Medicare Part D’.  To that  fact, President Obama’s own numbers show the saving to the Medicare system over the next decade will be in the hundreds of billions of dollars due to preventive intervention.

So you see, we really all need to start working together, as we are not as far apart on many issues as people think.  To that point listen to President Obama’s explain how he can improve on Part D, and that annoying "doughnut hole":

“I think many of you in the press are familiar with the issue.  The "doughnut hole" refers to a gap in prescription drug coverage that makes it harder for millions of Medicare beneficiaries to pay for the medication they need.  The way the program is structured, Medicare covers up to $2,700 in yearly prescription costs and then stops, and the coverage starts back up when the costs exceed $6,100.  Which means between $2,700 and $6,100 folks are out of luck.  And this gap in coverage has placing a crushing burden on many older Americans who live on fixed incomes and can't afford thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses.”

If two polar opposite leaders can agree on the need to help get medication to the elderly and disabled, and continuities to refine and improve it our leaders in Congress can certainly sit down and work together and improve our health care system without bankrupting the nation or destroying the best parts of what we have now.

President Obama explained in greater detail just how he expects to lift the burden of Medicare Part D’s “doughnut hole”.  The President said; “So as part of the health care reform I expect Congress to enact this year, Medicare beneficiaries whose spending falls within this gap will now receive a discount on prescription drugs of at least 50 percent from the negotiated price their plan pays.  It's a reform that will make prescription drugs more affordable for millions of seniors, and restore a measure of fairness to Medicare Part D.  It's a reflection of the importance of this single step for America's seniors that it has earned the support of AARP, which has been fighting for years to address this anomaly in the system on behalf of older Americans.  AARP is committed, as I am, to achieving health care reform by the end of this year.  And I'm committed to continuing to work with AARP to ensure that any reforms we pursue are carried out in a way that protects America's seniors, who know as well as anyone what's wrong with our health care system and why it's badly in need of reform.”

“Our goal -- our imperative -- is to reduce the punishing inflation in health care costs while improving patient care.  And to do that we're going to have to work together to root out waste and inefficiencies that may pad the bottom line of the insurance industry, but add nothing to the health of our nation.   To that end, the pharmaceutical industry has committed to reduce its draw on the health care system by $80 billion over the next 10 years as part of overall health care reform.”

“Real health care reform that reduces the spiraling costs of health services and extends quality, affordable health coverage to all Americans will require these kinds of commitments throughout the system. And drug and insurance companies stand to benefit when tens of millions more Americans have coverage.  So we're asking them, in exchange, to make essential concessions to reform the system and help reduce costs.  It's only fair.  Today marks a major step forward.  But it will only be meaningful if we complete the journey.”

MAGNUM hopes as this is the beginning of what appears to be some positive movement on what has otherwise been a deadlocked issue, the key issue of major health care reform.  We have seen the American people split on so many issues over the last two years that you would think the nation is developing bipolar disorder!

But after all change IS good, during the live White House speech a week ago tomorrow President Obama repeatedly referred to his new objective as ‘Medicare Part B’.  He wanted Congress to swiftly close the vaunted “doughnut hole” associated with ‘Medicare Part B’.  Having said that, as of Sunday we have not heard one evening entertainment host such as Jay Leno or David Letterman make wise cracks all week long how President Obama did know his B’s form D’s?  Nor did we hear any jokes from Comedy Central when Mr. Obama lectured us about how ‘Americans invented the car’, and Henry Ford invented the assembly line. Sadly of course, Germany invented the automobile, and Smith & Wesson several decades earlier created the first industrial assembly line, but HEY--at least they where an American company.  If President Bush, the Younger, would have made these minor slips-ups for a busy leader the sad jokes would be coming off the David Letterman assembly line non-stop!  We don’t like it when our Presidents are mocked for sport—it serves no purpose be it Obama or Bush.  Not to mention it impedes the critical work ahead of us to improve health care so all Americans will have access to reasonably equal quality of care. 

Armed with a life-affirming sense of humor, when all is said and done in good taste and not in the mean-spirited way most of us are so tired of, humor will fit into President Obama’s Health Care Plan, as we all know a good sense of humor is great medicine!

Maybe we have come to a turning point as all sides agree that Medicare Part D was not only a great improvement to the national health care system after decades of inactivity, President Obama saw fit to buttress it within his first 200 days and improve an already vast improvement for millions of elderly and disabled Americans.   Now that is change we can ALL believe in.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Social Security Act of 1935-

 _{“An act to provide for the general welfare by establishing a system of Federal old-age benefits, and by enabling the several States to make more adequate provision for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws; to establish a Social Security Board; to raise revenue; and for other purposes.”}

 

Technical Note:

Our internet service provider has been having technical problems requiring no less than six service calls over the last two weeks.  This has bottlenecked MAGNUM from posting articles over the past two weeks.  MAGNUM is truly sorry for any inconvenience or MigraineBlog withdraw during this time period.

