wise words
NAME: Allison Bratnick, 24 RESIDENCE: Chicago
CONDITIONS: Chronic daily headache, menstrual migraine, hunger headaches, exertion headaches, TMJ headaches, migraine with and without aura, tension headaches
FIRST DIAGNOSED: 8 years old
Photography by Morgan Anderson
What is the most frustrating thing about your life? Constantly disappointing friends and family by having to cancel plans. Especially since it’ s an invisible illness, it’ s hard for people to understand.
What are you most thankful for? My parents— because they do understand. My dad understands because he’ s struggled with headaches all his life. My mom understands because she’ s my caregiver. She’ s seen me go through hell and back.
What’ s your greatest achievement? Getting through it. Knowing I’ m doing everything I can to manage it. Even only missing work once since I’ ve been here is an accomplishment.
How do you live your day-to-day life? Very carefully. I tiptoe through life. I think about everything I do, everything I eat and everything I buy. My ex-boyfriend was a glass blower, and he used to say I was like his little piece of glass because I was so fragile.
What’ s your favorite book? A Brain Wider Than the Sky by Andrew Levy or Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.
What is your idea of happiness? Being pain-free. When I have a headache for a few days, and the next day I wake up and I don’ t have a headache, it’ s the best day of my life. HW
ALLISON BRATNICK is a production manager at Imagination Publishing and was integral in putting together the premiere issue of Head Wise magazine.
48 HEAD WISE | Volume 1, Issue 1 • 2011