“Pain!”

My painting is called 'Pain!' This is my first painting in more than twenty-five years. It came about after my pain doctor’s office decided to have a Paint Your Pain art exhibit. As a long-time patient I felt the exhibit served a dual purpose – not only would it be therapeutic by providing a release through the act of painting, but it would show people that living with pain can be and is debilitating, to say the least. Getting my mind off the pain helps to alleviate the downward spiral, hence the exposed brain, spinal cord and transparent hand covering my back in the painting. Also, in the lower left there is a chemical signature of an opioid which I took for years but became tolerant, and in the right lower windowpane you see a capsule of morphine which I currently take to help with my pain. Next to my hand you see a silver circle which depicts a neurostimulator which I had implanted in 2010. It helps somewhat but by no means is it a cure. Also, written on the blue walls of this painting you can see over and over again the quote 'PLEASE HELP ME HELP ME PLEASE.' I hope my painting gives its viewers a glimpse into the world, my world, of chronic pain and helps to educate them in the different ways one can address their pain."