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My Story

In Sept of 2019, I suddenly got the worst headache of my life. I ended up in the emergency room due to not being able to deal with the pain. I was unable to lift my head, I was extremely nauseous and had a throbbing pain in my neck and down my back. I ended up having an emergency lumbar puncture to check for meningitis. It was negative… All the imaging and blood work I had came back normal. Who knew that would be the first day of my medical journey. 

I was desperate for answers, multiple emergency room visits & hospital admissions, trying almost every medicine available that insurance would allow me to try. Just nothing was working. I even tried some FDA-cleared medical devices for relief, while they did provide relief, some devices provided mild relief and some devices not at all. 

I was diagnosed with intractable migraine without aura and with status migrainosus. That means a migraine that has continued for greater than 72 hours and has not responded to usual therapies for migraine. 

in 2023, I was diagnosed  migraine with unilateral motor symptoms (MUMS). It is also known as super migraine because of its fast onset of severe symptoms.

One of the treatments I have received from Jefferson Headache Center is a 5 day inpatient hospitalization receiving ketamine infusions along with a bunch of other medicines. This treatment provides relief and allows my other preventative and abortives treatments be more effective.

In addition to these conditions. I have a slow CSF Leak, which I am being treated at Jefferson Health for this as well. We are working on a treatment plan for this. The typical treatment wasn't effective due to my slow leak.

One thing that I want you to know is that migraine affects your entire body, and your entire life in more ways than you can imagine. I don't just have head pain. I have multiple symptoms that affect my daily life. Sometimes, these symptoms come over time with the attack, or they happen all at once. 
There are 40+ symptoms that someone can experience during an migraine attack.

Please consider supporting me in my two-mile walk for migraine research & fellowship training at Jefferson Headache Center. I am forever grateful to be a patient at Jefferson Headache Center for the amazing medical treatment they have provided me. 

Thank you for your support. I know the millions of people who live with migraine appreciate your support as well.