JVL-V-000049 · food access and community support
Jennifer’s experience with chronic pain
Josh Liljenquist meets Jennifer, who describes living with chronic pain conditions that affect walking, household tasks, grocery access, and family life. Jennifer speaks about caring for her children, the effects of judgment, and continuing to hold hope while her family faces financial pressure.
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Read accessible transcript (18 timestamped sections)
This approved public-readable transcript preserves the spoken substance and retained source uncertainty rather than guessing.
[00:00–00:06] You oray? Not really. What's going on? I’m in a lot of pain. Here crab my hand. Is it painful just getting up the stairs?
[00:06–00:14] Yeah. I have a lot of pain conditions. Fibromyalgia. Crps. Arthritis. There's more people out there like me.
[00:14–00:22] Just because we don't look. [Unclear caption at source; exact wording requires source-level review.] No. We're not lazy. No. I used to work three jobs.
[00:22–00:30] Now I can't even walk to the store. Or walk to take the bus. Do you have a car? No. So you have to walk? Yeah and ince really.
[00:30–00:42] If my kids aren't around. And I need something I just have to wait. Like putting off getting groceries? Yeah. Just to do chores. I have to sit on the stool to wash dishes or cook.
[00:42–00:51] [Unclear caption at source; exact wording requires source-level review.] I’m not old enough to feel this old. Have you ever felt judged? Very much so. Family. Friends.
[00:51–00:57] By your own family? Yeah. You start to hate yoursele. The stuff people tell you start to feel real. The start people ria you. The stuff people tell you start to feel real.
[00:57–01:05] You really are just laiv. It's all in your head. Is it just you in the apartment? And my children. How many? Three.
[01:05–01:17] One of my boys isn't mine biologically. I took custody of him three years ago. He's 18 now and still here with me. By choice. Well it means you're doing something righu. You have a lot of people depending on you.
[01:17–01:27] Yeah. So why do you keep helping when you're hurting too? Mn parents rased me that. When my dad was dying I helped take care of him? When my aunt and uncle were dying? I helped take care of them.
[01:27–01:39] The older generation is. Who supported me and loved me unconditionally? And I lost all of them. It's just me trying to hold. Everything down and. I can't even take care of myself most days.
[01:39–01:50] Do your kids help? More than they should have to. And then they go without so much because. I can barely pay the bills. My kids and my grandson. Are my whole reason for not giving up?
[01:50–01:58] Has there been a time where you felt like giving. [On-screen text: Nods head yes] Really? More than once. I know people don't always see what you're carrying. But I see how hard you're.
[01:58–02:08] Can I give you thịs to help take some pressure off? And heir with your. And helr with your family? I would love that thank you. Thank you so much. You're so welcome.
[02:10–02:16] I have one more surprise for you. /our daughter loves you so much. Pour daughter loves you. She sent us a grocery list. Because she didn't want to see you struggle. Really?
[02:21–02:31] That means a lot. If you could say one thing to the world. What would you say? Just keep fighting every. Somebody somewhere is looking out for you and. I mean.
[02:31–02:39] I know it feels like. Nothing will ever get better. But you don’t know that. As harp sari lavo ope. As hard as it is to keep hope I still have hope. Happy.
[02:39–02:42] Thank you so much for everyuihing. Of course. Happy.
Source and rights status
Source: Josh Liljenquist / Joshlilj. Video ID: JVL-V-000049. Rights state: OWNED.
Transcript status: Approved public-readable HTML transcript reconciled against retained source evidence. No synchronized VTT or SRT track is claimed.