 

And The Winners Are Migraineurs & Poets!

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.; WEDNESDAY APRIL 29th, 2009—Today As our new President gets top marks for his First 100 Days, maybe it is poetic Justice that his first public judgment falls during America’s National Poetry Month!  With all the talk this April about the economy, influenza, pirates, and a 747 photo op over the New York City skyline, don’t let National Poetry Month slip by as the April winds down.
 
Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 to celebrate poetry and its vital place in the American culture.  Several years later Migraine Advocate and poet Teri Robert organized an Poetry Contest as a way to use art to bring awareness to the burden of Migraine disease and headache disorders. MAGNUM had been using art as an awareness tool for years and was thrilled when she ask us to judge ‘Putting Our Heads Together Poetry Contest’.  After years of Migraine Disease Awareness Art Exhibitions around the country working with a non-visual medium was and still is very exciting to us.  The HealthCentral Network offered Teri an exciting platform in recent years to feature the Poetry Contest on MyMigraineConnecion where even more people can enjoy powerful poetry which speaks in a voice which until recently had been muffled and ignored.

                 

MAGNUM is very proud to have had the opportunity to read this years excellent group of poems submitted to www.MyMigraineConnection.com  created by Migraineurs, those familiar with Migraine disease, or those who obviously grasp the impact of headache disorders. The rules to this year’s ‘Putting Our Heads Together Poetry Contest 2009’ are open to non-Migraineurs as well as long as the poets understand the ‘…subject must be headache or Migraine related, but may be metaphoric or abstract.’
 
It is exciting to have the HealthCentral Network bring poets, Migraineurs,  and their poetry to the public in immediate and innovative ways. MAGNUM wants to thank all those who entered this year’s competition. According to one of the judges MAGNUM Board Member Kristina Nesbitt in Atlanta;   “I was very impressed with the writing. Maybe it's true that pain breeds great artists?” 

“I often wonder if my pain experience as a Migraineur ‘improved’ my vision as an artist?” Said MAGNUM Founder and MigraineBlog writer Michael John Coleman.  Back in 1998, the Migraine Art connection has been explored in a series of medical papers and a booklet written by Drs. Podoll and Robinson, whereas a monograph (finished in 1999) summarizing their research (Migraine Art - The Migraine Experience From Within) had a long way in search for a publisher but supports some of the argument it's true that Migraine pain breeds great artists.

Another MAGNUM Board member and poetry contest Judge Information Services Advisor: Marie Kaddell, M.L.S., M.S., M.B.A. said; “I was happy to see such talent in so many entries.  With poetic proficiency some really pointed out the struggle of living with Migraines.  While yet other poets submitted short and sweet but good imagery (with their entry of the) pain of Migraine.”

So with some of the Judges comments heard let’s take a look at the ranked winners and some of the Honorable Mentions.  For a complete look at the list of finalists, winners, and the twelve Honorable Mentions selected this year you can go directly to MyMigraineConnection now.  But here at MigraineBlog let us take a look at the winners and see what the judges had to say:

First Place

Lover's Betrayal by Zoe Ashcraft
"Lover's Betrayal" by Zoe Ashcraft- “A terrific extended metaphor comparing a lover to a Migraine. Great use of personification too and excellent images. It was incomprehensible to kids, but the teachers loved it.” Reported MAGNUM Judge Nesbitt.

 

Second Place

Powerless by JA Martin
"Powerless" by JA Martin- MAGNUM Judge Kristina Tobin Nesbitt told us “The students' favorite and one of mine too. I think it was the first or second one I read. In terms of using literary devices, it's mild in its approach except for the VERY strong powerful image it creates. Adults and kids can relate to it.”

Third Place

Asylum
Asylum by Ruth Bavetta- MAGNUM Judge Marie Kaddell remarked – “Fantastic images and wording.”

 

Fourth Place

Pain Breaks Like Teeth by Kate Brady
Pain Breaks Like Teeth by Kate Brady- MAGNUM Judge Kristina Tobin Nesbitt expressed – “A terrific extended metaphor too and very playful with the formatting. He must be channeling E.E. Cummings! Terrific images and use of language.” While Judge Kaddell added that is poem was “One of the Best in the contest.”
 

We selected a total of 16 winners out of this year generous submissions.  Of which twelve Honorable Mentions are featured.  While studying this year’s crop of poems MAGNUM Judge Kristina Nesbitt remarked; “There were a few poems I really liked but those poems read too much like other poems I knew or were similar to poems that had been submitted for this contest. In some cases, too many of them had similar ideas or references (literary allusion) ( I read a lot of poems with words taken from Poe and many literary allusions to Alice in Wonderland.)”

