Chronic Pain

I think maybe a face mask of a happy smiling cutesy bun to wear over the pain face to represent faking being ok just to not bring everyone down all the time, or maybe a full body suit of a happy smiling cutesy bunny with a really obvious zipper to show how we look ok to people who aren’t paying real attention, but if people bother to really look at us, the signs are there that “ok” is just a facade on the surface and underneath that act we’re in more pain than they’d think was possible to function with are there.

I’m gonna go against the grain here with the colors. I think the turquoise and bubblegum are sweet and soft in a good way. The symbols represent the pain and its difficulties, while for me the colors would remind me to give myself grace, especially on the bad days. That we need to be soft on ourselves when we reach our physical limits. I wouldn’t want a plushie to remind me of only the bad things about my chronic pain. I want it to remind me it’s okay to be kind to myself about how it disables me as well.

Oh, and re: color, I lean toward red and black. It's just the way it feels. Red is the burning pain, black is the exhaustion. Plaid could be nice.

I'd like to see maybe the pain scale in the lining of the ears? Or maybe a pain scale chart torn in two? Fighting like hell to get your pain prescriptions filled is a common experience I think most of us share, along with the experience of being shamed for needing meds (since for some terrible reason our culture seems to see ignoring pain as a virtue and being in need of pain management as a personal failing). I'm trying to think if a visual representation of these, but it's not coming to me just yet…I love the heating pad idea that has been suggested. It would be so cute if he had one with a wee little cord and controller. Physical therapy is a constant reality, too, but again that's something I'd have to think a bit on how to represent that visually. Canes for walking are a common need.

i absolutely agree with u!! i have fibromyalgia and this bun would be more than perfect if it was purple. it matches the chronic pain colour-wheel and it would bring a lot of people suffering from it some comfort. i’m so excited to see the end result!