When Amber Meade twisted her ankle, fracturing a bone in her foot, she imagined a straightforward path to recovery. Her journey began with a surgery designed to smooth the damaged bone and ensure proper alignment of nerves and tendons.

Initially, the operation seemed to go off without a hitch. Yet, in the following weeks, Meade was plagued by agonizing pain. A subsequent procedure revealed a screw in her foot was pressing on a nerve, causing distress. Although the screw was relocated, and nerve decompression was administered, her discomfort persisted.

“It would just turn black and blue, swell up really big, and I just was unable to put any weight on it,” the 41-year-old shared, recounting her experience.

The relentless pain turned her life upside down. Meade had to resign from her job as a surgical assistant because standing for extended periods became unbearable. Her involvement with her two young sons dwindled, as even a soft breeze triggered sensations of excruciating pain. The mere thought of resting under a blanket was tormenting, with nights offering little reprieve. Meade graphically described the pain as akin to “walking on a hot bed of Legos constantly, while getting stabbed with a pencil.”

In pursuit of relief, Meade embarked on a long quest, consulting numerous specialists. Nearly a year into her ordeal, a doctor finally suggested she might be suffering from complex regional pain syndrome, a term unfamiliar to her until then. It took even more time before she could discover a treatment that eased her pain.

What is complex regional pain syndrome? 

Complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS, is a chronic disorder with no cure, said Dr. Rohan Jotwani, an interventional pain specialist and anesthesiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine. Jotwani was not involved in Meade’s care. CRPS can occur after surgery, like Meade’s, or from other injuries to the nerve. 

“For some patients, they’ll have an injury to a nerve and it will get better with time. For some patients, that injury will actually develop into its own chronic pain disorder,” Jotwani said. 

Diagnosing the condition is difficult, Jotwani said. No test or scan can definitively identify it, and because it is a rare condition, many doctors may not be familiar with it, he added.

Physicians have to rely on clinical criteria. Telltale hallmarks for the condition are extreme levels of pain at the source, even when nothing should be causing it – like when a bedsheet causes pain, as Meade experienced. CRPS patients may also experience swelling, changes in temperature and skin color or texture changes. They may even begin to lose function in the affected area. 

Diagnosing complex regional pain syndrome is only the start, Jotwani said. Actually treating the condition requires a “multi-pronged approach” that can vary from person to person. Treatment typically starts with physical therapy. Patients may also take medication to decrease nerve signals in the area, so they feel less pain, or try interventional techniques like a nerve block. Meade tried multiple options, but nothing was improving her pain. 

“Doing regular therapies was not working. I even heard, at 33, that I was getting older and that ‘sometimes we just hurt more.’ I thought that was comical,” Meade said.  

Treating complex regional pain syndrome 

In 2022, long after Meade’s pain started, a doctor suggested she see physical therapist Dr. Anita Davis, who specializes in treating the condition and leads the comprehensive pain rehabilitation program at Brooks Rehabilitation in Florida. The pair worked to develop a physical therapy routine that would work for Meade. 

“Before me, she had all of the traditional exercises … and those things were just not possible with that much pain in her foot,” Davis said. “As healthcare providers, we ask patients to rate the pain from zero to 10. These folks are typically going to be at the top of the scale, even on a good day. When I ask her to do something that’s painful on top of her existing pain, it’s just crazy to think about doing that.” 

They also worked on relaxation and emotional exercises to cope with the mental load of the constant pain. 

“Pain management for Amber … isn’t just the physical aspects,” Davis explained. “Anything that enhances relaxing the nervous system is valuable.” 

The protocol led to some improvements for Meade, but while CRPS patients can have “symptoms subside for a length of time,” it is “a lifelong condition,” Davis said. 

“There’s not a cure for it,” Davis said. 

Working towards a less painful future  

Meade said she still feels pain and discomfort, and is at risk of flare-ups when the weather changes or if she steps the wrong way. In addition to working with Davis, she is taking medication and receiving ketamine infusions every few months. She said the combination of ketamine treatment and physical therapy allows her to “do a lot more than I have been able to.” The effects of the infusion usually last around four weeks. Meade uses that period to work on strengthening her body.

“I try to make some headway in my physical health before that starts going down, because I know it’s going to,” Meade said. “The pain is a lot less when my physical health is better.” 

Meade said even without the effects of the infusions, she is dealing with less pain than before her diagnosis and treatment. She can focus on her day-to-day activities. She sleeps better and can walk on the beach, one of her favorite activities. She can’t do too much running around with her kids, but she can play catch and help with homework most days. Meade said she hopes to improve her functionality and eventually go back to work and be more active, but for now, she is grateful for what she has gained.  

