My Eyes Many sights once blessed my eyes: Candlelight flickering against cold walls, illuminating my song. Melismatic music fluttering across pages like butterflies made of notes. Steady silhouettes of an anticipating audience, eager for my next line. Elastic on my...
The Alone One Room, four walls, two windows, one door and one bed. The Alone Minimal Silent To survive in The Alone acceptance is mandatory No choice Letting go Floating, untethered Existing in a void rather than a place Dry and suffocating The...
Grief Allayed I lay here in my bed and grieve for what I may not have - for love of spouse and smile Of child and ties bound close to fellow man. These are good things, my heart cries out, and yet I am denied much of the happiness of earth. How can the great good God...
Melissa's World Each day my room's eternally A prison and infirmary It's not a choice that's up to me Relentlessly I miss my family, lost my friends The list of losses never ends My body breaks, my spirit bends Relentlessly I've tried it all, took every test I...
I Miss… “I’ll pick you up in 5.” “I’ll be outside.” … I miss spontaneity. Work was my oxygen. Managing, Teamwork, Sharing, Training … Gone Manager, Vice President, President … Invisible. Committees, Meetings, Flights … Absent. … I miss work. I miss...
Oz Like Joints as stiff and creaky as the Tin Man… When, oh when will they find a lubricant that works for them… Brain as foggy as the Scarecrow… Can’t concentrate, can’t comprehend, can’t remember, will this fog lift someday, somehow… Fear as deep as the Cowardly...
Oh How I Miss Reading Oh how I miss reading, The ability to get lost in a book, To be swept away by the story, To hear the characters in my head! I’ve been robbed of the ability to concentrate, Absorb meaning, Follow the story. Eyes so tired, Eyes...
I wish I could say, “yes,” … that I can go with you to the concert. … that I can figure out the grocery list, go to the store, and unpack when I get home. … that I can walk with you around our neighborhood. … that I will vacuum the house and do the laundry and cook...
Watching the World I open the door from my room I watch the world People in school for degrees People on sunny sandy beaches People winning awards People on trips with friends I love watching everything I dream of joining in I wonder about being part I close...
HOPE I hope you never wake up one day and realize your illness will never get better I hope you are never told you’re being denied care in the form of a letter I hope that you never feel anxiety to see doctors out of fear I hope that you never have to...
I was proud to be a civil servant who worked on the remediation of hazardous waste sites for the US EPA. I was 20 years in and figured I had 20 more to go. But at 42 years of age, ME had other plans. After a day of cross country skiing, ignoring what I now know were...
Reflections on Fibromyalgia This is the owl I got at the children's hospital gift shop when I received my Fibromyalgia diagnosis at age eleven, almost two decades ago. I am now thirty years old and finishing a degree in Disability Studies, and my life with chronic...
Lucinda Bateman, MD, is a renowned clinician, researcher, and educator. Her Johns Hopkins University Medical School training instilled an approach to care that she has employed throughout her career - the patient comes first and the unknown or unexplained does not equate to a lack of proper and compassionate care. Since starting her own practice in 2000, she has served on six boards or committees, been the principal investigator for 45 studies, authored/coauthored 40 journal articles, served as adjunct instructor and adjunct assistant professor in the University of Utah Departments of Preventative Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Anesthesiology, and lectured around the world.