DailyPrompt–1834

The honest answer?

The dentist.

Not because of fear in the way people usually mean it — but because of lived experience.

I live with chronic parotitis, trigeminal neuralgia, and Sjögren’s syndrome. These are conditions that don’t always show on the outside, but when they flare, the pain is intense and far-reaching. Dental procedures in particular can trigger nerve pain that doesn’t end when the appointment does. When a flare-up hits, it can take weeks for my body to settle again.

So what would it take for me to do it?

Full anaesthetic.
Completely knocked out.
And, if I’m allowed to dream, waking up with a nice smile afterwards.

Asking for full anaesthetic isn’t avoidance or exaggeration. It’s not being dramatic. It’s knowing my body — and protecting it. When you live with invisible illness, you learn your limits the hard way. You learn which situations cause prolonged suffering and which accommodations prevent it.

The hardest part of invisible pain isn’t always the pain itself.
It’s having to explain it.
To justify it.
To be believed.

Pain doesn’t need to be visible to be real. And courage doesn’t always mean pushing through. Sometimes courage is saying: this hurts too much, and I deserve proper care.

Being believed matters.

⚕️

💫 Maggie

The Afterlove Voice 💫