[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat. Text reads: “DOCTOR SAYS ‘BIRTHMARK’ ON LEG WILL FADE AS YOU GET OLDER. 16 YEARS LATER: MARK STILL THERE, RANDOM LEG PAINS, NO EXPLANATION”]

My birthmark isn’t a ‘birthmark’, per se, so much as it’s a random cluster of veins (or at least, it looks that way) on the side of my right thigh. My parents were told when I was born that it would ‘fade after a bit’, but alas, 16 years later the mark still remains. And for as long as I can remember, this leg will randomly give out, or at the very least start becoming uncomfortable to walk on. My mom recently pointed out that I walk with this leg angled abnormally inwards, which I’ve done for so long I never thought it anything but ‘normal’. Now I’m just wondering if by my next doctor’s appointment, the doctors will have an explanation. 

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “So you’re always in pain? Like even right now? That’s what “ALWAYS” means.”]

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “Take these pills, they said. They will help, they said.”]

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “TOP: Conditions seem like Pokemon now BOTTOM: ‘Gotta catch em all!’”]

Started with Endometriosis. Then it was Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Then it was Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome cause by exposure to Stachybotris (cue a bunch of allergies popping up from that, too). Now a new doc suspects Crohn’s Disease o top of everything else. My body needs to learn that collecting conditions isn’t fun! Bad body, bad!

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “1 day of cleaning. 1 week of recovery”]

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: Top: “DOWNLOAD NEW APPS” Bottom: “FOR TRACKING PAIN AND PILLS”]

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “TOP: Tell mom you got a pill organizer BOTTOM: ‘But those are for senior citizens’”]

Can’t open pill bottles in the morning, bro.

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat. Can’t take meds because of side effects:  “I’m sorry but there’s nothing else we can do for you”]

True story. I suffer from a chronic nerve condition that isn’t diagnosed further than that because my doctors are lazy and they said it should go away on it’s own. It’s been five years now and I can’t take meds because I get really sick and really high without feeling a decrease in pain so I made the decision to not take meds but instead to try meditation and eating a healthier diet.

A couple months ago I was released from the hospital since I refuse to re-try meds that I’ve already tried 3 times before with no success…

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “Mention that bad weather is making your joints hurt.

“Oh, you’re too young for aches and pains like that!””]

I totally didn’t realize that until this moment, you wonderfully helpful person! 

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “Body: I’ll move and eat but I’m gonna be all sad about it. Me: Gettin’ real tired of your shit body!”]

Based off the “Getting real tired of your shit Master Wayne!” comic. Because seriously, body. SERIOUSLY?!

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat with blue eyes. Text reads: Top: “Get diagnosed with seizures” Bottom: “kicked off insurance 3 months later”]

True story, I started experiencing seizures and tics just before I turned 18. I went through a relatively fast chain of doctor - neorologist - psychiatrist and wound up on meds that kept everything under control (clonodine and topamax). As soon as I had been taking them regularly the insurance through my grandfather’s work kicked me out. I haven’t been able to get a new prescription in two years.

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “Top Text: Gets cane to make disability more visible Bottom Text: People think cane is accessory, still glare”]

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “top: work evening/night shifts

Bottom: become permanently nocturnal”]

So my sleep pattern has been fucking up, leading to tiredness and more caffeine dependance which irritates my Endometriosis, which increases my pain which ups my stress and anxiety which causes more sleeping problems, and so on and so forth.

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat. Text reads: “get up at five thirty A M every day to make it to work at nine thirty A M.  Still Late.  Every day.”]

[Image: 6-piece blue colored background with a Siamese cat.Text reads: “New doctor: So why are you here today? Look over at mom to help answer for you. ”]