"Ingrid" & "Liverace"

Since my many surgeries from years past, Ingrid & Liverace have been making their existence known to me more and more.  They jab and poke me and sometimes even force me to remain still and breathe calmly, or else...  Every now and then, I have to let out some choice cuss words, because their need for attention gets a bit too annoying.  Our relationship is, you could say, very close.  Well, it's more than "very close," because Ingrid & Liverace, actually, ... uhm... live inside of me!  

"Ingrid" is the name I gave to my innards, i.e. intestines, abdominal muscles, guts ... you got the gist.  And, "Liverace" is the name I gave to my liver.  Now, before you think I've gone completely bonkers, let me explain.

After many major abdominal surgeries, my body naturally created scar tissue to heal areas where incisions were made to remove and/or move my internal organs and tissues -- much like when scar tissue forms on the skin and binds it to heal a cut.  Well, as time went by, the internal scar tissues grew and bound some of my internal organs together.  So, instead of the organs slipping smoothly against each other during normal movement, they can tend to stick together, which then inhibits my movement and causes dull and, sometimes, intense pain.    

When I used to refer to them impersonally as my "innards" and my "liver," I felt negatively about them.  But then, when I realized that I would have to deal with them for the rest of my life AND that they came to be from the removal of cancer from my body, I wanted to have a positive relationship with them.  Thus, naming them my mischievous innards and liver "Ingrid" and "Liverace," respectively, has allowed the light and grace of gratitude and acceptance to flow into me.  It's sure a much, much better way to enjoy life, don't you think? :-)