J.G. Chayko

It didn’t take long for me to become accustomed to waking in the mornings with the stiffness of RA suffocating my sleeping joints; I wake and move them from their frozen state, my blood flows, beginning the arduous process of rousing them from their spell. On one particular morning, I peeled myself from the bed, and…

April arrived, and with it the first signs of new life flourishing in the warming days of spring. I wake to the soft greeting of morning’s light illuminating my room; the birds warble outside my window welcoming a new dawn; pink cherry blossoms erupt from sleeping trees, garnishing the neighborhood with a blushing beauty. Tiny…

It sat in a small compact packet, peering out through its transparent seal. I gazed down at its coiled gold body; at first glance, it looked a bit like a sleeping porcupine, all curled up in all its spiky glory. I removed it from its package and found a gilded ring twisted into a perfect…

I stepped quietly behind the red velvet curtain, listening to the chatter of the audience as they filed in and found their seats. Shadows played on the walls of the set, spilling from the dim work lights around the stage manager’s desk; she signaled the five-minute call to show time and I mentally reviewed my…

It comes without warning, creeping through your body, diminishing your energy, shutting down your mind. It begins with eyes drooping beneath heavy lids, your rhythm slackens and an all-consuming cloud shrouds your body. Instead of the daily tasks at hand, we dream of a soft pillow, a light blanket, and our body sinking into the…

The soothing scents of lavender and patchouli swirled around the room; soft music flowed from hidden speakers. Massage therapists and estheticians wearing soft cushioned shoes silently guided clients to their rooms. The receptionist handed me a form to fill out; it was a standard document asking for a bit of personal information – name, address,…

It’s close to midnight on a Sunday when I fluff up the blankets in my bed, and slip into the comfort of my heated mattress pad. I am sleepy, and although my mind is always whirling, I endeavour to catch some winks to revive myself for the busy week ahead. I recalled my head sinking…

A cold, RA and the flu walk into a bar. The cold is usually easy to recognize, modest in his congestion and stuffy sinuses. He saunters by, unnoticed – he’s common. RA and the flu stand side by side; like Siamese twins, they are not easily separated. They both offer extreme exhaustion, fever, body aches…

Every year for Christmas or his birthday, my partner has asked for that popular contraption that controls electricity with the sound of clapping; its commercial was made famous by a furious looking old lady who couldn’t sleep until she’d turned off her light by hurling herself into a sitting position and fervently clapping. I rolled…