PMR: My Pretty Miserable Reality

by Soph Myers-Kelley

Having been read online in over 45 different countries, PMR Polymyalgia Rheumatica: My Pretty Miserable Reality packs an impactful punch in the chronic illness world.  This book focuses on the author’s experience with Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) which she describes as “a severe, self-limiting inflammatory disorder of unknown cause resulting in muscle pain and stiffness in neck, shoulders, and hips” (2). Through a brief read, one can experience the author’s sorrow, pain, moments of joy and triumph, searches for answers, regiments, and attempts towards healing. She shares plenty of tips and tricks to managing chronic illness while also having a life! The hand painted images are bursting with cartoony, soft, warm colors, which gently illustrate the artist’s words (Knippenberg is both the author and the artist).

Knippenberg describes herself as a past patient as well as an occupational therapist/assistive technology consultant, so she has the experience to accurately share what it’s like to become sick and research one’s own condition as a health professional. Wouldn’t you know that description describes me as well! When I was becoming sick with a mystery genetic illness, I was studying to become a medical librarian. I utilized my research skills to ultimately find the right diagnosis (EDS) and seek treatment. Like me, Knippenberg deals with an overwhelming amount of pain that is constantly changing, along with the immense workload of tracking the pain, trying different treatments and changes, and tracking whether those make any difference.

Knippenberg personifies her pain as little gremlins who go after different parts of her body on different days and in different ways. She masterfully uses this imagery to represent the many ways pain can exist in a body (which I can avow are realistic and representative!) including pain that is crushing, scorching, pounding, stabbing, and ripping, to name just a few. She also accurately portrays other elements of living with chronic illness that other chronically ill people will relate to; the frustration of having to stop doing activities that used to be easy or joyful before illness, making drastic modifications to one’s life in order to function in any capacity, fatigue, the concept of crip time (a term which she doesn’t use but she does address), painsomnia (insomnia primarily caused by pain which cannot be ignored, another term she doesn’t use but does address), medications and their side effects (as well as going off them), and beyond. If you’ve been feeling alone on your pain, chronic illness, or disability journey, or if you know someone who’s experiencing chronic pain and want to better understand their experience, this short graphic medicine memoir might just help you.

For those who relate a little bit too closely to Knippenberg’s experiences, there is a helpful list of PMR resources at the end of the book. These offer lifelines for those who are seeking community, advice, and ideas about treating PMR. The author also encourages those seeking more PMR resources to access the QR code too, where you can see files that informed the book content as well.

Contact Knippenberg if you want to buy a print copy (just pay for the cost of shipping it and/or a donation). If you want to read the e-book for free online (donations encouraged),  you can check it out here: https://read.bookcreator.com/B0azExaJsmVX10cC4clXfTHxYcn1/cJQ6edD3RvaTLyWt758IDA/2mDKWFCUR0-cQpormAtfCw-right

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Soph Myers-Kelley is a medical librarian, herbalist, and activist living in North Carolina. They can be contacted at https://www.smyerskelley.com/ and followed at https://www.instagram.com/sophmyerskelley/