Wednesday, August 19th, my body fetaled, severe cramps spasming my lower abs and left flank. Probably a kidney stone, I thought. Maybe food poisoning. I dry heaved every ten minutes and thought, Manageable. Part of me feels like I could CLEP out of Med School after nurturing and nursing my son through 42 procedures, post-op home care, and over 60 hospitalizations. Then I add in my own disabilities and medical challenges.
This continued until four in the morning. I couldn’t keep a swallow of water or Ginger Ale throughout these six hours. I couldn’t pee.
Most likely a kidney stone blocking passage.
Still, I wasn’t worried until I stood up and couldn’t see, my legs boneless, my body numb.
Oh no, I thought.
I’m probably dying.
This is less than good.
Still, I waited. I mean, sometimes these little things work themselves out. Right?
…continued on my Substack Blog, Write2Heal...
…I’ll meet you over there.
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Published by Rebecca Evans | Poet | Essayist | Artist | Warrior
Rebecca Evans writes the difficult, the heart-full, the guidebooks for survivors. She’s a memoirist, essayist, artist, and poet, infusing her love of empowerment with craft. She teaches high school teens in the Juvie system through journaling, empowerment and visual art. Rebecca is also a military veteran, an avid gardener, and shares space with four Newfoundlands and her sons. She specializes in craft and explorative workshops for those who seek to dive deeper. She co-hosts Radio Boise’s Writer to Writer show on Stray Theater.
She's earned two MFAs, one in creative nonfiction, the other in poetry, University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. Her poems and essays have appeared in Narratively, The Rumpus, Hypertext Magazine, War, Literature & the Arts, The Limberlost Review, and more.
Her books include When There are Nine (an anthology tributed to the life and achievements of Ruth Bader Ginsburg), Tangled in Blood (a memoir-in-verse)(2026 Literary Titan Award), Safe Handling (a collection-length poem), and AfterBurn (a flash essay collection, Moon Tide Press).
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Rebecca, I wish hugs could go through the Internet. Sending you love and many hugs.XxBarbara Barbara Leiner GreensteinOn Aug 27, 2026,
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