Lupus

I haved a very limited knowledge of Lupus. Despite growing up with a cousin who was diagnoised with this chronic illness, I never knew much about it. Tammy’s legs would flare up, she had to have medication and had to keep out of the sun more than the rest of us. And we couldn’t defend ourselves against her, even is she started a fight because she was “sick”. Not that I ever noticed anything sick about her, other than the splotches on her legs. She didn’t even have the butterfly rash on the face.
In highschool I was randomly assigned a reasearch paper on Lupus. The teacher assigned the papers on things she figured we would know little or nothing about. I went home and told grandma what my paper was on and that weekend had stacks and stacks of research material handed to me by her and my aunt. That was the first time I had a name for the illness my cousin had been diagnoised with since she was 8 years old. I did my paper, and 20 years later can honestly say that I retained little of the information. I think I made a good grade on it though.
Tammy always seemed to live a perfectly normal life, so her Lupus was never something that factored into things. She grew up, became a medical assitant, married had two lovely little girls. One who shows a great deal of talent for drawing.

But a couple of years ago I noticed something weird with my own body. I had these weird splothes on my feet. It was little dots of blood coming up through the pores and darker splotches left uder the skin after that tiny dot of blood had been wiped away. The day I noticed them I was at a freind’s house who was a neurologist. He looked at them and said he had no idea what it was, and did suggest I get it looked at. But it went away after a couple of weeks and I didn’t think anything of it.

Off and on over the last few years I have had arthritic type pain in my fingers and toes, loss of feeling in the tips of my fingers and toes and of course the ongoing headaches I have been having since I was 6. Still I just took that as a sign of being too heavy and getting older, and just something I have always delt with.

Then while at an art show a couple weeks ago those splotches came back. A little larger this time. And this time they went all the way up to my knees. This time, I knew where I had seen then before. My legs looks just like Tammy’s legs.

It all could still be that I am just so over weight that it is causing a strain on my body. But because of the family history, the doctor is running some tests that include looking into Lupus. I have done a bit more research on it. Not too much. Still not too worried. I need to loose weight either way. And Lupus doesn’t scare me because I haven’t seen how it has changed Tammy’s life. Her lifestyle isn’t that different than mine, except that she is a better housekeeper than me and works as a medical assitant instead of an artist. Otherwise both typical suburban families with 2 kids living perfectly average lives.

But no matter what happens with those blood tests, something has changed in me. I want to know more about Lupus. And not just because it is some high school research assignment. I want to know more than they know now. I want to do something to help.

I did a drawing, that I think will become a painting. I wonder if there is some way I can use my art to raise a little bit of money to help with Lupus Research or bring attention to Lupus.

ArtFest

I got my acceptance letter today. Looks like I will be at ArtFest Memorial Day weekend. This year it will be at Fair Park in Dallas.

It feels weird

It feels weird not being able to show off my latest drawings. I miss my computer, more for it’s ability to be used to scan my art than anything else. The computer a friend loaned me doesn’t have a USB port that fuctions so I can hook it up to my scanner. Hopefully my new computer will arrive soon.

Life Happens

It has been a crazy few weeks. Seems like everything is just piling up on us. First the tree grew through the water line. Then the computer crashed. Then the cat got sick. Then the cat died. Then I got sick, thought I was being a baby about allergies. Cracked a rib from coughing. Discovered today that I actually had bronchitis (sp?) that is now phemonia (sp?). Oh and a I have also developed a slew of other ailments that has me scheduled to be tested for arthritis and lupus once I get this stupid breathing issue taken care of. Katie has some rash related to allergies. Dr. thinks some of it looks like poison ivy, but not all of it…..Oh and James is leaving for China ridiculously early Saturday morning.

And I miss Munin. She was ussually the one to cuddle up with me and sooth me with purring when I felt bad. Most Baby’s got to listen to music in the womb, Katie got Munin purrs.

And despite it all, I am not feeling too beaten down. Maybe all those Buddihist podcasts that James has me listen too have affected me. My opinion on all the issues of late is “this too will pass”. Granted I am looking forward to it passing so that I can get back to the regularly scheduled chaos.

Bath House Cultural Center Spring Art Mart

Just to let you all know that I will be exhibiting at the Bath House Art Mart next week. It is part of the Dallas Art Dealer’s Association’s Gallery Walk. I will be in the theater this year.
Come by and visit.

Since my computer died, I haven’t been able to keep things updated. The computer I am borrowing until my new one arrives doesn’t have even the most basic graphics software installed so no new art to show off. But if you come to the show, you will see some new stuff. Some art cards and a pen an ink of Cthulhu even.

It runs in the Family

I recently discovered that one of my cousin’s is creating as well. Check out her art!

http://firefaery24.imagekind.com

www.zazzle.com/pixiejenn2483

www.printfection.com/faery_dazzle

http://www.cafepress.com/faeryjenn24
She also has a very talented Niece that I would love to be able to show some of her work too.

And while I am bragging on family, my son now has a cafepress shop as well!