Artistic Interpretation of Vacillating Crystalline Arc Shapes of the Migraine Phenomenon

Artistic Interpretation of Vacillating Crystalline Arc Shapes of the Migraine Phenomenon

by Kevin J. Cox
(Springfield, Illinois U.S.A.)

Migraine Aura

I never had Migraine aura until perhaps two years ago. I was worried about it at first. Now I know they'll go away in just a couple minutes or so.
After I got used to that fact, and being an artist, I thought about how I would Draw or Paint what I saw as a Colorful Vacillating Crystalline Arc or even a Complete Circle within my vision and sometimes across the center of the visual field.
After some thought, I applied myself through my Photoshop expertise at depicting it. Of course, I'm not actually in the picture as I am (on the left) in this depiction.
My niece, just today verified that hers look very much like this. (She said "right on".)
In recent weeks, I've also had vertigo and a (frightening) temporary blindness in one eye that lasted for a minute or two.
I'm glad I've never had the Pain that my mother, sister, daughter and niece all get that incapacitates them for whole days or several days at a time.
I was sent for brain scans this past week. Apparently neither of the doctors I have seen knew about Basilar Migraines which have the blindness thing too. Both doctors were blowing my dizziness off as related to my blood pressure meds and freaked about the blindness. If they had read about Basilars, they may have been less concerned and saved my insurance company some money.
Thanks for operating this site. K.J. Bob Katt Cox

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Artistic Interpretation of Vacillating Crystalline Arc Shapes of the Migraine Phenomenon

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Dec 05, 2008
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Good job!
by: Jessica

It's comforting to know that there are others out there going through the same thing. People I work with and even some family members think I'm crazy when I try to explain what my auras look like. Your picture is so close to what I see that it really helps explain it to them!

Sep 10, 2008
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Reply to Sharon
by: Kevin Cox

Hi Sharon,
Your sufferings are beyond what anybody should have to deal with. I really empathize, even tho my migraines don't measure up to yours in intensity. What gives me insight into your sufferings is that I have a terrible spine and have been on pain medication for 23 years to quell the constant screaming of my extruded discs and stenoses. I've not been called a slacker, but I often feel like one. I wish I could do more than I do. I have recently applied for Soc. Sec. Disability Payments and am afraid they might not give it to me because I CAN ACTUALLY WORK, only for just about a half hour to an hour at a time. I'm a musician, which requires loading and unloading the truck, setting up and tearing down heavy musical equipment and then stand on stage for 4 hours holding up a 13 pound saxophone out in front of myself. Like a pregnant woman, the load exacerbates the pain. I can no longer tolerate a 4 hour job. I now have to sit on a stool half the gig instead of dancing about and being a "performer" as I used to be. I try to book only two and three hour gigs, so instead of working 5 nights a week, I'm down to about four nights a month.
Anyway...about that Photoshop program... I have a one year old iMac with Creative Suite (which sells for $1500 for the software alone) PS is one of 3 programs that it uses. It also has Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign (the new QuarkXPress-type thingie. That pic I did of the aura was done by the line tool, zig-zagging around in a rough circle on first one layer, then adding a couple more layers, one at a time, doing another then another zig-zag line crossing the previous. Then I united those layers (but didn't flatten the image with the main photo) and filled the spaces with different colors. THEN I increased the transparency of that layer until it look right, THEN flattened the image. If you have layers, you could do it with one of the older PSes.

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Sep 10, 2008
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Submitted by: Kevin Cox

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Hi Sharon, Your sufferings are beyond what anybody should have to deal with. I really empathize, even tho my migraines don't measure up to yours in intensity. What gives me insight into your sufferings is that I have a terrible spine and have been on pain medication for 23 years to quell the constant screaming of my extruded discs and stenoses. I've not been called a slacker, but I often feel like one. I wish I could do more than I do. I have recently applied for Soc. Sec. Disability Payments and am afraid they might not give it to me because I CAN ACTUALLY WORK, only for just about a half hour to an hour at a time. I'm a musician, which requires loading and unloading the truck, setting up and tearing down heavy musical equipment and then stand on stage for 4 hours holding up a 13 pound saxophone out in front of myself. Like a pregnant woman, the load exacerbates the pain. I can no longer tolerate a 4 hour job. I now have to sit on a stool half the gig instead of dancing about and being a "performer" as I used to be. I try to book only two and three hour gigs, so instead of working 5 nights a week, I'm down to about four nights a month. Anyway...about that Photoshop program... I have a one year old iMac with Creative Suite (which sells for $1500 for the software alone) PS is one of 3 programs that it uses. It also has Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign (the new QuarkXPress-type thingie. That pic I did of the aura was done by the line tool, zig-zagging around in a rough circle on first one layer, then adding a couple more layers, one at a time, doing another then another zig-zag line crossing the previous. Then I united those layers (but didn't flatten the image with the main photo) and filled the spaces with different colors. THEN I increased the transparency of that layer until it look right, THEN flattened the image. If you have layers, you could do it with one of the older PSes.

