Chronicles of Karen: Maggie McKeown: Artist

Friday, April 18, 2008

Maggie McKeown: Artist

Well, artist is just one of things Maggie is, of course. But Grandma Mary came to visit last week, during Spring Break, and taught Maggie some basic watercolor technique. (Grandma Mary paints and teaches in Ocala, FL.) Herewith, a sample of Maggie's work.

I, too, took a lesson, but I didn't have quite the same natural proclivity as did Maggie. I did, however, paint a tree, an pear, and an apple, with great assistance from Grandma.

We had a lovely, but all too brief, visit with Grandma, and our house is full of watercolors, to prove it.

Tomorrow, I head off for my "Post-Chemo 2008 Tour". First, I'm visiting Indiana (Indianapolis and Bloomington) where I'll get to see three out of four of some of my dearest friends, and my alma mater (Indiana University). Then, on Thursday, I'm driving up to Chicago, where I'll get to play with all three of my sisters. This is kind of a big deal. We're all busy and I'm interrupting more than one of their lives right now, but they're good sisters and they're humoring me by making an appearance in a city that I love. I'm sure I'll have lots of pics to share upon my return, on April 27.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Gorgeous apple, and Ben says the Chinese dragon is even better! Anyway, have a great trip.--M; April 19, 2008 at 11:47 AM

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Some Breast Cancer Tips

I keep encountering people in my community who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. This is distressing, to say the least. But I also know that there's a light at the end of that tunnel. So, for those folks I send to this site for information on breast cancer, here are a few tips. (I'll keep adding to this section as I remember things.)

Surgery/diagnosis:
Have some Atavan (Lorazepam) on hand (your primary cary physician can prescribe it for you). It's a miracle drug--soporific, anti-emetic, anti-anxiety. It will help in the next few weeks. Trust me.

Chemo:
My most excellent friend Carla (oncologist) kept telling me, and she was right, that there's no need to be nauseous. There are so many options out there. If one doesn't work, talk to your doctor right away. Don't wait. This whole process already really really stinks--there's no need to suffer more than necessary. But be aware that some of the more powerful and effective anti-emetic drugs also will knock you out. For those days after chemo when you're more or less "out of it", have some nice lowkey DVDs/videos on hand. I found that books did not work during this period; I really needed something more passive. I found that Columbo and other mysteries worked well, as did very gentle comedy like Jeeves & Wooster.

Also, when they tell you not to tax your system with certain foods, they mean it. Something might sound yummy, and it might not make you nauseous. But your system is working so hard during chemo, and it gets kinda cranky when you make it work on digesting something it's not ready for (e.g. Mexican food). Scrambled eggs and toast and yogurt are really good friends during chemo week.

Radiation:
Get the 100% aloe from Trader Joe's. No dyes or anything. Slather it on right after radiation. Slather it on again at bedtime. After a few weeks of this, you'll likely need a nice hydrating lotion to address the dry skin caused by the healing aloe. Your radiation oncologist probably has some samples. If not, get some Aquaphor (made by Eucerin). It's light and hydrating and doesn't leave you feeling sticky.

Some psychological stuff:
The American Cancer Society has a great page of tips for emotional health during this process. Go here for more info. And also, always feel free to call or email me.

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Friday, April 18, 2008

Maggie McKeown: Artist

1 comment:

Some Breast Cancer Tips