I Think The Reason I Connected To House So Much This Time Around As Opposed To The Last Time I Tried

I think the reason I connected to house so much this time around as opposed to the last time I tried to watch it (and only managed one season) is the chronic pain

When I last watched it my injury was brand new. I hurt, and I hurt a lot, but as far as I know the doctors could fix it. I would eventually go through so many scans and see physical therapists and people I assume are experts in Backs™ and yet. It's been a decade since my injury and it hurts, it hurts all the time and every day. Sometimes it hurts a little, sometimes it hurts a lot, but it never does not hurt. And a few years ago it became clear: I am going to be in pain for the rest of my life.

I've never seen another show other than house talk about that, represent that, treat it with respect. House sucks and is often capable of being a deeply horrible person but we never ever forget that he's in pain. It's never mocked, it's never discarded, treatments wear off and the medication he uses is addictive poison. His injury is technically much worse than mine. But it's the same thing: it hurts. And it hurts all the time. And it's never going to not hurt.

So yeah. There's a lot of other appeal to the show, there's lots of reasons to like it, and I do like it on the merit of other characters and just because I really like case of the week shows.

But I can't deny that when House talks about being in pain, I get it. I get it now like I simply didn't eight or nine years ago. And people keep telling that I'm brave for living like this, but I don't have any choice. It's either pain or it's death. And House is the same.