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Sep 10, 2008
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Mr Cox-
by: Sharon

I've had two Cat scans done of my brain. Both came out negative. I have gone blind in one or both eyes many times, gotten horrible dizzy, got ticketed for driving drunk once (yes, I went to court and got out of it. The officer learned a lesson,) have vomited more times than I can remember, have fallen and couldn't move or had to crawl like a baby to get across a room, have slept in my car because I didn't feel safe to drive home, have cried like a baby begging fate to please stop the torture, have tried suicide several times. Twice now the doctors came back with the same diagnosis- a typical migraine sufferer- nothing wrong with my brain that they can find. And yes, I was deathly afraid they'd find a lesion or bleeding or God only knows. My migraines started when I was about 21 just out of frigging no where. I'm now 55. Still got the damned things. I wanted a career as a graphic artist. Hell I wanted a career as anything- to be successful and serve. I got a life of misery and suffering. Its not fun or funny. I've been called a fake, lazy, cry baby, sissy. People who don't know can be extremely cruel.

All I'm trying to convey to you is not to worry so much. Yes a migraine can set off a stroke so throughout your life watch your diet, exercise, take care of yourself. You've been genetically chosen to be a sucker for punishment. Well, welcome to a rather exclusive club of people. WE are a bit elite- we survive pain the REAL sissies can't imagine. How many people do you know that would've enjoyed medieval stretching racks as a source of pain relief?

Hugs.

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Sep 10, 2008
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Submitted by: Sharon

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I've had two Cat scans done of my brain. Both came out negative. I have gone blind in one or both eyes many times, gotten horrible dizzy, got ticketed for driving drunk once (yes, I went to court and got out of it. The officer learned a lesson,) have vomited more times than I can remember, have fallen and couldn't move or had to crawl like a baby to get across a room, have slept in my car because I didn't feel safe to drive home, have cried like a baby begging fate to please stop the torture, have tried suicide several times. Twice now the doctors came back with the same diagnosis- a typical migraine sufferer- nothing wrong with my brain that they can find. And yes, I was deathly afraid they'd find a lesion or bleeding or God only knows. My migraines started when I was about 21 just out of frigging no where. I'm now 55. Still got the damned things. I wanted a career as a graphic artist. Hell I wanted a career as anything- to be successful and serve. I got a life of misery and suffering. Its not fun or funny. I've been called a fake, lazy, cry baby, sissy. People who don't know can be extremely cruel. All I'm trying to convey to you is not to worry so much. Yes a migraine can set off a stroke so throughout your life watch your diet, exercise, take care of yourself. You've been genetically chosen to be a sucker for punishment. Well, welcome to a rather exclusive club of people. WE are a bit elite- we survive pain the REAL sissies can't imagine. How many people do you know that would've enjoyed medieval stretching racks as a source of pain relief? Hugs.

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Sep 10, 2008
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Excellent Interpretation
by: Sharon

Wonder what version PS you're using and what kind of computer?

Mine have never been round like that. Always a jagged line just like you show (including the colors) but that line was always distorted more like a the shape of a snake.

Sep 09, 2008
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Thanks for the nice critiques.
by: Kevin Cox

thanks, guys and gals. I love it when people like my art.
The bad news is... I'm also having almost daily headaches this last week. I know some people outgrow migraines. I wonder (and hope it's not true) that I'm growing [into] them. I've gone decades without headaches until this week.
I remember having an unbelieveably harsh headache one day when playing neighborhood football back when I was about 8 years old. I have never had one that bad since. I'm prayin' I won't start having bad headaches this late in life. My mom, sister, daughter, neice get sick with theirs.
Because I've been having other symptoms, I'm a little worried about it.

Sep 09, 2008
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YES!
by: Connie

I can actually see the movement here. Your depiction seems so accurate if I look at it long enough I will have a migraine. Great work!

Sep 09, 2008
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Great representation!
by: James

This is really well done! There are various types of migraine aura, but they do tend to have similar patterns that many people share in common. I think you'll find more people saying "right on"!

Sep 09, 2008
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Educating Doctors about it
by: Kevin Cox

I got a call from my doctor's office today saying the brain scans were normal and to just be sure to take an aspirin every day.
I told them to have the doctor read about Basilar Migraines.
I'm a little incredulous that a doctor in that specialty wouldn't have already known about them.

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Artistic Interpretation of Vacillating Crystalline Arc Shapes of the Migraine Phenomenon

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Artistic Interpretation of Vacillating Crystalline Arc Shapes of the Migraine Phenomenon