Acceptance and Hope

Honeybee coming in for a landing on our Plum Tree

I’ve discovered that one of the major causes of my right arm nerve flare ups come on when I sit at my laptop for extended periods.  Today I’m trying something new in order to get this blog post out there, because so much has happened since I last wrote. I’m wearing my glasses and writing on the old beast, aka my ancient and insanely slow desktop.  It has a better positioned screen for my neck. I figure while I’m waiting for it to process, I will be forced to get up and do my stretches. That way I can get through this without having to spend the evening with my ice pack and Advil.

About a week after I wrote my last post with my right arm afire, I visited my PT and cried to him that I was not getting any better.  I unloaded on him for about one hour, commiserating about the possibility of requiring another surgery.  Despite hardly sleeping that evening, I awoke the next day with **almost** all numbness and tingling in my right arm dissipated, minus my right thumb.  Regardless of feeling like a huge jerk for crying to my PT the day before, I felt something I really needed and wanted for so long. Hope and Acceptance.  This isn’t to say I haven’t had some crappy days since, but knowing I can get this nerve injury to a tolerable level,  I can live with this.  If I never feel the end of my thumb, that seems somewhat livable as compared with my entire right arm/shoulder.  =)

Therapy Ball – my first painting back at it

Cutting back on time usually spent visiting therapists has allowed me to start to think about painting again, but it’s not without challenges.  My husband’s job is extremely demanding and requires a great deal of travel.  This has left me in a position of solo parenting for the most part.  Balancing parenting and creative production is something I’m striving for, but it is very well possible that I may not be able to devote as much time to my art as I have in years past due to our current circumstances.  I am working on accepting this and I’ve created some hope to this situation. To allow myself some freedom and time for art, I’ve signed myself up for 2, week-long workshops this summer with some notable artists.  Getting away to immerse myself in my creative, rather than my logistical brain for a week at a time I know will be incredibly therapeutic.

My family, Hiking at Smith Rock State Park on my 40th

Lastly, I know some of you are wondering if I will continue to paint horses.  The answer is YES! with a but… For the first time ever, I feel inspired to paint other things.  The Pacific Northwest is so full of beauty in nature and landscape I find myself to wanting to explore capturing some of this.  It will take me a while to develop some connections with the equestrian community here,  embracing other subjects and diversifying my skills in my portfolio will be a welcome addition.