INTRO

Hi friends — I’m writing this with a mix of humility and frustration because I truly dislike asking for help. It's my birthday on Feb. 4, and this year I'm simply asking for some assistance to get back to baseline.

Over the last few months I’ve been dealing with a neurological condition called cluster headaches — often described as one of the most painful conditions known to medicine. When one hits, I can’t “push through” it. I need fast-acting medication or it can become hours of severe pain.

I’ve lived with these since I was 12 years old, but this has been the worst cycle I’ve ever experienced. It began ramping up in October, and since then it has turned into a pattern of unpredictable attacks, lost sleep, and constant recovery mode. It’s been physically brutal — and honestly, emotionally draining in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it.

I’m also a full-time working musician, so when these hit, it can directly affect my ability to work and recover.

I’ve tried to handle everything quietly and responsibly, but at this point it’s directly affecting my finances.

Why I’m Asking For Help

Cluster headaches aren’t just painful — they’re expensive. In order to function and keep working, I’ve had to rely on a rotation of medications such as:

• Self-injectable sumatriptan/Imitrex (emergency abortive)

• Sumatriptan nasal spray (backup abortive)

• Verapamil (preventative medication)

• Ongoing doctor visits / treatment changes to try to stabilize this cycle

Between medication costs, pharmacy/insurance battles, and the work disruption that comes with repeated severe attacks, I’ve reached a point where I need support to stay afloat.

I’ve even had moments where I seriously considered selling my piano, the lifeline to my job — something I never imagined I’d have to think about — and I went so far as to have it appraised, just to understand my options if things got worse.

How Funds Will Be Used

Your support will help cover:

• Emergency medications and refill costs

• Medical visits and treatment adjustments

• Basic living expenses during the worst of the cycle

• Recovery support while I stabilize and return to full working capacity

The goal amount is the bare minimum I’m trying to cover. If anything comes in beyond medical and essential living costs, I will be donating the extra to cluster headache research/support organizations — including:

• Clusterbusters.org

• American Headache Society (research/education focused)

• National Headache Foundation (patient education/support)

• American Migraine Foundation (education + advocacy)

Even if you can’t donate, sharing this link helps more than you know.

A Quick Note

If you’re thinking “have you tried ___?” — I promise I’ve been down every obvious road already, and I’m working closely with my doctor. If you have personal questions or ideas you want to share, feel free to message me privately and I’ll respond when I have the bandwidth.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for caring. This has been one of the hardest stretches of my life, and I’m deeply grateful for any support you’re able to offer.

— Kit Taylor

**To learn more about Clusters watch this video or read some of this article .**