I painted three versions of this mixed media work, being drawn repeatedly to the reference photograph. It is a place called Cwmtudu (pronounced Coom-ti-di to my American and, I imagine, most of my English friends here), and here we are looking down jnto the valley from a rocky outcrop on some clifftops. I seem to recall painting another version a couple of years ago, but that was sold in a local exhibition and so, out of fairness to the owner, I cannot post it here.
In terms of my cancer, this week was a mixed one.
I have been having horrid muscles aches and twinges in my back and legs because of the way I stand, which looks a bit like a flamingo trying to keep its feet cool. The stance is a leftover from some radiotherapy I had about three years ago.
Having developed some nasty dead bone in my jaw that had to be removed (the dead bone that is, not the whole jaw). I was back at the hospital's maxfax unit one week later. The consultant I saw was unsure if I have developed an ulcer where the surgery had been done -- I guess all part of being immunocompromised -- or if more bone has to be removed. When the specialist saw it, he prescribed a mouthwash called Difflam. Being high on Abstral (fentanyl), I couldn't help but laugh hysterically; the Welsh for miserable is Diflas. Thankfully my jaw is feeling more comfortable, so I am hoping that the ulcer is indeed the cause of what the doctors euphemistically call my 'discomfort'.
One plus to end with: I carried some of my paintings to the hospice for them to look at. In a first for a patient, though they have many pictures up already, they have selected two to frame and hang on the walls.
My apologies if any of this does not make sense; I am still high on Abstral and seeing the world through cloudy lenses.
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BrentW
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Brent, great painting and thank you for the update. I was getting worried when you had not posted for a while. I hope you can he made comfortable again. Take care and keep on painting. Ps. Just reading your bio, when diagnosed in 2004, what was your PSA and how many metastasis did you have e.g. greater than 4 or less than and to bones or lymph nodes? Sorry for all of the questions.
I was initially examined (biopsy with 6 cores) in 2002, PSA 6.7 or thereabouts. Nothing found.
Re-examined in 2003, PSA 7.5. Nothing found.
By 2004, PSA had risen to 21.0, so biopsied with 10 cores. One core showed 'weakly suspicious activity.'
Administered a biopsy with 23 cores shortly after -- under a general anaesthetic, for a change. Two of these came back positive, though in a most unusual way: I have a form of cancer that is rare, being in my papiliary ducts.
I was given brachytherapy, but by then it had escaped and was later found in a pelvic lymph node and in my right lung.
Since then I have been under palliative care (ADT) except for when a metastasis showed in my sacrum in 2002. That was treated with radiation and it is apparently damage from that radiation that is causing the pain in my left pelvic wing (ilium).
But Sept 2023 I was told that medical science had done all it could for me, in the UK at least, in terms of supressing tumour growth. So, pain management is the way forward now. Bummer.
Right now it is not doing brilliantly, so I have asked for a reassessment.
I echo Lcfcpolo ………another great painting and it had been a while since you entered hospice , I was surprised and glad , to see you here again. Your hospice information is invaluable for the rest of us following behind you, thank you for sharing with us. Your artwork is an inspiration as to show that QOL pursuits are possible even in hospice too. Thank you Brent , once again its great to hear from you.
Glad to see you are still enjoying your art. One good thing about using a photo for inspiration, you can reimagine it over and over. And unlike Leonardo Da Vinci you have finished your repeat pieces of artwork. As I’ve been an artist model for college students so I understand your passion to create beautiful pieces. Keep going! We love it.
Shucks, you Live and Learn. I too was an artist model but not for college students but for patients in Nursing Homes and for those in Senior Citizens' Living Facilities.
Okay enough about your teeth, where is my Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. You gotta get Jacqui on the stick (American for "move your ass").....
p.s. The paintings okay but what's the yellow sphere hanging there in the background?
Good to hear from you Brent, and congratulations on having your work displayed at the hospice center. I was going to say that I liked the new picture, which I do, but then I saw the picture "Indigo" that was posted by Shorehousejam, and I really loved that one. Had not seen it before.
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