Magnolia Blossoms

Magnolia blossoms appear as evocations of the beauty of nature, and also of the author's loving relationship with her father. They appear at both the beginning of the book, when the author is describing what she loves about her pre-injury life, and later in the narrative, when she makes efforts to connect with her sense of self as she undertakes her journey of recovery from chronic pain and dependence on pills.

Narcotic Medications

The author is prescribed several strong narcotics by a number of doctors in their various attempts to help her cope with her serious chronic pain. She develops an unhealthy dependency on those medications, to the point where her desperation to obtain them becomes even more debilitating than the pain they are intended to manage. Eventually, she manages to free herself of their power and begin a journey towards better health.

Red Ants

As...