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What does it mean to rebuild your life when chronic illness topples everything you once held steady? Sara Batchelder and I share our experiences of living with chronic migraine, the grief of losing old versions of ourselves, and the surprising gratitude we’ve found along the way. With Jenga as a powerful metaphor, Sara offers insight into the daily decisions, trade-offs, and small triumphs that come with life in a body that doesn’t always cooperate.

In this episode:

• The Jenga of chronic illness: what falls, what stays
• Living with loss while still finding peace
• Letting go of expectations (and why that’s not giving up)
• The mental and emotional weight of invisible illness
• The power of community
• Creating a life that works with migraine

Resources mentioned:

• Headache on the Hill https://allianceforheadacheadvocacy.org/headache-on-the-hill/
• Miles for Migraine https://www.milesformigraine.org/
• Headache Centers of Excellence https://www.va.gov/minneapolis-health-care/programs/headaches/
• Clusterbusters https://clusterbusters.org/

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In this episode, Kim talks about what it’s really like when you’re not just dealing with your own migraine - you’re also trying to help your kid through it. She shares how hard it was to be taken seriously, the fight to get her child the care they needed, and what it’s like to be a parent in advocacy mode while living with chronic pain herself. It’s an honest and emotional conversation about parenting, pushing for answers, and finding strength in the middle of it all.

Kim opens up about:

When her child started showing signs of migraine

The frustration of not being believed by doctors

What it took to get school to take it seriously

Living with migraine while parenting through it

The strength it takes to keep pushing for answers

This episode is for every parent who’s ever had to fight twice as hard—for their child and themselves.

Resources mentioned:

Pediatric, Teen & Young Adult Migraine & Headache Disorders Parent Support

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pediatricmigraineandheadachedisorders

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Ainslie Course, President of Clusterbusters, shares her personal journey with cluster headaches and how it led her to advocacy leadership. She shares what it’s like to live with cluster headaches, a condition often described as the most painful disease known to medicine. We talk about the urgent need for an accurate diagnosis and what it means to work with a doctor who truly listens. Ainslie also talks about what Clusterbusters is doing to make a real difference through research, education, and support for people living with cluster headaches.

Whether you're living with cluster headaches or trying to better understand it, this conversation offers insight, hope, and practical guidance.

Resources:

• Clusterbusters website: https://clusterbusters.org
• General inquiries: info@clusterbusters.org
• Contact Ainslie directly: ainslie.course@clusterbusters.org
• 20th Annual U.S. Patient Conference, September 11-14, 2025, Grapevine, TX

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Kelly Amspacher shares what it’s like to live with intractable migraine. The kind of migraine that doesn’t let up. She talks about losing her nursing career, grieving the life she thought she’d have, and slowly finding her footing again. Drawing from both her medical background and her personal journey, Kelly has become a powerful advocate for others living with migraine.

We talk about grief, identity and resilience and what it means to live with a condition that doesn’t let up.

Whether you’re in the thick of it or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that even in the hardest seasons, you’re not alone.

National Headache Foundation https://headaches.org/

Miles for Migraine https://www.milesformigraine.org/

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Migraine can change how we see ourselves, but it doesn’t erase who we are.

In this episode, Katie joins me for a deeply honest conversation about life with migraine: the treatments we try, the people we lean on, and the invisible weight we carry. We talk about how cognitive symptoms affected our ability to work and the painful decision to leave careers we once loved. Through it all, we reflect on the importance of self-compassion, connection, and grace.

You’ll hear us talk about:

• How migraine can quietly reshape identity
• The emotional toll of cognitive dysfunction and job loss
• The sometimes long, unpredictable road of trial-and-error treatment
• How Katie holds onto hope, even on the hardest days
• What it means to show yourself grace

If you’ve ever felt confused, frustrated, or alone in your treatment journey, this episode offers a reminder that you’re not walking it alone.

Visit www.migrainerealities.com for more conversations like this one.

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Migraine treatment is not one-size-fits-all, and finding what helps can take time, patience, and a lot of trial and error.

In this episode, I’m joined by my friend Sara Batchelder, who has lived with migraine for more than 30 years, including two decades of chronic daily migraine. Together, we explore the realities of living with migraine while navigating the maze of treatment options.

We talk about:

• Treatments we’ve tried and why results can vary so much
• How tracking symptoms and identifying thresholds can help (and when it can backfire)
• Why symptoms like brain fog and fatigue are often overlooked
• How life stages, hormones, and other health conditions can impact migraine
• Why progress is rarely a straight line and what helps us keep going

If you’ve ever felt confused, frustrated, or alone in your treatment journey, this conversation will remind you that you still have options.

Visit www.migrainerealities.com for more resources and real-life conversations about life with migraine.