I'm a writer based in California's Central Valley, where the heat and my Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) compete for the "most excruciating" award. Years of battling this rare, fiery condition (and equally frustrating medical encounters), and a recent advancement to Stage 2 ignited my relentless advocacy for better chronic pain care. This blog is where I share my brutally honest CRPS journey, laced with a healthy dose of dark humor because sometimes, you gotta laugh to keep from screaming. Between flares, I love the outdoors (under triple-digits anyway), Disney enthusiast, and former pescatarian who really should return – proof that even when your body feels like a relentless inferno, there's still room for joy and a stubborn will to thrive.