hello, my name is michele. I am 62 (about to be 63) and i still suffer from nearly daily migraines. I am officially disabled due to these migraines. I had my first migraine at 4. I remember riding in the car and flickering lights as we passed in and out of shaded areas from trees near the road. My parents thought it was just motion sickness but I had a really bad headache with aura to go along with the nausea. How does a 4 yr. old know enough to tell her parents it is a migraine. I had them sporadically over the next few years until I reached menarche at which time they occurred whenever I ovulated. Since that is only a few days ea.month, no real problem having a life. However, i married a violent man and became a survivor (sort of) of domestic violence. The last beating I took involved my "loving" husband banging my head against the kitchen floor 17 times before I passed out.  After that the migraines gradually increased month by month until 6 yrs.later they began every day. I was 37 when I was finally diagnosed as a migraineure. I began to have months filled with daily migraines that would finally break only to reoccur 6 to 8 months later. Finally, in 1998 the migraines started and NEVER went away for a 2 & 1/2 yr period I refer to as my "black hole" period. Yes, I kept a migraine journal. Part of the problem was a severe viral infection (Epstein-Barr) that severly affected my apetite. I am not sure keeping the migraine diary was such a good idea as I become suicidally depressed and hospitalized several times for suicide attempts. I had no choice but to file for social security disability. Employers do not want employees who are calling in sick every other day. It took me 2 yrs and $4000 but I finally gained the limited income. In 2003 the migraines went to 3 or 4 times a wk. I was grateful for a day off now and then so I could run what was left of my life. It took me 6 yrs. to recover from that "black hole" period and begin to lead a limited life. It appears that the migraines are stress induced. I suffer from chronic depression and see my therapist regularly. Also, as a survivor of violence, I suffer from PTSD and the migraines are tied to this as well. Right now I am suffering from migraines 5 days out of 7 and am trying desperately to find and avoid at least the food triggers.  I am trying to live a life filled with as much joy as I can find and as much natural beauty as my eyes can see. Every time I have a migraine I remember the last beating. It brings that period in my life back into my life and I really do not like revisiting that time in my life. And I am angry that that man is still causing me so much pain. there is nothing I can do with that anger. He still denies he ever hit me. My son remembers that last beating because He was trying to wake me up after I passed out. So, I know it really happened. At least I no longer live in fear of being beaten. However, whenever I encounter an angry man my first instinct is to check for the nearest exit and get away . I will NOT allow that man to ruin what is left of my life. I am FIERCE in my resolve to lead my life as fully as possible. In addition to the ongoing migraines I have chronic pain from bursitis, nerve damage from 2 ruptured lumbar discs (also due to beating) and a knee injury. Biofeedback hurts. For low level pain (anything under 6 on pain scale of 1-10 with 10 the worst), distraction works providing I am not having light sensitivity problems. Expression of my feelings helps. But I am truly tired of all the meds I take and the nearly constant pain.