I recently have had a huge spike in my chronic pain.  I have changed environments back to my parents' home for the holidays--which I'm very excited about, however, switching environments is very hard on my pain.  There are many different aspects that goes into a changing an environment.  There’s a change in diet, sleeping schedule and switching beds, changing from living alone to living with three other people.  The cold, frigid weather can be hard as well.  The list goes on.  And, it all adds up a lot and can cause my pain to spike during my adjustment period.  Besides spiking my pain, my anxiety and depression also climbs higher.  I’m placed farther away from my friends and visiting them becomes much harder.  It cannot be just a stop by and say hi kind of get together; it becomes a full day+ trip—which is often very hard for me to do. 
       I think a lot of people may not experience this difficulty.  Or if they do, we don’t talk about it.  But I think it’s important.  Your chronically ill friends may need more help than you are aware of—this is just one of the difficulties that comes it.  Please, check up on your chronically ill friends during this time of year!  I know even just some support and help can make a world of a difference.  

Yesterday I received one of the 2019 Merit Awards from the Toledo Arts Commission!  I'd like to give them a great big shout out for this amazing opportunity to fund my art.  I would also like to thank them for how absolutely wonderful and welcoming every member of the Arts Commission is!  Everyone was excited to meet with me and congratulate me for this award.  I'm very honored to see how this grant pushes my art and the new connections I've made in Toledo because of it!

Check them out:  https://theartscommission.org/