Traci’s Paws founder back in the game after struggle with migraines

Traci Wilkerson Steckel at the Unleash the Holiday Cheer event for Traci s Paws Photo courtesy of Traci Wilkerson Steckel Traci Wilkerson Steckel the founder of Traci s Paws is back after taking a more passive role in the nonprofit due to her struggle with migraines Steckel started Traci s Paws in She was inspired by her Texas childhood when she revealed she was reliably taking in unwanted animals That didn t stop when Steckel grew up As a trainer she took in plenty of class pets too but didn t feel she was doing right by them She considered starting her own venture but talked to shelters and rescues and heard they needed help with food participants and the business side of things So Traci s Paws was born But Steckel had to take a step back from her nonprofit passion project due to migraines After dealing with them for almost years she had reached a tipping point but luckily she determined a medication that worked for her My life is much happier now because I m having so multiple fewer days with migraines Steckel mentioned There s much more to Steckel than her battle with migraine infection and Traci s Paws though She is the founder and CEO of her own firm Wilkerson Consulting Agency She was a tutor for almost eight years and is an ally for the LGBTQ neighborhood participating in protests and advocating for others She s also quite the jazz enthusiast and a musician herself Unfortunately for Steckel her migraines barred her from playing her baritone saxophone But now that Steckel has determined certain relief she is back to playing her sax and is especially happy at the chance to make music again Steckel has located certain respite from migraines but only after she became her own strength care advocate she explained Migraines aren t merely headaches for Steckel they were debilitating She tried to persevere as much as workable but she stated There are a lot of days that are lost because sometimes you just cannot function The neurological infection causes headaches but also nausea and vomiting According to Dr Jessica Ailani director of the MedStar Georgetown Headache Center migraine condition is essentially having a sensitive brain that can be easily irritated by scent light and sound Steckel herself commented she is sensitive to smells even a nice-smelling perfume can trigger a migraine for her And despite being a seasoned vet when it comes to migraines she eventually had to press pause on her nonprofit and public involvement You have to put a hold you know kind of slam the brakes It s not fun because life is still spinning around on the outside she revealed But you kind of feel like the world s kind of stopped because you re in so much pain you really can t function and a lot of times you do it anyway but there are times when you just can t Ailani announced it s common for people who suffer from migraines to push through life But pushing through the pain can come at a cost she revealed There s this burden that they carry from pushing through They get through work but then they re not really being there for friends and family So it s extremely isolating Ailani disclosed Steckel believes encouraging casual migraine conversations and normalizing the complaint is key in spreading awareness To both Steckel and Ailani it s key to be your own healthcare advocate and talk about the illness with friends family and vitality care providers What I would say to encourage you is you know find that right provider Search for that right healing It is not instantaneous Ailani mentioned It s going to take time but it s worth it in the end