This coming Tuesday is my brother’s birthday. With everything that’s been going lately, I lacked inspiration for sketching his card this year — until I happened to see another sketcher’s Instagram post of a silo with his friend’s initials, age, and birth year on it. (I regret not remembering that artist’s name so I could give him credit.)
I had snapped a photo of a grain silo in the Kansas Flint Hills 1 1/2 years ago so I used that to paint a similar card for my brother, finishing it a couple of weeks ago.
On Monday I underwent the final surgery reversing the ostomy I’ve lived with for 14 months. A simple, short surgery this time but now a long time of healing follows as my body relearns how to function normally. No hospital sketches were done due to a IV once again placed in my right hand. Returning home the next day, I gave no thought to sketching at all. But today I think I will maybe get back to drawing something. Moving forward, with much thankfulness, is a good thing.
Beautiful sketch, Vicky. I would like to tell you how I have admired your continued commitment to journaling throughout your cancer journey. I admire it I’ve more since being diagnosed with cancer recently and undergoing brain surgery. I am about to begin treatments and wondering how I will ever find the energy to keep sketching, which is a life source for me. I am so happy that you are close to the finish line. What an inspiration you are.
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Fay
Oh, Fay — I am so sorry to hear this. Know that you are and will be in my thoughts and prayers.
DeleteMy cousin went through brain cancer years ago. It was a very long battle but she is alive today, cancer-free.
Some days are more of a struggle than others. Be kind to yourself. Just a simple pencil mark or a short line of text may be all you can manage some days; other days you may not touch your journal at all and that is okay. This last year my journaling style changed. I no longer feel a need to finish a page at one go; I may lightly pencil in an idea but not come back to inking it in for several days. Paint may or may not be added later on, depending on how I feel.
Allowing your body and spirit space to heal is the main thing. Sketch journaling can help; some days it may be the only thing you have strength to do. But it’s okay _not_ to journal, too, on days where it seems too hard.
Every step is its own battle. I fought the whole idea of an ostomy bag at first but eventually it became my “normal”. Now the ostomy is completely gone. The new struggle is huge at the moment as my colon and sphincter muscle relearn their jobs after over a year of not being used — but I remind myself that this, too, will not be forever.
Healing blessings to you — God knows exactly what you need, each step of the way. He will provide all that is needed.
Thank you for taking the time to reply, Vicky. Yes, I am learning that there is a lot of adjustment necessary right now. And I guess the "silences" in my journal are really part of the story. I believe that God is leading and working everything for good, and will supply all o need. So I will continue to take one day at a time, and focus on blessings. I pray that you will continue to be blessed on your journey.
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God is working even now on your outcome. Perhaps the “silences” are simply where you wait on Him? Like a favorite verse, Psalm 46:10.
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