Two-step Steph

The other Tiny Tim*

Guess I forgot to tell you (you being Andrew K :D since you and Mark are the only ones who read this and Mark already knows) about the trip to the podiatrist and the RSD and the physical therapy and THAT I'M WALKING ON TWO FEET NOW!!! :) OHyeah!

Last week, I saw a podiatrist to find out what the hell was up with my foot--my foot which continued to wake me up at night with horrible burning and pressure and way more pain than a sprain should cause. At that point, it was still really swollen and whenever I wasn't elevating it and sometimes when I was, it would turn all red and or purple and feel like it was on fire and like my bones were trying to burst through my skin. This didn't seem right especially since it had been fine the first week after the idiotury (short for idiotic injury) and it was going on week three.

So the podiatrist, unlike the specialist I'd seen previously, turned out to be nice, patient and fairly forthcoming with relevant information. After checking x-rays and poking my foot, she determined that there might be something weird going on. RSD was mentioned and appointments with a pain management center and a physical therapist were scheduled. If you follow that link it'll tell you about RSD or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy which is a scary neurological disorder that I've decided I don't have.

After being thoroughly horrified by Google's RSD stories, I grabbed the crutches and put as much weight as I could stand on my puffy red potato appendage. Within a day or two, I was doing my best Tiny Tim* impersonation walking with only one crutch. "God bless us--everyone!" A couple of days later, the swelling had gone down enough to squeeze my foot into a boot, a boot that was a full size too big, but a boot nonetheless! I saw the physical therapist two days ago and learned about a bunch of exercises that should help. I can walk without a crutch most of the time now. The burning, discoloration and pain only happens sporadically at this point. Things are looking up! Heck, may oldest cat is even being nice to me lately! If life continues in this upward trajectory maybe I'll actually get a bullhorn for Christmas!

p.s. Just in case the universe reads this blog, although I'd be beyond pleased to get a bullhorn for Christmas, I'd really rather be able to jump off the shed again by springtime.

Negligence, Transience & Encouragement

Finally got around to adding some photos to the Icon section of my website! It's only been what, three years? Anyway, the two paintings I added are the snake and the moth icons that are up right now at The Northampton Center for the Arts.

I wasn't sure what kind of responses to expect when I finally got around to showing this series. I mean, people tend to be a little repelled by snakes and insects, not to mention dead things. But surprisingly enough, lots of people came up to me and offered compliments on the work the night of the reception! It made me really happy. I worry that this series will come off as intentionally revolting or disrespectful somehow which is not at all my intention. I don't mind that it can seem a little irreverent, but more importantly, I'm trying to make it about acknowledgment, respect and honor. I guess (and I know I'm risking sounding new age-y, corny or self-important here) making these icons is sorta like praying for me.

Anyway back to the present, both pieces also sold! YAY! I feels like forever since I sold any art, and it's always encouraging when someone likes what you're doing enough to want to look at it everyday.

Here. I'll leave you with an image because pictures make blogs way more interesting... especially art blogs. This is a sidewalk drawing I did back in October. If you click it, it'll bring you to d'Arte Board--the blog I co-author with my artist friends--where you can see a larger version of the photo. Oh, I also posted a work in progress over there, it's another icon I have in the works right now.



Have a great day!
-Steph

"Animals in Art" Reception TONIGHT!

I have two little encaustic works in an exhibit that's up right now at the Northampton Center for the Arts. The themed show is a yearly event organized and curated by artist extraordinaire and all around wonderful person Jane Lund. This year's theme, "animals in art", has been interpreted by over fifty artists. I hear there's quite a variety of work that includes some very inventive approaches. The reception is this evening and, barring any cataclysmic events, I will be there. Maybe I'll even manage to snap some photos to share like I did last year.




exhibit details from the center's website:

Join the artists for a festive opening reception featuring the music of West County Jazz on Friday, December 11, 5pm-8pm. Regular gallery hours are 11am-4pm, Tuesday through Friday. The gallery is closed on Christmas but open on New Year's Eve until midnight!

GET DIRECTIONS HERE

It's Snowing!

photo by charlesimages
borrowed from Wunderground.com

Mark and the rest of the neighbors are out shovelling the sidewalks. The neighborhood kids are all heading to the park to have a giant snowball fight. Mr. Brown and WABU both stopped by already on their way over there. It's the first really good snowfall this year and it's the sticky kind--perfect packing snow for snowballs and snowmen and snow forts. I want to go out and play.

Stupid foot.

