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Artist paints invisible pain

Three years ago, the life Alyssa Vincent was living underwent a sudden and dramatic change.
Alyssa Vincent Chronic Pain 1
Alyssa Vincent suffers from chronic pain due to a vehicle collision in November 2012. The 26-year-old will be holding an art show Dec. 4 to raise awareness and understanding about chronic pain.

Three years ago, the life Alyssa Vincent was living underwent a sudden and dramatic change.

In November 2012, the 26-year-old was driving to her parent’s home in Cadboro Bay when she was struck by another vehicle at a four-way stop. Both cars were totalled, leaving Vincent with two herniated discs in her lower back, extensive nerve damage in both legs and living with a continual searing pain.

Simple tasks such as sitting and bending are uncomfortable. Sometimes she loses sensation in her lower right leg to the point where she can’t walk. In order to take the edge off, Vincent receives 18 to 25 injections every four weeks, which have helped create more good days than bad.

Prior to the collision, Vincent was in the process of applying to medical school in Scotland with hopes of becoming a doctor. But after speaking with local doctors, Vincent opted to put the application on hold to focus on recovering. Getting better has now turned into a full-time job.

“It was very defeating,” said Vincent.

“It took me about a year to come to terms with my situation. I definitely realized having a pity party for myself wasn’t going to help.”

Frustrating is a word Vincent uses to describe many things that have happened to her since the collision. A lot of the pain she’s feeling isn’t necessarily where she was injured so doctors can’t pin point the exact problem. About 80 per cent of her time is spent in bed — a tough reality for someone who was once an athlete, participating in a number of sports.

But one of the most frustrating things for Vincent is how people make assumptions about her invisible pain. On one occasion at a store in Sidney, she asked for a hand getting two side tables into her vehicle and was met with a look of disbelief.

“We went to the back and two guys were there to help out. One lady was very unimpressed, told the guys, ‘allegedly she’s very injured and she can’t do any type of heavy lifting, but that’s what she says,’” said Vincent, adding she’s had a few similar experiences.

“Essentially you are being told you are not truthful. It’s incredibly defeating.”

Following a trip to Mexico City with her family, where Vincent learned about Frida Kahlo — a Mexican self-portrait artist who began painting after she was severely injured in a bus accident — Vincent returned to Victoria with a focus on art.

Using acrylics, she started creating abstract pieces of her invisible pain. The art has made Vincent feel a lot more positive and given her hope that her life and body will eventually return to normal.

Twenty-six pieces that Vincent has created will be on display this week to raise awareness and understanding about chronic pain. In turn, she hopes to meet others who are experiencing the same thing.

“I find when you have chronic pain, people are very scared to ask how you’re doing. Either they don’t understand it or they do and they don’t understand it’s not going to get solved right away,” she said. “People don’t like talking about negative things so the art gives me something to talk about and stay connected, especially with my friends."

The Vincent Galleries Art Show takes place Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 838 Fort St.