I haven’t always been a “bigger” girl. Back in high school, I ran cross country, and I was average-sized if not straight up skinny. Looking at old pictures, I barely recognize myself. My arms, my face, everything was just so much smaller. I’m not that girl anymore. Now I am the big girl, the plus-size girl, the girl who can’t find clothes to wear because the sizes don’t go up large enough. And I don’t feel great about that.

My hands hurt. Pretty much all the time. My rheumatoid arthritis makes my hands hurt and my feet hurt and well, basically everything hurt. For me, and anyone else who suffers from chronic pain, it is a big deal, and it affects my quality of life. I hope this article can either help you feel less alone or help you start to understand what it’s like experiencing chronic pain every single day.