“I want to try to get to that point where I have less and less flares, and get up to doing what everybody enjoys doing: Working, coming home, having something to work towards, going on vacations,” Meade said. “Every time I have a good day, we work a little bit harder.” 

Edited by

Lucia I Suarez Sang

DCLM Daily Manna 13 August 2026 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Short Shelf-Life of Pain

TOPIC – Short Shelf-Life of Pain (DCLM Daily Manna 13 August 2026)

KEY VERSE: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away – Revelation 21:4

TEXT: Revelation 21:1-8 (KJV)

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

DCLM Daily Manna For Today MESSAGE:

John Harper, a Scottish Baptist pastor and evangelist, died on the RMS Titanic in 1912. His last words, as testified by survivors, were “I have seen heaven, and it is beautiful” and “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Despite his death, Harper used his final moments to preach the gospel, expressing his deep assurance that beyond death lay a place of eternal peace. A rescued survivor testified that Harper, clinging to the wreckage, asked if he was saved and urged him to believe in Jesus Christ. The survivor later accepted Christ and called himself “the last convert of John Harper.”

Today’s passage paints a breath-taking vision of the new heaven and new earth. John sees the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending from God, adorned like a bride. A powerful voice declares that God will dwell among His people, wiping away every tear. Death, mourning, crying, and pain will be gone forever. The former things will pass away, and everything will be made new. God, the Alpha and Omega, promises the water of life to those who thirst. But He also warns that those who reject Him (those living in sin, fear, unbelief) will face eternal separation in the lake of fire.

In this world, we experience suffering in many forms such as loss, illness, disappointment, pain and injustice. But for those who belong to Christ, these trials are temporary. Christ assures us that a glorious future awaits us, one where God Himself will comfort us, and all suffering will cease. This hope should encourage believers to endure hardships with faith, knowing that one day, we will step into a place where joy is endless and pain is no more. It also calls us to live righteously, rejecting sin and embracing the promise of eternity with God.

No matter what trials you face today, hold onto the hope of heaven. Let this promise strengthen your faith, drive you to share the gospel, and encourage you to live in readiness for Christ’s return. A day is coming when all suffering will cease and there will be no more tears, pain or death. Get ready to be part of this eternally glorious moment.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Nobody gets to heaven by accident

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Job 16-18

Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2025 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.

As tensions escalate with Iran-backed Houthi forces increasing their threats to maritime activities in the Red Sea, experts suggest that the United States might be on the verge of shifting its strategic focus.

Recent Houthi assaults on vessels traversing a crucial shipping lane could prompt the U.S. to forge stronger alliances with more steadfast partners along Africa’s coast.

Somaliland, having declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 and aligning itself with the U.S., is extending an offer to the United States for the use of its strategic assets, which include one of Africa’s longest runways, an air base, and a deep-water port situated on the Red Sea.

With access to the Strait of Hormuz increasingly curtailed, the Houthis have announced intentions to block the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a slender passage critical for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports which amount to approximately 7 million barrels daily. In the recent weeks, incidents have surfaced in the Red Sea where the Houthis allegedly targeted Saudi-flagged ships, reportedly sank an Indian commercial vessel, and on August 13, an Egyptian cargo ship came under attack, resulting in the loss of at least four crew members.

The U.S. already has a large military base on the Red Sea in Djibouti, but this is claimed to be increasingly problematic. “China is significantly expanding its military and commercial presence in Djibouti,” Edmund Fitton-Brown previously told News Media.

Fitton-Brown, the former British ambassador to the Houthis’ home country, Yemen, and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, (FDD), added, “There is a sense that Djibouti is not a reliable ally for the U.S. So Somaliland’s time has probably come.”

Major General Ken Ekman, who retired last year from being the Department of War’s West Africa Coordination Element Lead, said, in essence, the Houthis could force the U.S. into recognizing Somaliland as an independent state. “The Houthis could compel a different U.S. strategy in Africa.”

Ekman said the Houthis are building up a second front in this Middle East conflict. “It distracts the U.S. and stretches our assets,” he added.

“The Houthis have a strategy of their own. They are testing U.S. military ability, and are likely to pull the trigger in a major way when Iranian influence in the Strait of Hormuz wanes in leverage.”

He said that recently the U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM, has concentrated on looking at land-based threats. “To date, our Africa strategy is driven by counterterrorism missions against Islamist al Qaeda and ISIS-linked groups based in Africa.”

He continued, “These groups pose a limited and not immediate threat to the U.S. homeland. Overall, Red Sea basing to date has focused more on crisis response in East Africa, countering and competing against Russia and China.”

Ekman added, “orienting a Horn of Africa strategy against the Houthis would place a premium on freedom of navigation. Somaliland is proximate and overcomes some of the limitations imposed by other regional hosts like Djibouti and Middle East partners.”

