Name: Allison Bratnick, 24
Residence: Chicago
Conditions: Chronic daily headaches, menstrual migraine, hunger headaches, exertion headaches, TMJ headaches, migraine with and without aura, tension headaches
First Diagnosed: 8 years old
Q: What is the most frustrating thing about your life?
A: Constantly disappointing friends and family by having to cancel plans. Especially since it's an invisible illness, it's hard for people to understand.
Q: What are you most thankful for?
A: My parents-because they do understand. My dad understands because he's struggled with headaches all his life. My mom understands because she's my caregiver. She's seen me go through hell and back.
Q: What’s your greatest achievement?
A: Getting through it. Knowing I'm doing everything I can to manage it. Even only missing work once since I've been here is an accomplishment.
Q: How do you manage your condition?
A: Very carefully. I tiptoe through life. I think about everything I do, everything I eat and everything I buy. My ex-boyfriend was a glass blower, and he used to say I was like his little piece of glass because I was so fragile.
Q: What's your favorite book?
A: A Brain Wider Than the Sky by Andrew Levy or Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.
Q: What is your idea of happiness?
A: Being pain-free. When I have a headache for a few days, and the next day I wake up and I don't have a headache, it's the best day of my life.
