For Lindsay Ballard, a 28-year-old from Colchester, VT, living with migraine has meant sacrificing things that many people take for granted. Whether missing school, struggling to hold a steady job, or dealing with strains on personal relationships, Lindsay’s battle with chronic migraine has led to feelings of loneliness and isolation.
But rather than withdraw or feel sorry for herself, Lindsay has used the internet to make connections and build new relationships. Through blogs, online groups, and social media, she has found a supportive community who not only share her struggles, but have encouraged and empowered her to share her own experience.
Wrestling with the symptoms of migraine is something Lindsay has been familiar with from an early age. But it was when she became a teenager that the disease began having a major impact on her life. “I started missing a lot of school,” she says. “I spent most of my time playing catch-up because I was sick so often. My peers knew something was wrong, but I never really talked about it, which took a toll on some of my closer relationships. It was hard for me to just be a normal teenager.”
Now, as a student working toward a Master’s in Public Health, as well as Certification as a Health and Wellness Coach, Lindsay is doing her best to manage migraine attacks that have become more frequent and severe than ever before. “I’m completing my degree online, which means I can do coursework whenever I feel well,” she says. “But my condition is chronic and it prevents me from working. I just don’t know when symptoms are going to happen.”