Stupid prancing Steph.

*sniffle*

An Update On the Good Foot

The update is that I still have only one good foot at this point. The doctor I saw on Wednesday didn't say much (without prompting) except that yep, it's a sprained foot and ankle. When pressed, he said there's not much to do about it except to let Mother Nature and Father Time run their course. I can expect another month or so of healing time and possibly some pain/discomfort for longer than that. OK.

In the meantime, I'm doing a ton of fabulous things like sitting on my fat ass in the living room, sitting on my fat ass in the other living room, sitting on my fat ass outside on the stoop, etc. I did manage to hobble out to the sidewalk and kneel in a rather uncomfortable position that didn't hurt my foot long enough to draw my hopes and dreams out in chalk on the sidewalk.

Yes, all I want for Christmas this year is a jetpack... a jetpack and a bullhorn! Oh, and a rickshaw which would of course require a coolie--preferably a friendly, handsome coolie with at least moderately impressive stamina. That's all.

Asymmetrical Leanings

I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty and I have to pee and I'm sick of sitting here in front of the computer . So get up! Well you see, I'm putting off getting up to take care of these things because my underarms and the palms of my hands are all sore and bruised and my left foot is starting to hurt. That and I'm developing a fondness for the safety of inertia. An embarrassing accident last Wednesday has left me with only one load-bearing foot. So now I'm hopping around on crutches (the least ergonomically designed apparatus ever) and whining alot.

What happened, Steph?!

Well it all started a couple of weeks ago with some leaf raking in the backyard. My 13 year old pal Mr. Brown climbed up on the shed and hopped off into our giant pile of leaves. Then my 14 year old pal WABU followed suit. It sure looked like alotta fun even though something in the back of my mind said it was a bad idea. Still, the next day I doubled the size of the pile and when Mr. Brown showed up I declared, much to his delight, that I was going to jump. With a little coaching, I climbed onto the shed and spent a little time thinking about how much it would suck to sprain or break an ankle. I spent a little more time conveying my fears to Mr. Brown. There was some discussion and debate which turned into me stalling for time while I tried to work up the courage to leap from the 8 or 9 foot roof which really wasn't that tall according to Mr. Brown who kindly stretched his arm up as high as it would go to illustrate that the roof was only a foot or two higher than that. More discussing. We decide it's a good idea for Mr. brown to relocate the pile a bit closer to the shed. I direct him from atop the structure. About 20 minutes into my stalling, WABU busts through the gate and announces that Mr. Brown needs to "get home now!" because he hasn't checked in with his mom since getting home from school and she's none too happy. Aw crap. Now or never. So as Mr. Brown is collecting his things, I launch off the shed and land with a most delightfully surprising spring and no pain whatsoever into the cushy pile of crunchy leaves! Yay! Fun!

About a week later as I'm preparing various variousness for the following day's Thanksgiving feast, I think I hear a car door. OH! Maybe Mark's home early! I run to the living room, hop over the ottoman and peek out the window. No Mark. Darn. I leap back over the ottoman, catch my foot on the blanket, land ALL Wrong on the side of my foot and go down. PAIN! Really bad pain. Loud cursing and rolling around. The cats leave the room quickly... no doubt to snicker out of sight and earshot at my idiocy. I crawl to the freezer for the icepack then back to the couch where I elevate and ice what appears to be a third ankle growing at an alarming rate out the side of my right foot.

Four hours in the ER where most of the staff refuses to make eye-contact, two triage nurses simultaneously grill me with unrelated questions and I'm forced to endure Glenn Beck's nonsensical ramblings on Fox "news" isn't as much fun as I'd anticipated making pumpkin bread from a real pumpkin would be. The P.A. is nice, handsome and has very stylish glasses. He also has big, meaty paws according to Mark, Mark who has slim, delicate hands. I score a set of crutches and an air splint. RICE = rest + ice + compression + elevation. Don't put any weight on it. Eat alot of NSAIDs. There will be a follow up with a specialist. Due to the holiday weekend, that follow up won't happen until this afternoon. I'll be sure to fill you in. Be prepared for more mind-numbing adventures!

Cupcake Power! Chalk, Frosting & Sidewalks

If you read my other blog (the one where I actually post) then you may be familiar with the weekly posts I call "Sunday Sidewalk Doodles" where I post photos of chalk drawings done by me , my friends and whoever walks by and wants to play over the course of the previous week. Above is a detail from one of this week's most popular drawings. Click it to see the rest!