Iowa City author Nina Lohman draws inspiration from chronic pain in book 'The Body Alone'

Eight years ago, Nina Lohman set out to write an essay about her chronic headaches, which came on suddenly in grad school and still deals with today.

Initially, she wrote to give her pain and struggling room to breathe. As she continued to journal, the content blossomed, inspiring her to share her experiences with the world.

"I thought that I just had these really dramatic medical experiences that had happened to me over the course of seven or eight years, and they were festering inside of me, and I felt like I needed to get them out of my body onto the page like the same way that in the middle of the night you like write your grocery list," Lohman said.  "I just kept writing this collection of words on a page, and I thought maybe it was an essay, and every time I tried to pull that together, it absolutely did not fit into an essay form."

Lohman might be best known as the editor of "Brink," an in-print literary magazine in Iowa City, or as the Literary Programming Director for Mission Creek Festival. Her debut book, "The Body Alone, A Lyrical Articulation of Chronic Pain," was released Wednesday, July 3, through The University of Iowa Press.

The process of pain and recovery

"The Body Alone" is similar to the "Brink" style of writing, blending genres by providing new perspectives, voices, and ideas.

"It became clear to me, that this fractured format that I had was essential to the story I was telling," Lohman said. "The way that I have these multiple voices is so that it can read, almost like a chart or a diagram or something. It's essential to what I need to communicate the experience."

In the opening pages, Lohman is clear that her story is not linear, saying, "My story, like pain itself, swivels erratically ? often without warning at all...there will be times when language collapses entirely into opaqueness. The tone will dislocate itself. Stay with me when this happens. We tell ourselves stories in order to live."

"The Body Alone" explores the meaning and experience of pain. Lohman asks readers, "How much pain can you handle?" She finds the answer by detailing her struggles with chronic pain and navigating the health system.

Lohman uses traditional prose and poetry throughout the memoir, though she also creates blackout poetry from conversations with healthcare providers. She analyzes her prescription records and internal monologue to produce a riveting and thought-provoking story.

"I think it's a conventional story told in an unconventional way, and it's important to recognize that the form of this book really does try to be reflective of the experience (of living with chronic pain), and that's going to be new and different, "Lohman said. "This is not a traditional memoir. This is not a traditional book."

Lohman sat down with the Press-Citizen for a brief Q&A about her writing process and her favorite parts of her hometown.

Press-Citizen: What are the biggest lessons you learned from writing "The Body Alone"?

Nina Lohman: "Throughout this process, it has become clear that I am not an anomaly. It is not just me; it's millions and millions of people who have chronic pain or illnesses that are not defined and not diagnosed and not treated. We are in a huge group of people. Most of us are young, and most of us identify as women or female sex parts, and there is a fundamental gap in medicine, science, and dollars to put towards all those things. Once again, there's a systemic problem. It's not just me like I thought for so long; it is so much bigger than me. That's one of the reasons why I am so excited to get out and talk about this. There are a lot of us out here, and if we can together start to become more recognized like our illnesses might not be recognized, but we can can be recognized, and let's use that power together to help affect some actual change."

P-C: What has it been like to elevate and talk about your own work when usually you are promoting others' work with Brink?

NL: "It's different. I love promoting the work of other people, and it's so easy to talk about and praise the work of other people. I'm noticing so much more when we do issues of Brink. People really need the hybrid form to untangle complicated stories, stories about families, their bodies, or their pasts. The hybrid form gives people space to explore these stories and tell them how they need to be told, which is gratifying. It's wonderful to have done this work on my own quietly and publicly with Brink, and now I can say, 'I've been doing this all along; here is my work publicly.' I think it's harder to put myself out there, but I feel confident in the work and feel confident in the way that the story is being told. I'm really happy to be raising more attention and having more conversations about pain and healthcare, particularly for women."

P-C: What is your favorite nostalgic spot or memory from Iowa City when you were growing up?

NL: "I remember playing in the terrible brick structure that was the water fountain outside of the public library (where the playground is now). It was literally made from bricks, and there was water coming out, and kids would just climb on it; it was a death trap. I remember playing on that and waiting for my dad to be done with work in the Old Capitol Mall…I remember being downtown a lot; my dad was a professor at the university, so I grew up going to lectures."

P-C: What are your favorite spots in Iowa City today?

NL: "Fix! Coffee. It is a great place to meet people; the coffee is wonderful, beautiful and, bright, easily accessible. I often take meetings and write emails at (Fix! Coffee). I tend to write at home just because I need the quiet and the lack of distractions… I love all the places in the community that have been made with intention, and I think the Plated Table is a great example of that. There is such a great energy downtown, and I love the dynamic of Velvet Coat and Revival and how those two woman-owned businesses support each other. Because I often work from home, these places often force me to come out and meet everybody else for the other parts of my job."

P-C: What does a perfect day in Iowa City look like to you?

NL: "I would say a walk downtown with my family and come to the farmers' market and get breakfast, get the energy of all the people and bringing in their goods and time. Then, in the summer, we would wander to one of the festivals happening downtown and move through downtown. We love to eat at Nodo, which my kids always request, so we would stop and eat at Nodo. Then we could see an afternoon movie at FilmScene, and then we would end the night at our house with a barbeque with friends and family."

P-C: What is one thing you wish more people knew about Iowa City?

NL: "Iowa City is a place where dreams actualize. I have seen so many of my colleagues, friends, family, and people in the community take a seed of an idea, plant it here, and watch it grow. This is a supportive community, and I think that people here know what it means to put your shoulder behind something or someone and make things happen."

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City author's book 'The Body Alone' details her chronic pain