King Salmon, my Angel in Disguise
When I think of King Salmon, a grizzly old veteran I met in Southeast Alaska, who smelled of moist moss and fermentation, my heart fills with gratitude. I smile at God’s irony, that King Salmon would be my angel in disguise. My entire life I have suffered from chronic pain. As an adopted child born to a teen mom, I suffered much birth trauma, the seed of my neurological sensitivity. Throughout my childhood, I was plagued with headaches, poor posture with no flexibility, and delayed language and reading ability. My parents got me into physical therapy, a reading tutorial program at the local university, glasses, and plenty of dental work all with the hope of relieving my pain and struggles. As a young adult, my pain continued. I tried managing the pain with medication, but this only made me drowsy. My husband at the time was taught myofascial release by my physical therapists, but he was not supportive or understanding of my pain and would not utilize the technique on my behalf.