ARTWORK - carried off in the grip of pain

Written by

HumbleCat

Wed, December 12, 2007

captive of the chemo people

I handle my pain with art.

here's my impression of how it feels to submit to the pain....

Submitted

Oh, the post says I need more text! Okay, here's where my pain comes from:

I am a cancer survivor who has been through two major surgeries divided by 4 months of chemotherapy, which interrupted my body's ability to heal itself. I am living with chronic pain as a result of a chronically dislocated ribcage, with resultant musculo-skeletal bone pain in four ribs that float and crack with every breath (unless I still totally still. Hence the art obsession), leaving me with a chronically dislocated shoulder , four discs in my neck dislocated, post-chemo permanent ear-ringing and also neuropathy in my neck, left arm, left side of my torso, hands and feet, four surgical hernias in my torso, and aggravated spondylitis in my cervical spine from c2-c7. The surgeries removed one kidney, one adrenal gland, ten lymph nodes, the left tube to my kidney, and the top of the bladder on the left where the tube connected bladder and kidney. But thanks to sugeries and chemo, I survived a rare stage three cancer, and live with the daily if painful reminders of surviving both the disease and the cure. Sheesh..it sounds bad when you actually put it all in writing at once <sigh>...

Poor me!! NOT. I am totally alive still. Art, writing, drugs, heat, and my dog are my salvation these days. I'm happy to have found this site.

I hope you enjoy my work~

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Betty Boop Too

12/12/07 10:21pm

HumbleCat

I saw your pictures and my heart melted. I love your portrayal of pain in your work, it's wonderful.

Do you have copies or pictures you sell? I would love to have a copy of both the pictures you shared.

I'm really happy that you found us too. I also really hope that we can be of some assistance to you and possibly support you through your journey of pain.

Feel free to join in any where you are comfortable and I also wanted to let you know you can join us over in the forum area for are daily discussion. there's no subject that you have to stick to and the discussion is just about sharing your daily struggles, successes, or anything you feel like sharing.

http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/25343/17571/area-site/

It's such a pleasure to meet you and I hope you are having a low pain day.

Take Care

Betty

Karen Curtis

12/13/07 4:39pm

Pain, it's such a horrorible feeling when you can't even open a package of bologna. When someone presses really hard anywhere on your body, just with there finger and the pain radiates to a much larger space from where thier finger tip touched and hurts for several minutes. Unable to even get a massage anymore, because the rubbing causes excruciating pain from the first touch. I've been struk down with Fibromyalgia. No cure! There are ways to cope with it exercise, hot showers, constanrt movement, that way you don't get stiff, but sometimes that isn't enough. You feel that constant widespread pain all over. It's been devastating to me. But, I refuse to let it ruin my life, being as I just got my life back after being kidnapped 13 years ago. I am finally happy for the first time in my life, then I get this. However there are times at the end of the day that I will set & cry from all the pain I'm in, how exausted I am. This is so unfair for anyone that is in constant pain. Some people handle it better than others, but for those of us on strong pain meds and are still in pain it might be a little harder to handle, I know it is for me. Everyone hang in there, we have our good days & our bad days. Just hang on!!!!

Aprilheather

12/14/07 11:18am

Your work is inspirational as is your story. Keep up the good work. There is a wealth of support in the pain art arena online. Others will be moved by your words and work.

Susan lic

12/14/07 12:02pm

Your painting and your story is very inspiring. A lot of my family member are cancer survivors too. The pain and treatments can slow you down. They can even bring you down emotionally. You have found a way to stay strong and keep your spirits up. I love the way the art work looks like the pain just melts away and yet, you stay strong with no sign of giving in. It's hard to just hang on but with help of God we can make it. The angel holding you up and not leaving you alone. It is great for a real reason to not ever to give in. I hope you stay here with us permanently. I have MS and I am not letting go yet. It's my life and I sticking to it. God bless you and see ya later.

Diana

12/15/07 3:52am

Hi HumbleCat, your artwork is beautiful; one painting is a bit remincent of Edvard Munch's "The Cry"... you manage to convey pain w/out a complete dark side.

You've certainly been through the mill with cancer. I can't pretend to know what it's like to have cancer but after ten years as an Oncology RN I've been on the treatment side for awhile. A lot of people think that once you're in remission there is no pain but any chemo strong enough to treat a stubborn cancer like yours leaves people w/ neuropathy. Nerve pain is devilishly hard to control.

I'm very happy for you having made it through; it takes a lot to go through what you have & like many people who develope cancer you probably had less pain before you were diagnosed but what choice do any of us have; between a rock & a hard place. I also can isolate & be content w/ my 3 rescue dogs. Again, glad you're here & made it through so much. You're able to paint & do beauiful work. Sincerely, Diana

MAC

9/ 9/08 11:24pm

I love your art work! Your style is so expressive and emotionally powerful. At the same time I kinda envy your ability to create. My degree is in art, but I have a horrible black block of depression which I have been battling to break through. However, I did manage a submission (however sideways it downloaded), and hope that this forum will provide the inspiration I need to crash through that block of blackness. Thank you for your inspiration!

MAC

tahoe93

6/28/09 3:31pm

You have made beauty from your pain. Thank you for sharing with us. I hope that now, after two years, you are feeling much better and still making art.'

Anonymous

7/ 9/09 4:34pm

You are truly inspirational! To have endured all that you have gone through, and still have a wonderfully positive attitude - that is the best! I admire you and your art!!

mice87

7/30/09 11:17am

your art work is just beautiful--i am in so much pain that sometimes i don't get out of bed--thank you for the beautiful pictures!!! are they for sale?

ARTWORK - carried off in the grip of pain

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