Functioning at 30%

My work captures the significant health struggles I faced during my young adult years, particularly my ongoing battle with gastrointestinal issues. From age 15, I endured countless doctor’s visits, emergency room trips, and medical tests. Functioning at 30% is part of a series dedicated to this journey, reflecting the low points I overcame.

This piece specifically represents my experience of having my gallbladder removed at 17, unknowingly living with a failing gallbladder at just 30% function during my junior year. The work is a mixed media composition, featuring a charcoal self-portrait post-surgery and an arrangement of red hospital bands from my visits between 2019 and 2021. This piece is both a personal reminder of the pain I endured and a tribute to my strength in overcoming it, turning hardship into growth and resilience.