I thought I was too broken for sex. Here’s how I found pleasure again

Summary

The author recounts her journey from self-diagnosis of pain to discovering a spinal cord tumor, undergoing surgery, and grappling with the impact on her sexuality. She explores how medical trauma and disability affect pleasure, highlighting the disconnect between medical survival goals and the importance of feeling alive, with insights from sex therapists and medical professionals.

Key Takeaways

1. Pleasure is not recognized as important within the US healthcare system, which prioritizes reproductive sexual function.
2. The idea is that our lives should be focused on treatment, cure and management of disability – above all else.
3. But what if pleasure became an exploration? Something to be discovered versus something to work on.

Statement Breakdown

• Claimed Facts: 40% of statements the article presents as facts
• Opinions: 45% of statements classified as editorial or subjective
• Claims: 15% of statements surfaced for additional reader evaluation

Credibility & Bias Reasoning

Credibility assessment: The article presents a personal narrative supported by expert opinions from medical professionals and therapists. While the personal experience is subjective, the inclusion of professional insights lends it credibility. However, the narrative is inherently personal, limiting its broader factual applicability.

Bias assessment: Personal Trauma Narrative. The article is framed through the author's deeply personal experience with illness, surgery, and disability. This lens shapes the interpretation of events and the emphasis on emotional and psychological aspects of recovery and sexuality.

Note: This article offers a personal account of navigating disability and sexuality. While insightful, it reflects individual experiences and perspectives, not universal truths.

Credibility flag: Personal Journey

Claimed Facts (9)

• This is a direct statement of a personal event in the author's life.
• This details the progression of physical symptoms experienced by the author.
• This states a medical diagnosis confirmed by an imaging test.
• This is a reported medical prognosis from a surgeon.
• This is a statement of the outcome of a medical procedure.
• This provides a factual timeline of the author's post-surgery recovery.
• This is a statement attributed to an expert in the field, presented as factual information about sexual arousal.
• This is a factual statement about the mechanisms of sexual arousal, attributed to an expert.
• This is a statistic from a reported survey, presented as a factual finding.

Opinions (10)

• This is a personal feeling and belief of the author.
• This expresses the author's desires and motivations during a difficult time.
• This is a subjective interpretation of the author's own cultural background influencing her decisions.
• This is a subjective description of physical discomfort.
• This describes the author's emotional state and feelings of regret.
• This indicates a personal shift in focus and introspection by the author.
• This reflects the author's past beliefs and motivations regarding her identity post-surgery.
• This expresses the author's feelings and perception of her interactions with her partner.
• This describes the author's internal state and beliefs about her own sexuality.
• This is a self-reflective statement about the author's past mindset.

Claims (10)

• Self-diagnosis based on internet searches is not a reliable method and can lead to incorrect conclusions.
• Changing self-diagnosis based on symptom location without professional medical input is unreliable.
• The connection between golfer's elbow and vibrator use, and the subsequent consultation based on this, appears to be a humorous anecdote rather than a medically sound diagnostic path.
• While the author may have received these diagnoses, the claim that they *fully* explained her complex symptoms is subjective and potentially an oversimplification of medical assessments.
• The intensity and breadth of emotions and arrangements described in a short timeframe are subjective and potentially exaggerated for narrative effect.
• While the tumor was the cause, attributing the prior pain solely to 'not being the author's fault' is a subjective interpretation of blame and responsibility.
• This is a colloquial and potentially hyperbolic description of her partner, not a factual statement about his identity.
• This is a rhetorical question expressing insecurity and a subjective perception of desirability, not a factual claim.
• While the author is re-examining her sex life, the phrasing implies a sudden or recent shift that might be a narrative device rather than a precise timeline.
• Given the author's background in public health, it is somewhat surprising she was unaware of sex therapy as a post-operative option, suggesting a potential narrative framing or a specific gap in her knowledge.

Key Sources

• Jodi-Ann Burey — Author
• Dr Lisa Ruppert — Physiatrist and spinal cord injury specialist
• Rachel Smith — Licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in sex therapy
• Gabriela Fullon — Licensed mental health counselor
• Sami Schalk, PhD — Disability and gender studies scholar and author
• Sonjia Kenya, PhD — Sexologist and professor at the University of Miami school of medicine
• Guardian staff — Journalist