Stephanie*AH

"May my heart always be open to the little birds who are the secrets of living..." e.e. cummings

[stephanieah27]

What I mean when I say I believe in Love

This Christian writer expresses her notion of God

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As June and National Headache Month comes to a close, Elle Magazine has chosen to publish an article praising an Instagram trend coined the #migrainepose, where women post flattering photos with their hand at their temple, as though headache pain could be worn as a fashionable accessory. Now, I don’t technically have migraines. My diagnosis of New Daily Persistent Headache means that I have a constant, unremitting headache (with some migraine-like features) that does not respond to treatment or ever go away. It’s something most people, even most doctors, have never heard of because it’s very poorly understood and affects less than 1% of the population. But it is at times debilitating, and certainly life-altering, and it is not fashionable. So I’m posting my own headache pose today, while I lay in bed and rest as I am so often forced to do, because I want my fellow headache warriors, anyone with chronic pain or illness, to know that there is nothing stylish or trendy about our suffering. We are a strong and vibrant community trying to live our best lives in the midst of often constant pain, and we deserve better. I hope Elle and other publications will take this as an opportunity to learn that they can advocate for people in the chronic illness community and together we can bring about support and progress. Light and love to all. #headache #chronicillness @elleusa

[stephanieah27]

As June and National Headache Month comes to a close, Elle Magazine has chosen to publish an article praising an Instagram trend coined the #migrainepose, where women post flattering photos with their hand at their temple, as though headache pain could be worn as a fashionable accessory. Now, I don’t technically have migraines. My diagnosis of New Daily Persistent Headache means that I have a constant, unremitting headache (with some migraine-like features) that does not respond to treatment or ever go away. It’s something most people, even most doctors, have never heard of because it’s very poorly understood and affects less than 1% of the population. But it is at times debilitating, and certainly life-altering, and it is not fashionable. So I’m posting my own headache pose today, while I lay in bed and rest as I am so often forced to do, because I want my fellow headache warriors, anyone with chronic pain or illness, to know that there is nothing stylish or trendy about our suffering. We are a strong and vibrant community trying to live our best lives in the midst of often constant pain, and we deserve better. I hope Elle and other publications will take this as an opportunity to learn that they can advocate for people in the chronic illness community and together we can bring about support and progress. Light and love to all. #headache #chronicillness @elleusa

[mayahan]

Kelly Campbell Berry

[stephanieah27]

Why I’m afraid to date with chronic illness | Grok Nation

With New Daily Persistent Headaches, getting through a day is a lot of work. Just the thought of dating exhausts me, but I do get lonely. How do I reconcile the two?

[stephanieah27]

June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. It’s fitting that I’m having a pain spike today and had to break out my ice hat. In the 4.5 years since I woke up with a headache that has never gone away, a lot has changed. I’ve been diagnosed with New Daily Persistent Headache. I’ve had a whole bunch of other symptoms crop up that sometimes overshadow the headache thing and I’m still searching for so many answers. The thing that hasn’t changed is that pain is a constant part of my life and has also become a part of who I am. But, as hard as it can be to remember sometimes, pain and chronic illness isn’t all that I am. And it never will be. There are a lot of us out there who struggle to feel like we are more than our illnesses but if I have learned anything through all of this, it’s that my capacity for love, for wonder, and for joy has only increased. There is always light and none of us are alone. #headache #chronicillness #thisisme

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TC Guest Editor on Sharing Stories and Narrative Generosity

Town Crier guest editor Stephanie Harper concludes May's month-long discussion on narrative generosity, with reflections on social media, different kinds of narratives, and the stories people choose to share.

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T.E. Hahn on Reconciling Creative and Academic Narratives

Continuing the Town Crier's month on narrative generosity, T.E. Hahn discusses his experience learning how to build and examine creative and academic narratives, and the differences and similarities between the two.

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Spry Literary Journal and the Power of Creating Community

Spry Literary Journal co-editor Erin Ollila discusses the reasons behind the creation of the journal, the importance of community, and the generosity she has discovered working with other writers.

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Am I Sick or Just Lazy? And Other Chronic Illness Doubts I Have

After a decade of chronic illness, writer Stephanie Harper wonders whether some things — like not being productive every day — stem from illness, or if they're part of her personality. Here are 5 chronic illness doubts that she has, and how she fights back against them. It might just help your self-doubts, too.

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Stephanie Vanderslice on Geeks, Writing, and Margot Treitel

Stephanie Vanderslice discusses the generosity of other writers in her life with an excerpt from her book The Geek's Guide to the Writing Life, with references to Margot Treitel, Carol Lloyd, and Richard Bausch.

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Lynne Heinzmann on Giving Voice and Frozen Voices

Lynne Heinzmann discusses her historical novel Frozen Voices, the power of telling stories, and the never-ending cycle of narrative generosity, with references to the sinking of the SS Larchmont.

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Continuing the Town Crier's month on narrative generosity, Kate Jonuska discusses the Women's Fiction section of the bookstore, her first novel Transference, and writing as an exercise of empathy.

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Rebecca Dimyan on Her Responsibility as a Lebanese-American Writer

In this continuation of the Town Crier's month on narrative generosity, Rebbeca Dimyan talks about her trip to Lebanon in 2012 and what it means to be a Lebanese-American writer, with references to Kahlil Gibran and Milan Kundera.

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David Fitzpatrick on Mental Health and His Memoir

David Fitzpatrick talks about his 2012 memoir "Sharp: My Story of Madness, Cutting, and How I Reclaimed My Life" and discusses what it's like to be an advocate for mental health, with references to Wally Lamb.