Invisible, Not Imaginary

As a chronically ill woman, I was met with disbelief when seeking help from doctors. When I rejected treatment with opiates, my symptoms were disregarded, and I was told that nothing was wrong, and it was 'all in my head', leaving me feeling angry, ashamed, helpless, and invisible. Despite a diagnosis in my early twenties, I was left untreated because fibromyalgia was considered a ‘dumpster diagnosis’ and not taken seriously. Arguing that my pain is “Invisible, Not Imaginary” is exhausting, and for a time I gave up. Casting my face in clear crystal and affixing it to a dark gray mirror speaks to the invisibility of my condition, how I allowed it to fade into the shadows of shame, and the pain that I mask daily. By speaking up through my art, I act as an advocate for myself and others with invisible illnesses and chronic pain.