Migraine Expressions: A Creative Journey through Life with Migraine

If you haven't heard of or seen the book, Migraine Expressions: A Creative Journey through Life with Migraine yet, you have got to check it out. This magnificent anthology, compiled and edited by Betsy Baxter Blondin, contains art, poetry, essays and photography contributed by 124 writers and artists, all either Migraineurs or loved ones, from many states and countries.

You can order the 192 page hardcover book from Word Metro Press. The book normally retails for $34.95 but right now you can order it for the special price of $27.95. Part of the proceeds will be contributed to Migraine research and advocacy organizations.

More information can be found in the press release below.

NEW MIGRAINE ART AND LITERATURE BOOK FROM WORD METRO PRESS

Groundbreaking book depicts migraine in insightful visual and written art from migraineurs worldwide


San Diego, California, July 16, 2008 – Migraine Expressions: A Creative Journey through Life with Migraine illustrates in breathtaking art, poetry, essays and photography some of the ways tens of millions of people worldwide live, work, feel and love while trying to minimize attacks and manage symptoms of this often-debilitating disease. The courage and strength that takes is illuminated in this dramatic work from 124 writers and artists in many states and countries.

No other book expresses migraine in both words and art of people who suffer the symptoms and survive the disease; most books about migraine are from experts who define, explain, and offer advice on how to manage it. This book will complement existing information, be instrumental for people with migraine to share experiences and communicate feelings, and serve as a tool for furthering understanding among non-migraineurs.

Migraine is a neurobiological disease impacting more than 30 million people in the United States and similarly 12 to 15 percent of people in most countries of the world. It is a debilitating and little-understood disorder that is finally attracting the long-overdue attention it urgently needs in medical research and treatment arenas as well as in the general media. Celebrities, athletes and well-known professionals appear more and more often to share their stories or in news items of crippling migraine attacks. They represent many millions of others around the world.

Suzanne E. Simons, Executive Director of the National Headache Foundation, commented, “Congratulations! The images and the words are compelling. Migraineurs will relate to the visual images and poems. Those who don’t suffer may be better able to empathize after reading the book.”

The book includes a foreword by leading migraine educator, advocate and author, Teri Robert, Ph.D., who says, “Projects such as Migraine Expressions are rare, priceless, and sorely needed. They offer an intimate view of the impact of migraine disease. The works of art in this book are deeply personal and revealing. They are heart-wrenching and inspiring, filled with both terror and hope.”

And Richard B. Lipton, MD, Professor of Neurology and Director, Montefiore Headache Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, claims, "Migraine Expressions reveals a neurobiological disease from many highly personal perspectives as contributors transform their experiences into stunning verbal and visual art. The book will help people with migraine find their individual voices even as they recognize the universality of their shared experiences.”

Book details: Hardcover, 192 pages, full color, 8.5 by 11 inches, available from publisher at www.wordmetropress.com July 21, 2008, $34.95 retail. Editor is available for interviews, appearances and book signings.

Pharmaceutical Ads - Give Me a Break!

I've had it up to my eyeballs with pharmaceutical advertising! If you're like me, you're probably sick of these controversial ads too. Every time we turn on the TV, we're bombarded with ads for conditions such as Migraine, Elevated Cholesterol, Depression, Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and of course Erectile Dysfunction.

Do you know who Dr. Robert Jarvik is? My tweenager does. He watches enough TV to know that Dr. Jarvik is the spokesman for Pfizer's cholesterol lowering medication, Lipitor, and that he invented the artificial heart. He can also recite the words verbatim, “When diet and exercise aren’t enough, adding Lipitor significantly lowers cholesterol”. The New York Times tells us what my son and millions of other people in TV land don't know:

...though Jarvik graduated from medical school, he's not licensed to practice medicine or to write prescriptions. He doesn't see patients. He was a consultant to Lipitor maker Pfizer, under contract for $1.35 million. And he didn't start taking Lipitor until a month after he started doing the ads. Oh, and that wasn't him rowing; it was someone who looked like him in a similar jacket.

Because of these ads, my preteen can also explain what Erectile Dysfunction is, tell you about Viagra, warn you "in the rare event of an erection lasting more than 4 hours, seek immediate medical help to avoid long-term injury" and sing all the words to the "Viva Viagra" song.

Even though I'm sick of these commercials, one good thing has come out of this...COUPONS, REBATES, VOUCHERS AND FREE TRIALS. For more information on this see my next post.