Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Catch 22 or Destiny?

Wondering if with "modern science"....Frida Kahlo would have had the treatment she needed? But then would there exist her art?

Relief is in sight....bed ridden now for 10 days, I go in to see a neurosurgeon today. My appointment with him yesterday was very eye-opening. He explained to me on the computer what my MRI showed. Basically, I have one large herniated disk and a smaller one. Other issues included degenerative disks. That was all pretty much known to me already.....he shed light on the topic when he showed me that a piece of my spinal column had chipped off at the disk herniation. The chip is what was re-aggravating the area creating extreme muscle spasms making it unable for me to walk. Thankfully, surgery is not necessary.

I will receive an epidural to decrease the effects of the herniated disk. The chip will reabsorb into my body over time and I will continue therapy to reduce the muscle spasms along with pain management. I should be up and at um in no time. Long term treatment will consist of me being very conscience of my back, physical therapy, swimming therapy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Open and shut case.

Now back to the business at hand....this is no comparison to Frida, but it does make me wonder about the things we do go through and how much of it we pay attention to. What molds us? What influences us? What inspires us? What circumstances bring out the BEST in us?

Friday, July 23, 2010

The Frida Connection

Frida Kahlo - The Broken Column 1944

It has been 6 days that I have been bed ridden. My back gave out and went into severe spasm leaving me unable to walk. I need help to use the bathroom. The pain is so unbearable I don't eat or sleep. After tests and therapy the doctors have diagnosed me with a herniated disk and extreme back spasms rendering me with very limited mobility. The laundry list of heavy duty prescribed drugs are doing nothing to relieve the pain. This is a mere fraction of pain what Frida went through but I can see clearly how my pain has focused my energy towards my creativity. I do admit it is a lonely lot not for the weary of heart!

There is a quiet irony between me and Frida.... Frida Kahlo is one of my all time favorite artist for many reasons. Her imagery hits straight to the heart of her pain. She can show beauty and pain in a harmonious dance on the canvas. Her work screams intelligence, passion and suffering lovingly painted. In studying her life there are so many parallels between us. There are similarities that hit close to home and make me feel like I have known her intimately . Her accident that left her incapacitated for some time is the very thing that transformed her into a phenomenal artist. Isn't that the irony of life? Some of the most traumatic incidents in our life takes us on a journey that transform us into incredible individuals.

Confinement to a bed allows for lots of time to think...