Living with Migraines: “I Was Dismissed, But I Never Gave Up”

Photo courtesy of Roshelle Living with a chronic condition often involves navigating uncharted territory, facing unexpected challenges, and building resilience along the way. For Roshelle, her diagnosis of migraine disease became the catalyst for a life of advocacy, empowerment, and community building.  The Onset of a Life-Altering Condition Roshelle’s migraine journey began in the spring of 2019 during her time serving in the Air Force. What initially appeared to be isolated incidents quickly turned into debilitating attacks that affected her speech, mobility, and cognitive abilities.  “At first, I thought maybe it was a fluke—maybe something I ate or just exhaustion—but as these episodes became more frequent and debilitating, I watched as my quality of life and ability to perform my duties were severely impacted. My work at the time required me to spend most of the day in front of computer screens under bright office lights, and I found myself struggling because the lights became unbearable. The physical toll made it difficult for me to attend training or even get to work some days,” Roshelle tells BlackDoctor.org. Despite these challenges, her initial attempts to seek medical help were met with dismissal—a common experience for many dealing with invisible conditions. “Seeking...