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“I’m Jaded”: Resenting Becoming Hardened by Illness
On this rainy and dreary evening in the middle of a tumultuous week, I am reflecting on who I was 4 years ago. I was about to graduate from high school, and things felt really magical. It was a time of new beginnings and some bittersweet endings, but ultimately, I had this sense that my life would be radically different, let’s say, four years from now. I can say with confidence that my life is radically different now. I have a different purpose than I thought I would. I’m in a state that I had no real intentions of living in. I have new hobbies and interests. I’m also jaded.…
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Explaining Chronic Pain – The Wet Socks Metaphor
Happy Spring everybody! As it warms up, I can’t help but resent the rainstorms that bring the beautiful flowers. My love for rain has decreased over the years as my ability to predict the weather with my joints has increased. I call it a superpower, but it often doesn’t feel like one. Today I want to talk about something that has always felt just out of reach for me. How do you explain your chronic pain to other people? I’ve tried many things over the years but sometimes, it just feels impossible. How do you describe that deep ache, that persistent itch you can’t scratch? Most days it’s not the…
Navigating chronic pain and disability with humor and grace (most of the time)