My Chronic Daily Migraines

by Joann Krusenklaus
(Knoxville, TN, USA)

I am a fiber artist, God gave me great hands and I love the feel of different textures in them. It is truely a gift. I am the mother of three wonderful young adults. I love where I live, in the East Tennessee Mountains. They are beautiful all year around. Weather wise it's a little rough.

I have had classic migraines with aura all my life. They have increased in frequency in the last four years. I am on disability, which is good because my frequency has increased to daily.

I live in the dark, control the sound levels as much as I can, and always have crackers on hand. I creep out in the darkness to attempt the grocery store. Exhausting!!

I have been on most medications, the side effects were awful, lost my hair, seen countless doctors, neurologist and headache specialist. I am currently taking botox shots, I have had one treatment without any change in my headaches. But no one will treat my symptoms.


There is a dark hole, I tried jumping in once. I barely made it back out. When my life totally erupted, it swallowed me. No one agreed or understood my diagnosis. And it is complicated by my depression and bi-polar disorder.

I live alone, lonely, and in deep pain, but I feel there is a speck of hope out there.