 |
| A Panda in Beijing, alla prima watercolor, inspired by a cover from Harper's Bazaar. |
Ellis and I are tied at the hip. As much as we've tried to avoid that happening, after fifty two years together, when one of us is not up to par or involved doing something unpleasant or scary, the other one is affected.
All day long today, my love has been restricted to drinking nothing but liquids and eating nothing but jello or soup broth. He's starving. He's anxious. He's very apprehensive about having to drink the gallons of crap the doctor prescribed to clean out his system. He's having a colonoscopy. As necessary as this test is, it's a bear. You'd think they would have come up with some prep a little bit less violent.
All day long, I've been as anxious as he is. I tried to take my mind off his distress by painting, but nothing good came of it. My heart wasn't in the studio; it was upstairs napping on the couch. I kept wishing it was tomorrow when we were back in good spirits as we head for home around eleven o'clock.
This is a watercolor from the past. After a day of going no where with oils, it looks like I had some fun doing it. The female figure is sort of a mess, but I like it. It fits.
That watercolor painting is full of life and color, makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteI am crossing my fingers and good luck tomorrow, give my regards
Thanks Roger. I like it too. The originality isn't mine, it belongs to the Bazaar graphic design department. I was investigating watercolor at the time and the color and subject was very attractive.
DeleteI just finished my dinner and glass of wine hiding in the kitchen so I wouldn't make him feel worse than he does. I really can't wait till eleven tomorrow. The test itself is nothing. I was awake when I had mine last year, but the prep really is disruptive and obnoxious. It's going to be a rough night. I'm glad our appointment is in the morning. I can't imagine waiting around to the afternoon for this thing. Heed my words, if you haven't had one yet. The earlier the better.
Lovely splodges of fresh colour, just the thing to raise the spirits. Hope all goes well.
ReplyDeleteIt will. It has before. Ellis is very good when it comes to taking care of himself. He started having the test when he was fifty when they say you are suppose to. Not me. I had my first one at sixty only because Audrey Hepburn had died from colon cancer. I lucked out. I only need one every ten years.
Deletefrom what I read online , Hepburn died of appendiceal cancer at her home in Switzerland in early 1993 and from what I've heard from two doctors they only do colonoscopies up to the age of 70.
DeleteColonoscopies are recommended from age 50. If polyps are found and removed, the time between is shortened. Ellis' second one was two years after the first, then three years, now four. He's seventy five. They found three polyps his first test, less after that.
DeleteMy tests are ten years apart;I've never had a polyp.
That wasn't what was reported about Hepburn at the time. Maybe they were just trying to get folks to get colonoscopies?
I think u r right about that (hepburn) .. I've read too many articles saying how colonosopies are not the tell all... meaning that they found its not all that thorough.. in my opinion each person is a separate case... if colon cancer runs in the family, diet plays a big part, also immune system... One doctor told me that they usually don't go past the age of 70 because any surgery is risky on that age group... and one doctor was frank and said that cancer usually arises in the later ages, tho in my dad's case it was his heart..
DeleteI looked up Audrey, you were right too. Her gastric cancer grew from her appendix. Maybe a colonoscopy would not have saved her life? I just remember registering from the way they reported her death, that I would have to have that test when the time came; I was such an admirer of her style and demeanor, I couldn't believe she died because she didn't have a colonoscopy. Glad you set me straight. But fifty and up is what is recommended. My 50 year old son just had his first last year. He was fine--didn't take after Ellis.
DeleteListen, colon, breast, heart, the truth is somethin' is gonna get us. It just up to us to make sure we keep an eye on our physical wellbeing. September is our main month for doing that.
Dear Linda, I know ... I hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteAnd 'this one of my checks follow-up (not too often, but hard!)
Your watercolor is charming as all that comes from your hands!
A big hug!
Hugs back Rita. We just have to get through this night of hell.
DeleteHi Linda,
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me say, "Happy New Year", a little late. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your last post about the "modified" celebration. It also awakened me to the fact that there are several friends I need to wish good tidings to! I'm pretty much a heathen and often fail to note significant religious holidays.
L'chaim,
Gary.
Thanks Gary. L'chaim to you too. We're pretty much heathens too except when it comes to traditions that bring family together to share a meal and a few hours of catching up.
