phantom menace

phenomenon in this nervous system of ours—referred pain and phantom pain. for referred pain the brain detects certain stimuli in organs and projects the sensation to different areas or the skin… heart: arm, diaphragm: neck, stomach upper mid-back. for phantom pain amputees report that they still feel sensations as if the limb were still connected to their body, sensing the missing part as if it were still there. fascinating.

does this happen in different contexts?-- having one stimulus and expected effect but instead the perceived effect having a connection to something it shouldn't; as if your nerves have been wired incorrectly--now you hear through your eyes and smell through your ears. this is best grasped when considering seeing bright light when getting hit in the eye, instead of instense pain the surrounding bones and flesh experience. it's just because the eye's nerves involve rods and cones percieving light instead of a painful, swelling sensation effects. (side note: if you don’t have one sense others become heightened). hm.

most intriguing still-- phantom pain. people become so accustomed to having the removed leg that they sense it. they remember running and swimming and playing soccer in the sprinklers but then they get up to go do those things and can't, vanished. one might say…"at least when the limb is gone, the pain of stubbing a toe or waking up with a charlie horse is too"….but wait no, no its not-- thanks to phantom pain. it’s still there and it hurts and even more than that physical pain—it hurts that it gone… and everyone knows it-- even when it’s replaced or repaired, this synthesis will never be the same or as close as a match as that original limb.

i just hope my big toe doesn’t get amputated one day… i hear you lose your balance and ability to run… think of the regret of not running all those days when i once could have—but really, could i have? paralyzing.