Of the Twelve Honorable Mentions “Barbie Gets a Migraine” by Anna Leahy “Is one of my favorites” noted MAGNUM Judge Kaddell. While another Honorable Mention “Half a Life” by poet Nancy Graham ”Really points out the struggle of living with Migraines - ONE OF BEST!” remarked Kaddell. In fact the rest of the remarks to winning poems from here on are all Honorable Mention entries from ‘Putting Our Heads Together Poetry Contest 2009’.

The HM Poem “Random Entry from My Headache Diary” by Mandypoet “Uses very short but cool language – dairy cows!” Judge Kaddell points out.  This is why MAGNUM is grateful the HealthCentral Network in addition to  Help For Headaches & Migraines for offering the Migraine & headache community such an entertaining platform to fulfill MAGNUM’s mission of utilizing the arts to continue to help educate the average person about the burden of these debilitating medical conditions while offering people across the nation a venue to paint the pain of Migraine disease with a poetic palette of prose. 

 MAGNUM Judge Nesbitt also loved "Lover's Betrayal" by Zoe Ashcraft- “A terrific extended metaphor comparing a lover to a Migraine. Great use of personification too and excellent images. (When she read it to a group of students in Atlanta) It was incomprehensible to kids, but the teachers loved it!”

One of the advantages of MAGNUM’s Board and some of our staff and best volunteers are spread around the country.  They offer us their various gifts and talents to carry out the MAGNUM mission.  In this case Kristina, and educator decided to offer some of her gifted students an opportunity to see if any of the poems connected to a mostly Migraine free class. The 25 she chose for the students to read seemed the most original.  Kristina was very pleased to see her students enjoyed reading the unique poems and grasping the struggle that so many of the poems attempt to illustrate.

So in closing we would suggest to those readers who have never suffered a single Migraine nor headache start with reading “To Those Without Migraines” by CheDeco.  Judge Kaddell suggest “…this might be a good description of the Migraine experience.” While Kaddell might suggest readers who live with the burden of Migraine disease you our pain free friends start with “Why Me?” by SunnyLori. Kaddell closes with “This is one of two great poems this person wrote. I like their phrasing – I think it is GREAT!”

For a complete read of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Place winners, and all Twelve Honorable Mentions you can read the poems in their entirety here in Teri Robert’s article “Migraine and Headache Poetry Contest Winners Announcement!” at www.MyMigraineConnection.com.  MAGNUM would also wish to thank MAGNUM's floating judge this year, our own At Large Support Advisor Teri Robert for her excellent input reflected in this year’s winners.

We would encourage you to peruse all the submissions to this years ‘Putting Our Heads Together Poetry Contest 2009’.  You can find all of them thanks to MyMigraineConnection at "All Entries to the 2009 Migraine and Headache Poetry Contest" For you poetry fanatics the HealthCentral Network was kind enough to leave up last year’s winners too, you can enjoy them by visiting them here Last Year’s Migraine and Headache Poetry Contest!  Thank you HealthCentral Network, and thank you Migraine Poets for taking the time to share your work and brave the competition.

MAGNUM's MigraineBlog.com Letter-to-the-Editor Regarding Headache On The Hill 2

  
Photo © Michael John Coleman 2009

Renown Medical Author and Migraine & headache specialist William B. Young, M.D. is pictured above at the second aannual 'Headache On the Hill' earlier this week.  Dr. Young seen here debriefing Migraine & headache advocates from around the nation.  With his front line exposure to this need for more NIH support, which he observes first hand as he happens to be the Inpatient Program Director at one of the nation's top headache clinics--The Jefferson Headache Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

MAGNUM and Other NGOs are Asking You to Write Your Senators and Representatives to Support More NIH Research Into Migraine Disease & Headache Disorders

WASHINGTON, DC—(Saturday, February 28th, 2009)—While attending Headache On the Hill 2  in the nation's capitol earlier this week MAGNUM's Executive Director Michael John Coleman had the pleasure of interviewing one of the country's best Migraine disease and headache disorder experts, one Dr. William B. Young, a member of the American Headache Society (AHS) and American Academy of Neurology (AAN).  Dr. Young appealed to the popular MAGNUM website to use its resources to advance Migraine advocates and the tens of thousands of MAGNUM daily readers to pick-up a pen, or sit down at their keyboards to take heart to a call to action, a call to communications!  Having said that, please read his letter to the editor at MAGNUM;

MAGNUM Letter to the Editor

If you suffer from headaches, it’s time to act. The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA), a coalition of medical and lay groups advocating for headache patients, is asking you to write your senators and representatives to support more research into severe, disabling headache disorders, such as Migraine, chronic Migraine, and cluster headache.

