The Seated View

In the past month or so, two doctors have suggested that my extreme fatigue is due to depression and anxiety. And sure, I will accept that this may be part of the reason for Fatigue #1 (as I call it), which has dogged my days since the croup incident . But it doesn’t explain Fatigue #2 that got added in mid-April. The one that has me white-knuckling my way through the day, trying to stay up when my body only wants to sleep. The one that’s given me brain fog so profound that writing and working is next to impossible. The one that has eaten my social life and makes me feel sick every single day. Every instinct I have tells me that this is physical — a chronic sinus infection, perhaps? — but I’ve started experiencing The Wall. If you have a chronic illness, chances are you know this wall well. Because many forms of chronic illness can be difficult to diagnose, it’s quite common to see several doctors before you find someone who can pinpoint the cause of your sympt...

I used to start the day crying in the shower. The pain was so great that waking up and beginning to move was torture. So I sat in the shower, salty tears mixing with the fresh water. Every day. And then my doctor gave me a prescription for opioids and the pain subsided. No longer did I start the day by dissolving in tears. Instead, I hummed in the shower, looking forward to my day. I have used opioids for 12 years now and at no point have I been addicted or stoned. I take these medications for strong pain, which means they have something to do other than make me high. Namely control the pain so I can get on with my life. Because of these and other medications, I am able to be an active part of my family, nurture my friendships, volunteer in my community, and do the kind of work that enables me to pay taxes and feel that I am a productive member of society. I’m not alone. For thousands of people who live with chronic pain, opioids are a literal lifesaver. Without th...

A little over a week ago, this ad ran during the Super Bowl It deals with opioid -induced constipation and is, in my opinion, both discreet and direct, as well as very, very charming. It’s a very subtle ad for a medication that might help , but it is also much more than that, sending a message that people who take opioids are out there in the world among us, normal people living normal lives. And it’s created in partnership with a number of excellent organizations, such as CreakyJoints, For Grace, US Pain Foundation, American Chronic Pain Association and The Power of Pain. Immediately, lots of people made a joke about this being an ad for constipated junkies, Bill Maher among them . But it didn’t stop there. Others were outraged, including the White House Chief of Staff, who tweeted “next year, how about fewer ads that fuel opioid addiction and more on access to treatment.” Seriously. via GIPHY The very first words in the ad are “if you need an opioid to ...