Franzone Family Blog

It’s been over four months since I had a migraine, so I guess I’ve started to forget what they were like. It’s almost as if I never had them; just a faint memory of a bad time in my life. Yesterday evening it struck again though. It was very unexpected.

Right after dinner the kids, Aubrey and I were playing “hide and seek” in the house; one of Avery’s favorite games. I was perfectly fine though I started noticing a slight headache towards the end. No problem. I took some Extra Strength Tylenol and downed a Diet Coke. It seemed not too long after it was getting worse, but I’ve had several headaches since the migraines and just attributed it as such. Pretty soon the light was killing my eyes and sound was a baine to my existence. The screws were being tightened down like a vice around my brain.

With defeat in my heart I took some migraine meds and covered my head with a pillow. Pretty soon I was off to bed and fast asleep leaving Aubrey to tend to bedtime routines with the kids. Man, I really hate those things!

Not anymore! I must admit that my month long stint in Fairbanks, Alaska brought on some serious feelings of depression. I’m not sure if it was the darkness or separation from my family or both. My suspicion is that it was option C… both. I’m so glad to be back in Florida, though and the weather has been oh so accommodating. It has been in the low 70s this past week; perfect weather.

Back on the topic of depression. I have a somewhat melancholy personality and so depressions seems like a close neighbor quite often. I know that many other people have depression tendencies as well, so I wanted to share this article from Tim Ferriss, How You Label Determines How You Feel.

Don’t use the term “depression,” which is loaded with negative and clinical connotations, without considering other labels that might be more appropriate. “Loneliness” or “isolation” are two common substitutes which are not just more precise but more actionable (the term “depression” doesn’t suggest a solution).

Now I am not suggesting that there is no such thing as clinical depressions. I’m merely saying that I’ve experienced this type of thing in my own life. Sometimes just saying, “I am depressed” can make you feel a thousand times worse.

Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease that attacks so many of our loved one’s across this nation. The Alzheimer’s Association is sponsoring a Memory Walk which will be the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research.

How can you help? I’m glad you asked. Can you walk? If so then you can find a Memory Walk in your area to participate in. Better yet you can show your support by becoming a Team Captain and organizing a walk in your area. On the site you will find a Tools section that has information and downloads to make this is easy as possible. Some of the suggested ways of getting started are to raise funds online. You can use their online tools to post your story, ask for and track your fundraising progress. You can also ask for donations from co-workers, friends, neighbors and family members. Many people are happy to help when they know you’re raising money for a good cause. Leveraging businesses: don’t forget to ask your donors if their employer offers matching gifts. Read these tips for more information about how matching gifts can double your impact. Finally if you do decide to become a team captain the site has downloads to help you out including a Team Captain Guide, a guide for recruiting team members, a guide for setting team goals and a team sign-up sheet.