#NMAM "Let there be light."

Today's blogging challenge: Most Migraineurs have issues with light sensitivity. What do you do to cope with it? Avoidance, avoidance, avoidance. It's that simple. When the light hurts, I avoid it. I wear sunglasses (sometimes multiple pairs at once). I use a face mask. I put my leather jacket over my head. I put a hand up to block the lights of oncoming traffic. I make the light go away every way that I have at my disposal.

I refuse to use "energy efficient" bulbs, because they're one of the worst frequencies of light for migraine sufferers. I've gotten to be a pro at walking around in the dark, especially not putting my foot down on something that could hurt, or be hurt (like my cat). I've memorized the distinct sounds my pills make, so that I can tell what bottle I've got in my hands, without reading the label. (I do read the bottle before taking the pill, but it helps when I only have to open my eyes once.)

I've set my computer and phone to the lowest brightness available. If I need a flashlight, I use my phone screen instead of an actual flashlight, because the low setting is just perfect to reflect only the smallest amount of light needed to see where I'm going. I've placed a piece of electrical tape across the LED lights of my computer, because they're bright enough to bother my migraines (from the other room!) when all the other lights are turned off.

In one of my apartments, I even boarded up the window in the bathroom to keep light from getting in. The bathroom was the place I spent most of my time with a migraine---either because I had to hug the toilet, or because I had to sit in the shower and have the falling water distract me from the pain in my head. Light in the bathroom was not a good thing, and a window was a source of light, even at night. Solid wood boards covering the window did the trick.

How do I cope with light sensitivity? Any way I can...

"National Migraine Awareness Month is initiated by the National Headache Foundation. The Blogger's Challenge is initiated by www.FightingHeadacheDisorders.com."