The Pain & the Protocol Archives

July 2, 2026

I’m Building a Medical Team That Gives a Shit

Breaking the Silence: The Ransom, the Scans, and the Reality Check It has been a hot minute since...

March 15, 2026

The System Check We are officially encroaching on the 27th anniversary of the day my life hit a...

March 8, 2026

I am still here. I am not exactly “kicking”—considering my left knee and right shoulder have filed a...

January 31, 2026

I started this post days ago. But in the world of chronic illness, the “siege” doesn’t just steal...

January 22, 2026

It turns out that when the fog of a 26-year headache starts to lift, you don’t just sit...

January 10, 2026

Thursday, January 8th, was a lesson in the Protocol of Privilege. I stood at the pharmacy counter, a...

December 26, 2025

I am writing this through a haze of physical agony. My neck is locked, my shoulders are on...

December 11, 2025

I always wear a mask, but nobody sees it. It’s not a physical thing, of course, but the...

November 30, 2025

Why Early Holiday Commercialism Feels Overwhelming (and Harmful) I hate Christmas. It’s not the idea of goodwill or...

November 26, 2025

It has been 25 days since I took the first dose of Emgality. If you thought the fight...