Anonymous; she/her; Fibromyalgia, Stage 4 Endometriosis, Raynauds, IBS, etc
Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain often at specific "trigger points" accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals. It is more common in women.
There are over 3 million reported U.S. cases per year.
Endometriosis is a painful disorder where the tissue that normally lines the uterus forms on the outside, or even the bowels and intestines. This disorder can cause menstrual irregularity and increased pain during the menstrual cycle. Although it is thought that around 20% of people with uteruses have Endometriosis, many go undiagnosed due to the medical biases towards female-bodied patients. This same bias has led to a lack of research on this and similar disorders.
Raynaud's is a condition characterized by narrowed blood vessels in extremities, causing limited blood flow and temperature sensitivity. There are more than 200,000 recorded US cases annually.
IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is not adequately understood. The symptoms include abdominal pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea, etc. More than 200,000 cases are recorded in the US annually.
This subject is dealing with so many things at once, and chose to depict this with gnarled roots wrapping around her and restricting her. While the roots towards the top are charred and black, as they get closer to the ground they become mossy and alive. A forest fire illuminates the background but the subject is surviving. This image depicts the struggle of her chronic conditions but simultaneously the victory of her survival.