Grateful for the opportunity to guest blog for Hearing Elmo. This blog addresses many topics beyond hearing loss.
Welcome to guest blogger, Deborah Marcus, long-time friend (sister), fellow advocate and writer, and professional photographer. It is always great to have guest bloggers on Hearing Elmo because although I have lived with disability for 27+ years, I do not and cannot understand chronic pain conditions as it is not something symptomatic of my own challenges. I have always been thankful for that — for one thing I am a wuss. I have loved and admired Deb for a long time, in part because I consider her a warrior woman who DOES live with chronic pain. This is part ONE of a multi-part posting. Follow up posts in the future will link to this one so that her story chapters will remain connected.
What persuades me to step back from the ledge? What worked yesterday, today, what will work tomorrow? Those who live with chronic, severe pain or illness are familiar…
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Visions of Song 
It took me awhile to reply, I had to mull over your post, the feelings it raised in my own mind and heart. I have a life long disability and the many challenges have led to physical and emotional pain that have increased as I have aged. I recently had a massive emotional event that in turn, triggered a mental health event. A dear friend had to support me as I burst open emotionally, screaming, crying, melting down. There were wounds there that I had no idea were so raw. So thank you for this column. I too keep on walking, badly and with lots of stumbling, but I keep going. God bless you and thank you for sharing your struggles. I now feel a bit less lonely.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, servicedogmomblog! Your experience of an emotional event that triggered a mental health event, with wounds so raw and previously unrecognized, both resonates and makes me think of a friend and her recently discovered physical illness, a festering wound underneath intact surface skin. It was impossible to see all that was beneath that surface until an event triggered a cascade of symptoms. I walk with you, also with lots of stumbling, but keeping on, one step at a time. So glad that you feel a bit less lonely. That alone makes having shared this part of my journey worthwhile.