There’s no masking the truth

I suffer from trigeminal neuralgia and can’t wear a mask. For me, even mild stimulation of the face – such as brushing my teeth or donning a face covering- can trigger a jolt of excruciating pain, and the pain can persist for weeks or months. The intensity of the pain can be physically and mentally disabling.

Of all the pains that patients with chronic pain experience, there is probably none worse than the pain of trigeminal neuralgia. Often referred to as a “suicide disease” because of the intensity of the pain, higher rates of suicidal ideation in patients with severe migraine headaches, and links to higher rates of depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances, trigeminal neuralgia is a pain that spreads over the face and neck, triggered by the slightest breath of wind on the face.

I have suffered from this affliction for almost 40 years.

Every year, 150,000 people are diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia in the United States alone.

As of summer 2020, when governments passed legislation making face covering mandatory in all indoor public spaces, my mobility was seriously restricted, with no access to public transit, intercity and international travel, shops, gyms, bars and restaurants, concerts, theatre, cinema, sports events, or healthcare facilities. I have a medical exemption that was specified in the prevailing legislation of my home province, but nobody respected it. I was screamed at and bullied when trying to exercise my right to an exemption under the law. And the aggression sometimes spilled into the outdoor sphere.

This was my punishment for being disabled. My life and the life of my family have been shattered.