Chris Richards shares how chronic pain led him to storytelling, resilience, and his memoir, “Nothing So Broken.”

When you live with chronic pain or illness, coping isn’t just a strategy—it’s a survival skill. Whether you’re flaring on the couch or masking your pain in a doctor’s office (again), you’re constantly reaching for tools that help you make sense of the chaos happening in your body. One...

Living with chronic pain involves moments that can suddenly throw you backward. I don’t know about you, but the initial shock of realizing that things are regressing can send my emotions into turmoil. I find myself wondering why—despite all the hard work I’ve done—I now have to face yet another...

Life knows how to jolt you, especially when you have chronic pain. One moment can change your day, possibly weeks, or even the rest of your life. One moment you are feeling pretty decent, and then one twist, turn, jolt, or squeeze can turn that feeling on a dime. For instance, I was working out a...

Despite the daily challenges of living with chronic pain, many of us choose to keep a smile on our face. To those we encounter, this can be interpreted as a sign that we are in good health and pain-free. However, maybe that smiling individual simply wants to remain positive despite their pain....

Living life with chronic pain is a constant challenge. I am sure I am not alone in experiencing many moments of feeling overwhelmed, trying to keep my head above the tumultuous water in the sea of uncertainty. We can either allow ourselves to sink into this churning sea and let the chaos engulf...

Many of us try not to imagine ourselves hitting the later years of life. Whether we dream and plan for a life far down the road, or we still feel young and like the whole world is in front of us, age still creeps up on us, even if we don’t open our eyes to accept it. Coping with a chronic pain...

Imagine this: You’re walking fine one day, and the next you can’t because your hips, fibulas, or tibias are subluxed, or partially dislocated. You hug a dear friend, put a bag over your shoulder, or sit at a different angle, only to suffer pain from a subluxed neck, shoulder, or ribs—or even a...

Happiness is such a joy and medicine to the soul as I navigate life with chronic pain. For me, it can range from simple things like hearing and watching the birds visiting my feeders to starting my day, feeling as healthy as possible, content, and finding purpose and meaning in life. Happiness for...

This summer, children and teens living with chronic pain reached the top of a rock wall, traversed a ropes course, rode a zip line and a giant swing, went horseback riding and swimming, and shot hoops. They did so using wheelchairs, braces and splints, forearm crutches, feeding tubes, and other...

From Young, Healthy, and Active to Disabled In 1977, I was 25 years old and attending graduate school, working towards a master’s degree in social work. I was healthy and active, and I enjoyed bicycling long distances and hiking. I started running to get into better shape in preparation for a...