You Might Also Like: The Head Start: Embracing the Journey

Nora McInerney (0:09)

Life sometimes has a way of blindsiding you with a feeling of being overwhelmed at the worst possible time. That's why you have your self-care, your coping strategies, that's why you have us.

I'm Nora McInerney, and this is the Head Start, Embracing the Journey, a podcast where we'll take all those things you usually save for your friend group out into the open, so we can all find a bit of optimism. For those battling chronic migraine, these conversations are going to be even more helpful and relatable, so definitely stick around.

SPEAKER_2 (0:44)

This show is brought to you in partnership with AbbVie.

Nora McInerney (0:47)

So first, let's hear some important safety information and stay tuned to the end of the podcast for more.

SPEAKER_2 (1:02)

Thank you. Botulinum toxin A is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to prevent headaches in adults with chronic migraine who have 15 or more days each month with headache lasting four or more hours each day in people 18 years and older. It is not known whether Botox is safe and effective to prevent headaches in patients with migraine who have 14 or fewer headache days each month or episodic migraine.

Important safety information. Botox may cause serious side effects that can be life-threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems anytime hours to weeks after injection of Botox. Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing due to weakening of associated muscles can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months. Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms, including loss of strength and all over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing and trouble swallowing.

Please stay tuned for additional important safety information within this podcast.

Nora McInerney (2:19)

Today's guest, Muneera Page, is an actual Botox patient who was on prescribed therapy when she shared her story. Changes in therapy status may have occurred since that time. Muneer was compensated by Abbvie for sharing her story. Portions of this podcast are sponsored by Abbvie.

I am an author, I'm a speaker, I'm a podcaster, I'm a mother. I am always on call. I have rewritten whole chapters between playdates and at soccer practice on the sidelines at 10 p.m. My life is, in many ways, an open book. And honestly, in some ways, quite literally. And while I absolutely love what I do, the pressure is very real. The pressure to always show up, the pressure to be reliable, the pressure to keep going for your kids, for yourself, for the people who rely on you. Even when you're exhausted and all you want to do is just lay in bed and watch a 90s rom-com marathon.

And as we all know, pressure doesn't just exist on stages or in offices. It exists in the palm of your hand, with a cell phone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But here's the thing, like so many other working mothers, and we are all working, I show up always. It's what we do as parents. It's what we do for the people who rely on us.

Now, imagine trying to do all of that while living with a condition that can make that pressure feel more challenging. And it doesn't care if your kids need you or your job needs you. When it wants your attention, there's nothing that you can do but stop everything and listen. For today's guest, Muneera, that reality is very real. Like me, she is a busy working mother, and like so many parents living with chronic migraine, it takes extra effort to show up the way that she wants to. So today, we're talking with Muneera about what it looks like to balance motherhood, work, and a very public life while living with chronic migraine. And what happens when the pressure to be everything for everyone runs headfirst into a condition that so often demands center stage. But before we meet Muneera, let's welcome back Dr. Rhine.

So just so listeners know, I experienced a migraine attack recently while traveling home from a speaking engagement. I've had maybe a handful in my life. I had a little migraine attack and I thought of all of you. And I said, I cannot believe people feel like this more than once in their lifetime, let alone more than once a week. I am reminded that chronic migraine means 15 or more headache days a month.