Limitations and an apparent sense of frustration with Somalia, Somaliland’s neighbor and rival, have been expressed in a warning from U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

In a recent interview with a Somali journalist, he was asked whether the U.S. was pulling out of the nation and turning its back on it.

Anderson said the U.S. has not turned its back on Somalia, having been committed to the country for several years, he noted the success of its counterterrorism group known as DANAB, which he said is “one of the most capable forces on the continent.” He noted that “it was up to Somalia to sustain that force… to build it and continue to make it effective going into the future and use it as it was designed to counter terrorism.”

Referring to the Somali government’s apparent lack of ability to deal decisively with Islamist al-Shabab terrorists, Anderson seemingly hinted at pulling some or even all military support. “If Somalia steps up and the government steps up and takes the lead on this, we will continue to be there because there is mutual interest.”

He continued, “But if we can’t see that in, the political instability and political infighting continues, then it’s going to be very hard for us to continue to stay engaged.”

Bill Roggio, editor of the Long War Journal, said Washington is fed up with Mogadishu, but currently not enough for the U.S. to change allegiance to Somaliland.

He told News Media, “The U.S. has expressed displeasure with the Somali government’s rampant corruption and internal infighting with local and regional governments, and with various clans. However, full recognition of Somaliland independence would create a major rift between the U.S. and Somalia.”

Roggio didn’t rule out the U.S. operating a second Red Sea base in Somaliland, saying “U.S. forces situated at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti are far better situated geographically to deter the Houthis from shutting down the Bab el Mandeb Strait than a potential base in Somaliland. That being said, redundancy (back up plan) is a good thing in military operations.”

“The United States needs reliable partners on Africa’s coastline,” Bashir Goth, Somaliland Representative to the United States, told News Media.

Goth said, “Somaliland is that partner and our defense officials have been in active dialogue with AFRICOM on Red Sea security. Somaliland has the geography, the stability and the will to work closely with Washington — and will continue to do so.”

Officially, the U.S. still stands with Somalia, in preference to Somaliland.

A State Department spokesperson told News Media, “The United States works with Somali and international partners to address terrorist threats in Somalia when necessary and appropriate to protect U.S. national security interests.”

In the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia and 13 other nations established a new maritime defense coalition to combat the Houthi threat. Publicly, at least, the U.S. is not part of this coalition.

Responding to questioning on this issue, a State Department spokesperson told News Media, “The United States stands firmly with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against Houthi terrorism. We are in close consultation with our Saudi allies and remain committed to their security.”

The U.S. does appear though to be stepping up interaction with Somaliland. AFRICOM Commander Anderson again visited Somaliland this past week, with an official statement saying he “traveled to the port city of Berbera to assess the security environment and review the port’s operational capacity.”

In the same week, the U.S. reportedly hosted a delegation of Somalilanders led by the state’s defense minister at AFRICOM HQ in Stuttgart, Germany, where Red Sea security was reportedly again discussed.

AFRICOM and the Department of War did not respond to News Media requests for information about the visits.

Renowned Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moaiery has dedicated her career to capturing powerful images of protests and the day-to-day lives of women in her home country.

This commitment has frequently put her at odds with Iranian officials. On Saturday, which marked National Journalist Day in Iran, Moaiery was informed of her staggering 15-year prison sentence.

The harsh verdict falls under legislation introduced following a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in 2025. This law, according to Iranian authorities, aims to curb espionage and collaboration with adversarial nations.

When Moaiery made her way to Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, she found herself without any formal case documentation. Instead, she relied on a friend who transcribed details from a charge sheet by hand—an act that rights organizations argue underscores the opaque nature of Iran’s judicial processes.

Details from the handwritten notes examined by Reuters outline the charges she faces, including conducting interviews with media outlets labeled hostile by the regime, as well as supplying photographs to groups connected with the US and Israel.

Reuters could ⁠not independently verify the contents of the charge sheet.

In a statement provided to Reuters, Moaiery said the intelligence wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps raided her ​home during anti-government protests in January and confiscated her phone, laptop and other electronic equipment.

She said IRGC officers returned after the US launched air strikes on Iran ​this year and again seized her belongings.

“On this occasion, they took everything, including even the cameras I had owned since childhood,” she said.

“I was subjected to several interrogations, and eventually my case was referred to Branch 33 of the Security Prosecutor’s Office and subsequently to the Revolutionary Court.”

The spokesman for Iran’s United Nations Mission in New York did not respond to a request ​for comment on her case.

Roya Boroumand, executive director of the US-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, said that withholding case documents is an ​effort by the Islamic Republic to “silence” defendants and showed the judiciary “blatantly” acting as a state agent.

