Chronic Painting

By Kristie L. Smith Nikitin, freelance writer & art enthusiast Getting in the car, going from one side of the room to the other, surviving a meeting let alone having any kind of fun or quality of life. Every move, whether standing, sitting or walking has to be negotiated. You can’t just get up and go anymore. First, engage the mind. “Driving” to the store; there are stairs between here and the car. Left foot. Wince. Right foot. Wince. Counter top. Wince. Left foot. Wince. Use the railing. Right foot — never really knowing if the pain is really that bad or how much the anticipation of the jolt impacts actual feeling. One wrong placement of the foot or trying to take the next step before the last was set and that shock wave radiates up and down the spine like electricity through a wire. Going anywhere takes as much planning as a tactical military strike. What are potential obstacles? What can be overcome and what is too torturous to circumnavigate? Stand parallel to the drivers’ seat. Lower the body to the cushion. Gently, and literally lift legs, one at a time, into position under the steering wheel. Breathe. On top of never being comfortable, the strategy of it all is risky and exhausting. According to a 2011 article on WebMD Health News, back injuries are a $600 billion industry in the United States alone. That’s the cost per year in medical treatments and lost productivity due to injury, degeneration, tweaking, spraining and cinching one or more vertebrae. In Chronic, Kris Gebhardt’s larger than life depiction of the spinal column; he portrays his own battle with an injured back. He shows that moment when the hurt outweighs every emotion we have. It’s big, bold and in your face like the intense, inescapable agony that he has battled since his teens. Gebhardt uses his gritty style and signature mixed media approach to bring to life the feeling with which so many can identify. The zombie-like face of the figure is clearly concentrating on the uncomfortable stabbing in his sacrum. The character, perhaps bending over (evidenced by his right arm appearing to be abnormally long) is in anguish. The left side of his body is feathery, a mere blurred sketch, perhaps to signify the numbness that is often present with this affliction. Using the piece as a vehicle for not only telling his own story, but helping others to find relief, Gebhardt hopes Chronic sparks a dialogue. Through his own suffering and recovery, plus his career as a rehabilitation and fitness specialist, Gebhardt has constructed a four-pronged approach to relieving the excruciating affliction. It’s important to uncover healthy ways of regaining strength. While Gebhardt says, “diet and exercise play a huge role in managing the pain battle,” there’s more to recovery than fruits and vegetables and a couple of laps around the neighborhood. And with upwards of $86 billion being devoted to a cure — he is certain the right prescription is available, but it’s the patient’s responsibility to find it. Like much of healthcare in the twenty-first century, patients have to roll up their sleeves and be active in their diagnosis and treatment. First, according to Gebhardt, it’s important to realize that, at this level of injury, what you are experiencing is a degenerative disease. It is chronic, unrelenting pain and it’s not going away on its own. “It’s not your doctor’s fault,” said Gebhardt. “Get involved.” The doctor will look for ways to alleviate what you are experiencing, unfortunately, he/she doesn’t have a whole lot to work with and many times they are entrenched in protocol and policy that aren’t necessarily conducive to “curing” any condition. Gebhardt recommends becoming your own case manager and find a doctor who truly wants to help you. Not just get a gold star for following the government and the insurance industry’s “best practice” guidelines. One willing to buck the system and help a patient determined to beat the demon. Second, Gebhardt said, “Rehab starts immediately.” Eight hours after his surgery, he was on an elliptical machine and he was in the gym four days later. Patients can’t be passive in their recovery process. Laying around waiting for the body to heal itself is like staring at a blank canvas and expecting it to paint The Mona Lisa. Nothing in this world happens on its own and this is a take-charge situation if ever there was one. After surgery you will have to rebuild your body. You are starting at square one. It won’t be easy but regaining your prior quality of life will be worth it. Gebhardt’s journey back had to begin and quickly. He had clients that he was training after their own heart and back surgeries and he couldn’t risk their health by meandering back to mobility. His recovery included weight training and cardio twice a day for several years. This aggressive approach was not without pitfalls, either. He would make progress then suffer a set back. The disappointment was difficult to control. He was continually battling a difficult case of the “unknown,” laboring through workouts with inflamed nerves and phantom pangs. Ten to fifteen years of pain followed by very invasive three disk surgery doesn’t go away overnight. Each fiber of the body works synergistically. All components must be realigned and the weak link must be brought along until it is as strong as the others. The process is discovery, listen to what your body is telling you and adjust accordingly. The third prong is nutrition. Of course to work your body back into shape you need the right combination of nutrients and an understanding of the food groups. “Food is fuel, and you can’t take in anything that doesn’t support the goal of recovery,” Gebhardt continued, “you can’t overeat or put your body in any position of discomfort. Every misstep along the way (both literally and figuratively) will cripple the back.” Finally, Gebhardt can’t stress enough how important it is to keep a positive attitude. Each time the patient is doubtful, he or she must find a way back to that “can-do spirit.” It is essential for reclaiming life, as you knew it before. Keep in mind that your back pain is a real stress for those around you, too. Your moods and roller coaster emotions take a toll on loved ones and it’s easy to drag them into the dark abyss of pain with you. Through his painting Chronic, Kris Gebhardt hopes to encourage others suffering with debilitating back pain to take charge, be active in the treatment and recovery process, absorb the right fuel and stay positive. His four-pronged approach helps patients regain a quality of life that is worth living. It won’t be overnight but it can get you, back to work, walking your daughter down the aisle, playing with your grandkids, doing the hobbies you love and most importantly it can break the shackles of medication and alcohol dependencies. Gebhardt Gallery SPECTRUM Miami Nov 30 - Dec 4 - During Art Basel Week 2016

Painting:Acrylic on Canvas

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:43 W x 74 H x 4 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.