Pets and Painting From Diagnosis to Today - 15 years

As many of you know from reading this blog, on July 29, 2005 I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  I woke up from surgery and heard my gyn onc say the words, " I am sorry Dee, you have stage 3B ovarian cancer." Those words sent me down a road that I would have rather not gone down. A clinical trial consisting of nine carboplatin, taxol and selenium treatments followed that diagnosis. Then I faced more surgery and chemotherapy in 2008 when the cancer recurred on my liver and spleen. But somehow with faith, family, friends and treatments by the most talented, compassionate gynecologic oncologists, I am here today to celebrate my 15th Cancerversary. Thank you Drs. Rodriguez,  Gibbon and Song and the nursing staff at Rutgers Cancer Institute of NJ for the excellent care. 

During most of the fifteen  years of survivorship, I have had a dog. When I was first diagnosed, a pug named Kona greeted me when I got home from treatments and slept on the recliner with me, most times snoring more than I was. Sadly, he passed right after I had surgery for my recurrence.  At the time, I wasn't sure how I could get through my upcoming chemo without a pug on my lap.

After a year and a half later, both my husband and I knew the house was too quiet without a dog. So ten years ago, an All American dog, Amber entered our lives. She was full of energy and loved to jump. So Joe who owned the kennel where we took Amber for puppy training, suggested we train for dog agility.  That has been so  much fun these past few years . I learned something new and I met lots of other dog lovers. It was also an activity in which I totally forgot about my cancer. Amber has been by my side in the ring and on our long walks around town. I hope this continues for many years to come.

Another activity has grown over the past 15 years too. During my initial chemotherapy my son's friend gave me an acrylic paint kit.  I had stayed home while in chemotherapy when my blood counts were low, just like now during the COVID -19 pandemic. Painting helped me pass the time, took my mind off of the side effects and kept me calm as if I was meditating. I started with quilt designs ( I can't sew very well at all) , then some landscapes but I found I enjoy painting dogs the most - big dogs, small dogs, agility dogs and family pets. 

So on this my 15th Cancerversary, I share with you my love of dogs through the paintings I have created during these past fifteen years. 

Kona -a magnificent pug

McCoy -a Viszla

Winston

Coby

Silvio - my grandpup

Chick- an agility dog

Sassy- an agility dog

Princess - a Brittany Spaniel

Bling - an agility dog

Walter - my grandpup

Cooper - an agility dog

Ginger - Bull Mastiff

Gracie - agility dog

Smitten- agility dog

Tim - grand pup ( The only watercolor painting of a dog I have completed to date.)

Amber - my best friend and agility dog

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

A Hobby Begun During Treatment

When I was in treatment in 2005 a friend of my son's gave me an acrylic painting kit.  That kit started the hobby I have enjoyed the past few years. I hope you enjoy these dog paintings as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Third Painting in my Life Quilt Series- Strength

Just the other day I finished painting my third Life Quilt painting. I started painting after my initial diagnosis in 2005.

The colors in this painting which I titled Strength are purple the awareness color for pancreatic cancer and grey the awareness color for brain cancer . I chose to use those colors in memory of my cousin Charlie S who had brain cancer and family friend Roy D who had pancreatic cancer. Both men showed such strength when facing their cancers.

The quilt design is called friendship star. 

You can view my other quilt paintings here and here.

I'm going to take a break and paint a landscape but will be back painting quilts very soon. 

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

PS For those who noticed a little blog layout change what do you think? 

Quilts a Plenty

Ok this is totally - well maybe not totally but almost totally off the ovarian cancer topic.

Yesterday at the Ely House ( the home of the Hightstown -East Windsor Historic Society ) they held the "Back in Time "Quilt show. The Society invited Dana Balsamo, Material Pleasures, to speak about "Dating Fabric - 300 Years of America".

I am not a quilter, I don't even sow well - except for maybe a button or snap here and there. But after seeing my friend Sharon working on quilts I got hooked but not in a sewing sort of way. Over the past year, I have been painting Quilt patterns. The first one "Hope" was teal and brown  for ovarian cancer,( http://womenofteal.blogspot.com/2011/04/friends-hobby-and-mine.html) the second was "Courage" pink and beige for breast cancer (http://womenofteal.blogspot.com/2012/01/second-painting-in-my-life-quilt-series.html)  and I am currently working on a grey and purple one for brain and pancreatic cancer.

So I thought attending this event would be a great way to find new patterns for my paintings.  I walked in paid my entrance fee and the first question I was asked was if I was a quilter. I said no but I paint quilts and the lady thought that it was a very neat thing for me to do. I asked if I could take photos (yes) but sadly before the lecture started my phone ran out of charge. I was happy to get a chance to meet some fellow Hightstown residents, one who was born in the Ely house and one who lives in a Victorian house on South Main who invited me to stop by.

The lecture was excellent. I learned about quilt making, why some had knots and the differences in patterns and fabric( muslin, dress cotton  and silk) from the early 1700's to the 2000's. The sample quilts were just beautiful. Here is a sampling of a few of the quilts I saw yesterday!

Delectable Mountain

modified Friendship Star

part of Hightstown Bicentenial quilt 

Log Cabin

Mosaic

Wedding Ring 

I think that I should expand my Life Quilt painting series to include quilts on beds and chairs.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Second Painting in my Life Quilt Series- Courage

I completed the first painting in the series I call Life Quilts last year. The series combines quilt square designs with cancer awareness colors and ribbons. The first painting is called Hope and uses teal, the ovarian cancer awareness color. I wrote about it here . I will be using that painting in a future fundraising campaign for the Cancer Institute of New Jersey . More details about that campaign tomorrow. Please check back.

Yesterday, I finished the second in the painting series. This one is called Courage and incorporates pink the color for breast cancer awareness.

I painted Courage in honor of my sister ,Roberta and also 5 friends recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Roberta faced her cancer diagnosis and treatment with Courage and she showed me the path to follow. Thank you , Bert.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

A Friend's Hobby and Mine

My friend S has been sewing quilts for years. This past winter S was telling me about working on a quilt for her grandchild. She showed me some of the pieces she was creating. They were beautiful, a marvelous combination of colors and patterns.

When I was at the local library a book of quilt patterns was for sale.I decided to buy it for S. At home I skimmed though the book and found a pattern called the Martha Washington Star Block. Now I admit I am not a great sewer but I since my diagnosis I love to paint. So I thought how about painting a Life Quilt piece. So I started sketching different ideas in the pattern of the star. I tried showing places I lived, places I visited, my RU Scarlet knight connection, my interests and then sketched one related to my cancer diagnosis. It took me a few months but I finally finished my Life Quilt piece which I call "Hope" in teal of course!

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!