In late December 2019 I was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. I had a tumor removed from my colon at what they thought was Stage 1 ( completely contained and cured). Needless to say, learning the cancer had metasticized to my lungs and liver was a shock. I spent Christmas and early January suffering anxiety, and praying like crazy. My husband suggested I start doing some art as therapy. I’m not sure why, since I’m not a particularly funny person, but I started drawing cartoons about my experiences with chemo. They’re not great art—some of the side effects made it hard to hold a stylus steady—but they explained in a few words and visuals what I was feeling, and helped me discover some humor in my disease and treatment. It gave my brain something to think about besides potentially dying in the near future. I got lots of positive comments from friends and my medical staff. My mood improved, and so far I’ve been having great results from my treatments. It also gives me some goals to live for, as I’m retired and the kids are grown. I would like to leave some artwork as part of my legacy, and having this creative outlet during the pandemic has been a life saver.
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Huntington Beach, CA 92647
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