The plague project

Diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder, at just twenty-one years of age, Melissa created this zine in order to educate others and actualize the "invisible" illness that has taken its toll on her. Melissa outlines her own mental and physical symptoms, medical history, and the struggle of having a mother simultaneously fighting cancer. She also offers advice about behavioral, medical, pharmaceutical, and psychotherapeutic treatment for those in a similar situation, including adopting a vegan diet. She compares and contrasts her experiences with the Mayo Clinic's description of fibromyalgia and includes relevant medical diagrams such as the fibromyalgia tender points on the human body.