Tephyr's Studio

I'm back. (no pun intended; really!)

On the other side of the spinal surgery... but not over it by any means.

I'm afraid there is no Garden or Studio update but I thought I'd better report in for those of you who have been asking (or wondering) how I am:

I'm very glad, again, that I have a sense of humor as I find myself rather amusing. It would seem one of the life lessons I'm not getting (and so Life must keep trying to teach me) is that you can't predict what's going to happen. Both the good and the bad.

The surgeon warned me “This is going to hurt”. I figured I've been through a lot in the last ten years: 7 cancer surgeries and one radiation treatment. So I figured I was emotionally and physically prepared for the surgery to remove two tumors off my spine. I've hurt before and gotten over it and moved on.

I was both right and wrong. I'm actually doing well when you consider what I've been through in the last couple weeks. I've already weaned myself off the prescription pain meds. Just the occasional OTC as needed; mostly at night.

But I'm having some trouble dealing with being physically immobile to the degree that I am. Mostly all I can do is sit in a recliner. Any activity; including trying to draw or anything more can't be done for more then a few minutes.

Getting my supplies set up and ready to work is about all I've been able to accomplish; much less actually do something with them. :)

I had all these plans for my recovery. I had a stack of Art magazines I'd saved up for months. Seed Catalogs piled high to go through and plan the Garden with. Simple things I was shocked to find I couldn't do.

I signed up for Traci Bautista's Doodles Unleashed workshop and Jan Fox Designs 52 Play Dates. I saw myself sitting, relaxing and following their lead so that I could stay creative. Only to find (can we say Duh? :) ) my arms are attached to my back and it hurts to move them and I have to move my position every 5 minutes or I'm in agony.

(hopefully I can play catch up soon on both workshops that, btw, look great: good job to the teachers and the students.. at least I can watch :) )

The good news is I have a short attention span so it's easy for me to move from one thing to another but a big part of me loathes not being able to do what I want, when I want and for how long.

And better news: I can now sit up for a bit with the keyboard in my lap (where I am now) and communicate to the outside world and I've started on the magazines and catalogs some. I'm even walking around the house a bit.

So there is a light at the end of this tunnel and so, I feel that once again, I am ready to Get Over Myself. In short increments. :)

Hopefully, in the following weeks I'll have some reports of results of some kind of Creative expression... as well as the plans for The Garden in 2012.

(the above picture is from one of my Art Journals and seemed appropriate for me relearning to Soar!)