Captura de Pantalla 2022-02-28 a la(s) 5.42.38 p.m..png

Synopsis

This film begins in Chicago, Il, exploring this specific moment in Tyra’s long journey with chronic pain. From there, we dive into each of the places Tyra lived growing up, and the crucial experiences they held that have shaped Tyra into the vibrant human being she is today. Given the faultless depression of Tyra’s economic circumstances due to unnecessary and harmful procedures based on misdiagnoses, additional medical emergencies, crushing medical debt, and refusal of financial assistance they came with, her life spirals into major crisis: she is unable to walk more than a block or participate fully in her performance-based classes, working three jobs to make ends meet in addition to her full class schedule. The COVID-19 pandemic forces Tyra back home to North Carolina, where she deals with extreme daily pain and an increasingly co-dependent relationship with her mother as her caretaker, all while remotely completing her conservatory training. The film ends with Tyra’s return to Chicago as she grapples with the realities that now constitute her life: a bare-bones diet, re-evaluating her relationships, and committing to ease and joy. We see her come to accept that her journey is being the one who pushes to make artistic spaces accessible, who questions how conservatory education and medical spaces function, and who educates and illuminates others who struggle with invisible illnesses and chronic pain, as well as those who love them.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

sand texture

A chronic inflammatory disorder affecting many joints, including those in the hands and feet.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the body's immune system attacks its own tissue, including joints. In severe cases, it attacks internal organs.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects joint linings, causing painful swelling. Over long periods of time, the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis can cause bone erosion and joint deformity.

While there's no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, physiotherapy and medication can help slow the disease's progression. Most cases can be managed with a class of medications called anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS).