ALWAYS SEARCHING ...

I've had headaches for as long as I've been an adult. And I've had migraine headaches as least since I was in my mid-30s. At first I had them a couple of times a year. Later they became worse and worse, lasting longer, once I had one for 16 days. After that someone told me I could go to the ER and get something for my headache. Well, back then you could. I started going to the ER and getting a shot of demerol. That was about 3 or 4 times a year. My doctor told me what to ask for, it was demerol and an anti-nausea med. I don't remember the dosages. But by the time I was 55 the headaches were more frequent, and I was having to go to the ER for chest pain way more often that I was for migraines. I was a mess. Finally everything came to a climax: I had a heart "event" after 3 hospitalizations in a month, then a hotel house call for a migraine (I was working and on the road), an allergic reaction to Plavix, and heart failure. I retired. After 18 months of cardiac rehab, I began to get my health back, but the migraines have persisted. So ...
I'm always searching for a cure for migraines. I've found some things that helped a bit. I located my food triggers and eliminated them from my diet: all corn products, nitrites and nitrates, aspartame, sucralose, too much soy. And I became a vegetarian and recently I gave up sugar/sweets as well. I don't drink coffee. I drink plenty of water. I take Co Q 10, and magnesium tablets. I tried feverfew, ginger, butterbur. None of those helped. I tried chiropractic, acupuncture and massage. I learned biofeedback and it sometimes helps. I take Topamax which probably prevents me from having 15 to 20 headaches instead of 8 to 10 a month. It may also decrease the severity. I can't take most of the migraine meds because they give me chest pain. I'm stuck with butalbital and phenergan, which I can take only twice in a week in order to avoid rebound headaches. Oh yes, I'm allergic to aspirin and ibuprophen as well (see Plavix above, severe allergies to meds).
So, now someone has recommended Dermamag oil, which is magnesium oil that you apply to your skin and supposedly is absorbed and has less effect on your digestive system, but is helpful re migraines. It is expensive. But I am about to try to find some locally and apply it. If you have tried this, I would very much appreciate hearing from you. If you don't wish to leave a comment, please contact me via twitter @dehelen.

Off for a Wilde Night

I'm off to be inspired by that old standby: Oscar Wilde. What a man he must have been. So witty, so bright, and so arrogant to allow himself to end up in jail, beaten and broken. He died way too early because of that. But why wouldn't he believe that he would win over such injustice? Anyone might feel the same.
Tonight I will see The Importance of Being Earnest filmed in HD live on Broadway starring Brian Bedford as Lady Bracknell. My daughter and grandson will accompany me and I expect to have a lot of fun. Any time that happens, my muse wakes up and sparkles, shakes her wand in my face and I come alive in all sorts of ways.
Have a splendid evening and night all! And BTW, I'm grateful to Third Rail Rep company for bringing this entertainment to Portland.

Blogging For LGBT Families 2011

As a lesbian mom, I just want to say I support LGBT families and always have. I'm a gramma now, and proud of my grandchildren as I am of their parents.

Here's a shout out to my friends who have LGBT families, and here's to all of you I don't know! All best,
Sandra de Helen

SMALL STONES' KASPA AND FIONA

Kaspa & Fiona have taken over my blog for today, because they need our help.

They are both on a mission to help the world connect with the world through writing. They are also getting married on Saturday the 18th of June.

For their fantasy wedding present, they are asking people across the world to write them a ‘small stone’ and post it on their blogs or on Facebook or Twitter.

A small stone is a short piece of observational writing – simply pay attention to something properly and then write it down. Find out more about small stones here.

If you’re willing to help, we’d love you to do things:

1) Re-post this blog on your own blog any time before June the 18th and give your readers a chance to hear about what we’re doing. You can simply copy and paste the text, or you can find the html here.

2) Write us a small stone on our wedding day whilst we’re saying our vows and eating cake, post it on your blog, and send it to us.

You can find out more about our project at our website, Wedding Small Stones, and you can also read our blog at A River of Stones.

We also have a July challenge coming soon, when we’ll be challenging you to notice one thing every day during July and write it down.

Thank you for listening, and we hope we’ll be returning from our honeymoon to an inbox crammed with small stones, including yours.

Kaspa & Fiona

GUERILLA GIRLS and me

A few years ago I went to a meeting of Guerilla Girls in NYC, it was a networking meeting for theater women. I don't remember a lot about the meeting. I don't live in NYC. But I do remember the talk about the inequity between women and men playwrights being produced across the country. There were some stickers available that a person could plaster on theater walls or bathroom walls etc. Instead, I vowed to contact my local theater companies every year and either congratulate them on having women playwrights in their lineup, or let them know of my disappointment and ask them to consider to include more women next year. I think the only difference I am making is that I am making a nuisance of myself in my own backyard, and pissing people off. Is this what an activist does?
I am like everyone else, I want to be liked. On top of that, I am a playwright. It is not in my best interest to piss off theater heads. What the hell. No wonder the Guerilla Girls had stickers available. I could have remained anonymous, but I thought I was being courageous. A real woman. If there were a pack of people -- women AND men -- talking to theater companies about this very real disparity, then maybe I wouldn't be a thorn in someone's side. As it is, I'm an irritant. This is distressing. What is the answer? Just give up? What would Susan B. Anthony do if she were the only one?

The Stillwater Review, Poetry Reading

I have a poem coming out in the inaugural issue of THE STILLWATER REVIEW. There will be a reading and book launch on Friday, June 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Atrium of Sussex County Community College. That's in New Jersey, and I'm in Oregon, so I won't be there, but lots of wonderful poets will, so go if you can. Buy the book if you can. Later there will be a smaller version available online. I'll let you know about that when I know about it.
My poem is "Mom's White Strapless Dress: A 50's Memoir." Look for it when you pick up your copy. Thanks for your support.

SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT: WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS GETTING PRODUCED

I wish I could also say "right here in River City ..." but not quite yet. However, there are companies in the US who are making it their mission to create equity, and Halcyon Theatre in Chicago is one of them. They are offering a festival of FULL PRODUCTIONS, of five women playwrights this summer. Go here and see: http://www.halcyontheatre.org/mission
This isn't their first year to produce women's plays either, but this year they went out and got five women to write plays inspired by other women's plays (from the past). Who wouldn't love to see that? If you are in or around Chicago, go see. If you can make the trip, go do. If you have funds you can share to support Halcyon's mission, please do that. Support women playwrights however you can, please. Right now, women are being produced only 20% compared to men. We are aiming for 50% by 2020. Anything you can do to support that is much appreciated. Talk to your theatre companies. Let them know you appreciate seeing plays by women, want to see plays by women, then show up when they present plays by women. Women write every kind of play. My last play is "The Godmother." It's about the mob in Kansas City during the Prohibition. In case you thought she was a fairy godmother in a silver coach with white horses. Just saying. Now get outa here you crazy kids.