“It’s just a headache,” is often the response from employers, family members, and even doctors to the plight of individuals with disabling headache. One patient with severe daily Migraines told me she rarely left her house. Other patients tell me about losing their jobs because of frequent absences caused by their headaches. Doctors say to me, “I’m glad you’re here, because I really don’t like taking care of headache patients.” The headache sufferer is dismissed at every level.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has calculated that severe migraine attacks are as disabling as quadriplegia. Cluster headache pain is well recognized as perhaps the most severe pain that can be experienced. Nine percent of all missed work is due to headaches. Yet the federal government spends far less finding ways to improve the lives of patients with headache disorders than of patients with better accepted illnesses.

Asthma profoundly impacts the lives of those who have it and, like headache disorders, needs chronic management. However, Migraine and other headache disorders received less than 13 million dollars for research in 2007, while asthma received 294 million dollars. On an individual basis, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spent 36 cents per Migraine sufferer and $12.25 for each person with asthma.

The lack of NIH research funding not only delays development of new effective therapies. Medical schools cannot afford to develop research programs in headache disorders on their own. A spiral of disinterest in providing care for headache patients develops, and this attitude is conveyed to medical students, who are headache sufferers’ hope for the future.

Patient advocacy is a powerful means of influencing health-care change. Government interest can make a huge difference. After years of neglect, autism gained the attention of federal and state legislatures, and autistic kids finally have hope.

Headache sufferers need government to recognize their illnesses. Last year the AHDA brought dozens of headache doctors, scientists, and patient advocates to Washington DC to ask Congress for increased headache research. I met with Senator Specter to enlist his help. As a result, the Senate sent a message to the NIH urging them to focus their attention on headache disorders.

This was a good start, but not enough. Please use the AHDA website (www.headacheadvocacy.com) to convey to your members of Congress your desire for more research into headache disorders.

William B. Young, MD
Associate Professor of Neurology
Thomas Jefferson University
111 S. 11th Street, Suite 8130
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215.955.2243

MigraineBlog Follow-Up on HOH 2

If you think your e-mails, letters, or telephone calls will not make a difference don't fool yourself.  More than ever Congress is now looking at every possible way which will improve both health-care with better policy application as well as more efficient use of tax dollars as it relates to health-care delivery.  Dr. Young's Letter-To-The-Editor opens the door for our legislators having a first hand understanding of the needs of both the medical community and the citizens needing improved care.

Keep visiting your Migraine advocate websites such as AHDA website (www.headacheadvocacy.com), and MAGNUM (www.migraines.org ) for complete background on the impact of Migraine disease and headache disorders.  For weekly updates on the progress of improving the research funding at the National Institutes of Health  (NIH) for Migraine disease and headache disorders make sure to check in www.mymigraineconnection.com and of course www.MigraineBlog.org as we fight on for a better quality of life for all head-pain sufferers.

To learn more about Dr. Young's above average Migraine & headache clinic or if you know someone in the Philadelphia metropolitan area in need of excellent medical care witha focus on intractable Migraines or stubborn chronic daily headache please visit the Jefferson Headache Center's website today.

Help Us Get Better Migraine Treatments!

10 minutes to send a few emails
can make a world of difference!

WASHINGTON, DC - (February 6th, 2009.) -- As MAGNUM reported recently, the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA) is bringing Headache on the Hill back to DC later this month.

As it approaches, the AHDA may need us to participate in sending letters to our Senators and members of the House. When that happens, the AHDA emails an "Action Alert" to everyone on the ADHA mailing list. The Action Alerts let you know what's going on, and provide a link directly to a form to send your letters. You don't have to know or look up your representavies. That's all done for you automatically. When you receive an Action Alert, sending email letters to your Senators and member of the house can be done literaly in 10 minutes or less.

We know that the emails prompted by AHDA action alerts last spring had clear, positive consequences. They led to led to the adoption of the House and Senate report language that the NIH is currently responding to.

We need to be ready when the AHDA asks Migraineurs, as well as everyone else we can round up, to send emails to our Senators and members of the House. When that happens, the AHDA emails an "Action Alert" to everyone on the ADHA mailing list. The Action Alerts let you know what's going on, and provide a link directly to a form to send your letters. You don't have to know or look up your representavies. That's all done for you automatically. When you receive an Action Alert, sending email letters to your Senators and member of the house can be done literaly in 10 minutes or less.

Together, we can make a difference. We can affect changes that will help us and future generations of Migraineurs.

Please take a minute now to sign up for AHDA action alerts so the AHDA can let you know when your help is needed to send emails. To join the AHDA mailing list, CLICK HERE. Please also ask all of your friends and family members to join the mailing list too!