I’ve had thorns in my head for well over a week, and finally got started on drawing yesterday, still not done on that front, but I had to play with colour a bit today. I’ve been working late, then falling into bed, not scheduling anything on Affinity, so if I’m late, or space out regular features, blame the thorns in my head. This one is going to take a long time, too. It’s large, filled with detail, and I’m going with pencil instead of paint, which is always slower for me. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to work, I’m now consumed with the need. Bad photo:
© C. Ford, all rights reserved.
Hi Caine:
I’m so happy that you are feeling well enough to draw -- good for you!!! Embrace these victories.
Victoriajoy
Oh, I am! Thank you so much. The hydration helped beyond belief. I finally counted -- it took 10 sessions of IV fluids to get me back to almost normal. Chemo is this week again, so I will be scheduling more.
How are you doing?
Looks so intricate, it will look amazing when it’s finished I’m sure. Glad you feel well enough to work on your art again, Caine, let’s hope the worst of chemo is behind you, now with the dehydration under control. After this week, one more cycle to go, right?
Yes. Wednesday is my 7th cycle, then one more after that. Then I think I get a break for a month or so, then radiation & oral chemo.
I’m also glad to hear you’re well enough to do your art.
This is already poignant. Words only go so far to describe what you feel.
I’m so glad the fluids are allowing you to do art again.
This piece feels menacing already. The thorns tower like monsters and that purple looks toxic.
Good to see you doing art again! As victoriajoy16ck said, embrace the victories!
Looks twisted, sharp, toxic, inescapeable, painful … .
It reminds me of a drawn french SciFi movie i saw as a Kid and never found again.
I wish I could handle color pencils as good as you do! I have the skills of a kindergartner in that regard.
Hi Caine:
I’m doing ok. I had my genetic test done this past Friday to see if I have the BRCA gene. It will take about 3 weeks. I elected to be told in person as opposed to someone just calling and telling me over the phone. If I have the gene I will have a double mastectomy. If not -- than maybe I can just get a lumpectomy. My last Taxol is tomorrow (YEAH!!!) than I just get the Pembrolizumab every 3 weeks for 4 doses. I will be SO happy to not have chemo EVERY WEEK!!!
The chemo pharmacist said once I stop the Taxol I may be able to taste again in a few months. I hope so -- ’cause I’m getting tired of cardboard.
victoriajoy
Ice Swimmer, Voyager, Avalus, Kreator:
Thank you all so much! Yes, it’s toxic, and menacing. This is ‘Locked in the Thorns of Side Effects’. As for colour pencils, it’s not my best medium, by far. It’s difficult for me, and always slow going. I actually do better with crayons! :D
Victoriajoy:
That’s going to be a long 3 weeks. Fingers crossed you won’t need a double mastectomy. A friend of mine with breast cancer had a mastectomy done, and she said it wasn’t bad at all, and you don’t get the same mental fallout with the reconstruction done in the same surgery.
Yay for the end of Taxol! I am also looking forward to the end of chemo -- tomorrow is my second to last cycle. And here’s to food which tastes like food!
The Latvian for “Sleeping Beauty” is Ērkšķrozīte (literally ‘Little Thorn Rose’, but could also be ‘Little Thorn Flower’). This makes me think of that.
That’s very pretty, rq. Makes me think of Talia (Sleeping Beauty) in Jim C. Hines’s Princess series, and the deadly hedge of thorns.