Voices from the Community
Migraine aura is often an invisible burden — difficult to explain, hard to share. Here, we let the real voices of those affected speak for themselves, sharing their experiences and feedback about our website and its resources.
“Thank you very much for this website. I have been suffering from migraine with aura for over 20 years. Time and again, I have tried to find fellow sufferers or a support group; unfortunately, without success so far.”
— B. E., email to Markus Dahlem, September 6, 2001
“My experiences closely match the reports already published. Thank you — it makes you feel less alone, as I don’t know anyone else who suffers from similar symptoms."
— K. L., email to Markus Dahlem, March 4, 2002
“For just over a year now, I have been suffering from migraine aura without any subsequent headache, but with visual disturbances, word-finding difficulties, and impaired hearing. I underwent thorough examinations, including a CT scan, and the diagnosis was migraine without headache.
I am very happy to have found your website, because it is comforting to see that the symptoms I experience are also described by other affected individuals.
To be honest, I was initially somewhat skeptical of the diagnosis — after all: migraine without headache, just with aura??!!”
— E. S., email to Markus Dahlem, October 18, 2002
“migraine-aura.org’?!? Omigosh, I never thought I’d see the day. Thank you ... The funniest part of your site is this: Etiology (the cause of a disease) [PENDING] … ha ha. The suspense is killing me!”
— E. F., website post, June 4, 2004
“Please know how much I appreciate your kind attention to the issue of migraine aura. I never thought I’d live to see the day that describing visual and other sensory disturbances could be discussed openly and without shame. ‘I know this sounds crazy but…’ is such a heavy load to carry.”
— I. R., email to Klaus Podoll, June 7, 2004
“I think the website is coming along nicely, and I am delighted to be a part of this ‘outlet’ for creative migraine sufferers.”
— P. G., email to Klaus Podoll, July 7, 2004
“It is very interesting what you are doing. Thank you.”
— C. L., email to Klaus Podoll, August 27, 2004
“Your site is most interesting.”
— S. H., email to Klaus Podoll, August 27, 2004
“I was very excited to find your information ‘Migraine Art on the Internet’… I decided to embrace my migraine and base my art practice on it. Finding a list of contemporary artists was very exciting.”
— T. H., email to Klaus Podoll, December 9, 2004
“Your website looks great. I look forward to seeing further developments.”
— S. W., email to Klaus Podoll, February 15, 2005
“One of my cartoons appears on this site. I’m proud* that my work is listed among serious artists.”
— T., website post, March 28, 2005
“I found my art on the migraine art website. I had never heard of such a thing. Weird but cool.”
— M. W., email to Klaus Podoll, May 23, 2005
“I just want to let you know that contact with you, with your site, has been enlightening, educating, and fun.”
— J. D., email to Klaus Podoll, June 4, 2005
“I think your site is great; **I hope it helps a lot of people!”
— J. S., email to Klaus Podoll, June 9, 2005
“I have visited your site and found it to be extremely interesting, educational and enlightening.”
— S. M., email to Klaus Podoll, June 11, 2005
“I have found your website very useful and am grateful for it as it is the best site I have found on persistent migraine aura.
— S. G., email to Klaus Podoll, June 16, 2005
“Of course you can reproduce my painting. Thank you for the great work.
— J. B., email to Klaus Podoll, July 11, 2005
“I thoroughly enjoyed touring your website. ^ Fascinated with the information and images.”
— K. D., email to Klaus Podoll, July 18, 2005
“I have seen your website and am impressed by the range and thoroughness of the information.
— R. V., email to Klaus Podoll, July 30, 2005
“Your website is very well constructed and interesting!”
— R. K., email to Klaus Podoll, July 30, 2005
“I have one Poem that I would like for you to consider for your web page:
The Monster Within
There is this monster I cannot see
He lurks deep within inside of me
I know he’s there, hiding deep
Waiting, watching without a peep
[…]
Please oh please just set me free.”— S. S., email to Klaus Podoll, October 21, 2005
“Actually, I’m being inspired by your Migraine Aura website to keep a notebook of migraine-related events.
— M. W., forum post, October 27, 2005
“I searched the web and found your site — the art captured my experiences perfectly. Thank you for creating this space.”
— S. D., email to Klaus Podoll, February 6, 2006
“Your website helped me understand my daughter’s frightening first aura — she thought she saw a ghost. Thank you!
— The H. Family, email to Klaus Podoll, May 8, 2005
“I just wanted to say thank-you for your website! After reading others’ stories, I almost cried from relief.”
— I. S., email to Markus Dahlem & Klaus Podoll, May 6, 2006
“Thank you very much for this website. I have been suffering from migraine with aura for over 20 years. Time and again, I have tried to find fellow sufferers or a support group; unfortunately, without success so far.”
— B. E., email to Markus Dahlem, September 6, 2001
“My experiences closely match the reports already published. Thank you — it makes you feel less alone, as I don’t know anyone else who suffers from similar symptoms.”
— K. L., email to Markus Dahlem, March 4, 2002
“For just over a year now, I have been suffering from migraine aura without any subsequent headache, but with visual disturbances, word-finding difficulties, and impaired hearing. I underwent thorough examinations, including a CT scan, and the diagnosis was migraine without headache.
I am very happy to have found your website, because it is comforting to see that the symptoms I experience are also described by other affected individuals.
To be honest, I was initially somewhat skeptical of the diagnosis — after all: migraine without headache, just with aura??!!”
— E. S., email to Markus Dahlem, October 18, 2002
“Finally, after more than 15 years, I can come out: I am an aura freak. I didn’t know about aura art until now either. It’s wonderful that something like this exists — now I can really show everyone what it’s like.”
— S. G., email to Markus Dahlem, August 31, 2005
“First of all, huge compliments for the informative website. Like the other letters you’ve received, I too have never met anyone who suffers from the same symptoms — and that inevitably leads you to ponder and doubt.
The symptoms described here match mine almost exactly.
Perhaps you could also add that, for me, the headaches and nausea don’t really matter — it’s the aura that causes fear, because you have absolutely no control over it.
Incidentally, I experienced my first migraine with aura at around the age of 12.”
— Y. R., email to Markus Dahlem, August 19 and 21, 2005
“I just wanted to say a big thank you for the website, which I discovered only today.
The stories and examples you have included in the website, people’s auras in their own words, has almost reduced me to tears.
I feel incredibly relieved. It explains so much to me. I see myself in their words.”
— I. S., email to Markus Dahlem & Klaus Podoll, May 6, 2006
“Please know how much I appreciate your kind attention to the issue of migraine aura.
I never thought I’d live to see the day that describing visual and other sensory disturbances could be discussed openly and without shame.
‘I know this sounds crazy but … '
is such a heavy load to carry.
— I. R., email to Klaus Podoll, June 7, 2004