A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way for Migraine Warriors
Spring was in the air when my husband and I walked into our investment agent’s office for our annual financial review. Considering the state of the markets these days, I wasn’t expecting the office on the other side of the door to hold a pleasant, heartwarming surprise. I was really not expecting that surprise to be related to my migraine disease.
After the standard greetings and discussion of how everyone had been doing over the last year, our agent asked me if his office smelled OK for me. His words didn’t register for a moment, as was evident by the puzzled expression on my face. He remembered I had trouble with their scented oil fragrances the last time I was in the office, so they removed the items from the office that morning in preparation for my arrival.
I’m not used to people paying that much attention to me when I’m trying to educate them on migraine disease. I was shocked and touched by the compassionate attempt to help me prevent exposure to one of my migraine triggers. Of course, it takes longer than a few hours for such fragrances to vacate the property completely, but it had dissipated a great deal. The scent in his office was light enough that I felt safe to breathe in a normal fashion. The lingering smell in the lobby still turned me into a mouth breather in that part of the building, but their kind gesture was amazing.
Removing a strong fragrance to help out a client was a simple thing to do. I was so grateful for their thoughtful act of kindness. I was utterly surprised to the point it almost brought me to tears. Not all migraine surprises are pleasant ones, so I’ll hold on to the memory of this one for as long as I can. I don’t expect friends and family to remember every detail of my version of migraine, but it is a lovely surprise when they listen close enough to learn something about my migraine illness.
When a friend texts to meet for lunch and tells me I can pick the time that works best for me so that I don’t end up with an episode, I’m touched by such consideration. She may not remember every trigger that I must avoid, and that’s fine. I’m thankful she knows I require three meals a day during certain time intervals.
The compassion I see in the comments in my migraine Facebook group brings a pleasant surprise to my days as well. Even in their own time of pain, these strong, brave people look out for one another and reach out with words of encouragement and understanding. The caring support between fellow migraine warriors is inspirational.
The smallest gestures of kindness can make a huge difference in the life of a migraine warrior. It costs nothing but a little time to listen. When was the last time you truly listened to the needs of the people around you? Helping someone in their time of need is rewarding for everyone. It’s a blessing for those in pain, and you might be surprised by how good it makes you feel.
Tap into a community of fellow migraineurs on Facebook. Learn, share, and connect in our Migraine Support Community.
Originally published at WebMD.com on 1/17/2024.