Deleteoh man, my heart goes out to you and Ellis. It is a beautiful and encouraging picture of the two of you sharing in each other's suffering, though. Hard as that is, it is heartwarming to hear. Your watercolor does describe the situation well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Minnemie. We are very fortunate to have found each other as children and to have been smart enough to recognize we were a good fit. It is quirky that I selected that painting to show at this time isn't it? Me and my panda bear.
DeletePositive thoughts to you and Ellis for tomorrow. Your fresh watercolours are a delight.
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol. That one was a lot of fun. I thought the graphic director was brilliant. It must have been the cover during, or just before the Beijing Olympics. Actually, I find watercolor a lot of fun provided I don't get too seriously into it with under drawings and maskings and the like. Wet into wet is as unserious as I like to get.
DeleteFingers crossed for Ellis! Your watercolor is colorful and happy!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy. Ordinarily I am pretty colorful and happy. Just these few hours under a cloud.
DeleteHope all goes well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ann.
DeleteThe date is 18th, so tomorrow must be today... (different time zones disorient me).
ReplyDeleteI hope both you and Ellis are already back from the test and in a colorful spirit-such as your painting- thinking that you only had a difficult day but now it's ALL gone!!
It's great to have one another, everything's cut to the middle and makes life more bearable, doubles happiness and hard days warmer.
I find that the female figure on your painting she's exactly as supposed to be, not really a mess, but in an easy and loose form... as women often are; life's maneuvers need looseness or it will break you :)
My heart and thoughts with you guys!
Hugs.
We're on our way Konstantina. Just a few more hours till eleven. thanks for your good wishes. We are very fortunate to have each other. When one thing or another pops up that needs taking care of and I know nothing about it, I'll say, "Well what did I get married for?" And he says the same when the disturbance falls in my court. We have divided the responsibilities, that's both a good thing and a bad thing.
DeleteI feel for him. Had this done. The prep is definitely not fun.
ReplyDeleteHope today is much better.
It took forever. I was starting to worry when they finally said I could come back and retrieve him. He's great. He was promoted to every five years, one year longer in between.
DeleteI whisked him home, fed him and he's happily playing find-a-good-hotel, on his computer. What a couple of days. He was up till 1:30 AM polishing off that junk that he started drinking at five. They now break the intake into two sessions. I don't know why. They did 47 colonoscopies between 7:30 AM and 11:00 AM. It's a factory. I thought my grandson should become a gastroentrologist. It looks very lucrative.
Poor Ellis, and poor you, having to go through that - YUCK! I hope things are back to normal today.
ReplyDeleteI take it you're not fifty yet. It's just something you have to do no matter what. He's got a family history and my background is unknown.
DeleteEverything is back to normal--but I did have a glass of wine with lunch, unheard of during the week. I was more nervous than he was. I hate that test. I felt like it was me having it.
Good riddens for five years.
Oh poor you both. It's easier to have it for them than to stand uselessly by! I'm hoping you are both back home now ... and all is well. In my prayers.
ReplyDeleteEverything is great. Thank you John. Ellis and I are feeling very chipper this afternoon. He didn't even try to tell me how to drive him home. He still had one foot in Wonderland. Now, I waiting to hear his first bark and I'll know everything's back to normal.
DeleteHope you are home and all went well and the day of misery is over! The painting is gorgeous, just my idea of what a watercolour should be.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I have a good time with watercolor. I only do wet into wet and sometimes some firming up the day after. It's a nice relief from oils.
DeleteI'm going to get back to painting tomorrow, something light. Yesterday I pummeled Zac again and I still can't get him. To make matters worse, his values forced me back into Steve, so now there is really a lot to be done with that painting, or start a new one, or move on for a month or three. I don't know why I'm so stubborn? I need to play with the oils, get easier with them. Maybe another alla prima my painting table?
We came through this ordeal fine as I knew we would, but I do fight it the whole time we're involved with that horrendous prep.
Yikes - I hope all went well and that Ellis is back to his normal self. Love the painting of you with your "bear" - you brought humor to an unsettling event!
ReplyDeleteIt went great Susan. Thanks. It is curious why I selected that old painting to show under the circumstances. Art has always been an expressive tool for me. The bear/bare pun was unintentional--is that Jungian or Freudian? Jung probably?
DeleteAll the best wishes for Ellis ! I just love the colors and life that springs from this watercolor.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jane, everything was fine once we got up, dressed and headed over there for the test, which is nothing--really nothing--compared to the prep, which Ellis tells me was much better than four years ago. It seems they are working to improve the prep all the time. The test is an important one and it is the prep that stops people from scheduling that appointment.
Delete