A CAREER CHRONICLING WOMEN’S LIVES IN IRAN

The handwritten document provided by Moaiery to Reuters lists accusations ‌including “interviewing with ⁠networks hostile to the system” and sending photographs to entities in the United States and Israel that it describes as “hostile.”

Moaiery said she shared photographs showing damage from air strikes in Iran with CNN and appeared in an interview about her reporting in March 2026.

She has 10 days to appeal under the 2025 espionage law, half the time allowed under previous legislation.

Moaiery has previously been imprisoned for her work. She served two years in Gharchak Prison, a place that she had previously photographed.

In 2022, she ​spent three months in jail and was ​sentenced to eight years in prison ⁠for covering the nationwide “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprisings that erupted after the death of young Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in police custody. An amnesty later reduced the sentence, but she said the case continued to expose her to questioning by authorities.

Reporters Without ​Borders says 16 journalists have been detained in Iran this year.

Moaiery’s work has mainly focused on women. She photographed some ​of the earliest documented ⁠detentions of women by morality police, including a 2007 image showing two women sitting in white police vans, with tears streaming down their faces.

In 2017, she photographed a student protesting at economic conditions at Tehran University. The woman walks through tear gas, raising her fist in the air. The image was used by the Trump administration in its comments ⁠on human ​rights in Iran.

Moaiery said she remained committed to her work despite the prospect of further imprisonment.

“None ​of these sentences, however, has ever caused me to abandon my path, even for a moment. I have continued to document and show the realities of Iranian society,” she said.

“I don’t have anything to ​lose. The regime took everything from me and the only thing that I still have is my truth and honesty as an observer.”

Graham Norton seems to have thrown a gentle jab at the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, which he attended as a guest not too long ago.

The 63-year-old television personality shared his insights on the high-profile ceremony, joining a chorus of celebrities who have been eager to discuss the opulent celebration at Madison Square Garden in New York City on July 3.

Norton described the union of the international pop icon and the NFL’s star quarterback as ‘lovely,’ though he pointed out certain aspects he ‘wouldn’t have done’ himself. He revealed these thoughts during his appearance on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio UK.

Reflecting on the ceremony, Norton noted that it mirrored ‘any wedding,’ regardless of the couple’s celebrity status.

This commentary comes eight months after Norton disclosed the numerous nondisclosure agreements he had to ink before attending Swift and Kelce’s star-studded affair.

Norton explained: ‘You saw things, you know, “Oh, that’s a lovely touch,” and then you saw things, like, “Oh, I wouldn’t have done that.”‘

He added: ‘It was a lovely, lovely wedding.’

Earlier in the radio show conversation, he described the anticipation he experienced while heading towards the massive arena in Manhattan. 

‘When gay weddings started, I remember everyone going: “Oh, what will a gay wedding be like? What would that be like?”

‘Yeah, it’s like a wedding, you know? So that was the most interesting thing about the Taylor Swift thing.’

He continued: ‘Being in the car, the big black car, and New York is all shut down, and you’re heading toward Madison Square Garden, that was the kind of big, exciting [thing].’ 

‘That was like, “Oh, my God. Oh, my God. What’s it gonna be like?” And then you went through these big curtains and the cars there, and you get out of the car. The minute you got out of the car, you were at a wedding.’

Just this week, Kelce opened up about married life about a week after friends of the newlyweds revealed Swift was experiencing ‘bliss’ as Mrs Kelce and ‘waking up together’ in their marital home.

He said their wedding was ‘crazy’ and described their ceremony as the ‘best night of [his] life.’

‘That’s about all I really got from that night,’ he said at Kansas City Chiefs training camp ahead of their first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.

‘It was a crazy night. It was full of a lot of celebration. But it’s football, baby.’ 

Norton was among the estimated 1,000-plus wedding guests to celebrate Swift and Kelce’s nuptials, which reportedly cost them $50million. 

Fellow celebrities in attendance for the couple’s wedding weekend included Adam Sandler as the couple’s officiant and A-list guests including Beyonce and Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez and Cindy Crawford.

The bride and groom also invited Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, Karlie Kloss and many more stars.

Maren Morris was also in attendance and previously gushed about the bride and groom’s ‘beautiful’ wedding vows and witnessing their ‘love for each other.’  

Late last year, Swift made an appearance on Norton’s eponymous talk show and discussed her wedding preparations over half a year before tying the knot with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.

‘I know it’s going to be fun to plan because I think the only stressful weddings are the ones where you have a small amount, and people are on the bubble,’ Swift said on The Graham Norton Show in October last year. 

‘And you have to evaluate or assess your relationship with them to see if they should be there. I’m not gonna do that.’