Wayne Swanson

Self-Portraits with Stenosis | I’m not that old. At least, that’s what I like to tell myself. But my body would beg to differ. What began as soreness and stiffness in my legs progressed to more intractable pain, stiffness, shocks, and numbness. Getting to “why” involved understanding a fundamental disconnect between cause and effect: the problem is in my back, not my legs.

 The diagnosis: Severe spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease. The effect: Narrowing of the spinal canal, which constricts the nerves leading to the lower body. The result: Lumbar laminectomy and thoracic fusion — so far. The prognosis: Who knows?

 I began this series assuming that I was documenting an episode. I now realize that it’s a new reality, shared by many, when we must question basic assumptions about health and personal mobility. www.wayneswanson.photography