Since so many mighty members have been talking about having feelings of loneliness, even when among people (I know I do), using just the phrase “I’m fine” when anyone asks us how we are cause it’s so much easier then what a real answer would bring and all the masks we wear I wanted to share something I learned recently which is that actress & author Karen “Duff” Duffy has what I have, #ComplexRegionalPainSyndrome . I may be late to the show (along with everything else lol) but she has videos, 2 books, and on her very funny Instagram she often talks about how we put on the above smiling mask for all of our family and friends but that we don’t need to with others who have shared our experiences. We can finally relax that grimace, because we know we won’t be judged, we don’t have to be worried that we are adding more stress to their lives on top of what we already have put them through, and she has made this very convenient cut-out for the days when it’s hard to muster up the energy for a smile. You can make your own #Eccedentestiast mask courtesy of “Duff” @ #Backbone on Instagram. And thank you to all the Mighty members who have let me go without my mask and not made me feel some type of way about it whether it’s anxious, depressed, little, stressed, annoyed, curious, traumatized, triggered or a thousand other emotions.