So between September 2007 and December 2008, it turns out I lost 50 lbs. (nearly 23 kg). Before you say something fatuous such as "Oh, gee, I wish I could lose 50 lbs.," please remember that I only lost about 10 lbs. in autumn/early winter 2007 via improved diet and exercise; I lost the other 40 lbs. on the world-famous Life-Sucking Cancer Diet.
(Please forgive me if I don't care to reveal the regimen. Ask a movie star. I'm sure one of them is having a book all about it ghost-written even as we speak. I'm sure it will be full of recipes, inspirational stories, and tips on barf bucket hygiene for when company visits. It will probably also be packaged with a CD, a T-shirt bearing an appropriated Asian symbol intended to telegraph serenity and hope, and an awareness ribbon of some sort. But I digress.)
The important part of this story is that, once again courtesy of the good people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (thanks, people; really great Christmas present), brilliant and fabulous Bob Emerson and his team have provided me with a new suction socket. This means I can walk again, and quite well, something I haven't been able to do for about three months. ("So why didn't you go in three months ago?" you may wonder. And the answer is that I was just way too ill.)
Action Barbie's new svelte shape is shown in the photo above right. You also may notice that she has undergone another transformation: a new wardrobe.
I wanted to stay with the "ars gratia artis" ("art for art's sake") theme; it suits my life just now. However, as much as I enjoyed my last experiment using a lettering style based on a commercial script font which I hand embroidered in cobalt cotton thread over rhinestone-studded pale apricot-colored synthetic satin, and as much as I enjoyed the bright orange result with all the backwork of the embroidery showing through like so many roots and vines, this time I really wanted something more exuberant, yet more controlled, and above all more my own. So I returned to the use of my original freeware font Summertime and created a pattern based on its lowercase letters and floral graphics. I rendered the pattern by hand embroidering with a light satin stitch (letters) and line stitch (flowers) in white thread on pale lilac synthetic satin, but this time I doubled the fabric, embroidering through two layers, in order to see if I could effectively mitigate the translucency that develops when essentially plastic fiber melts during the lamination process.
This is how my work looked before Bob's crew got busy with it: (Click to enlarge.)
And this (below left) is what it looks like now. Notice how the fabric has darkened to a delicious grape popsicle color. I knew it would darken; I just didn't know to what exact hue, nor did Bob. I am very pleased with this result. The double layering did the trick, opacity-wise, but was no doubt helped by the fact that I used a less vehemently contrasting thread this time. The overall effect is subtle and elegant (sez I) while still funky and handcrafted-looking and, of course, totally original. You won't see anything like this walking around just anywhere.
This new socket cost the Commonwealth's taxpayers approximately $7,000, give or take a few hundred. Custom lamination of provided materials is always free of charge at Bob's joint, and I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate experimentally without feeling guilty about costing anybody anything extra. It's as close as I'm ever going to get to being tattooed.
I hope I don't lose a significant amount more weight between now and shorts season. Maybe I just imagined it, or maybe folks around here are just getting used to me, but when visible, the bold presentation of Action Barbie's bright orange socket and various shiny black and royal blue components really did seem to result in a significant reduction in the number of expressions of pity and fake (objectifying) admiration vomited forth upon me by random strangers over the summer. Of course, I was pretty much down for the count for much of both July and August, but when I did manage to crawl off the couch, I do think the orange, blue and black made kind of a fierce looking presentation, a blatant visual clue. If I'm still walking and this new socket still fits come May or June, I'll be very interested to see what, if anything, this more subdued color scheme will bring.
Art! Science! Risk! Truth! Whee!
Right? Right.
So that's what you've been doing all month. Hot damn! Gawgeous!
Posted by: Ron Sullivan | January 04, 2009 at 01:35 AM
YAY for the arts...
WCD
Posted by: wheelchair dancer | January 04, 2009 at 10:51 AM
That defines UNIQUE! Glad you are up and about again and all the best for the New Year.
(Your parcel was opened on Christmas Day and will appear on a blog posting some time soon when the Alligator is further out of its shell!!!)
Take care,
Posted by: Scriptor Senex | January 04, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Nice job! Glad to hear that you're mobile. Wishing you a much better 2009! (like that would be hard)
Posted by: Leslee | January 04, 2009 at 10:52 AM
gorgeous! stylin', too. i hope this means you are feeling better, and can relegate bucket hygeine to a less prominent part of the agenda.
Posted by: kathy a. | January 04, 2009 at 05:07 PM
Nice looking leg - I like the look and the sentiment. Glad to hear you're mobile again too! And like everyone else I hope 2009 is better and less needing of buckets!
Posted by: Leslie | January 04, 2009 at 06:01 PM
It is absolutely gorgeous! And to walk again, bet that's a rather wonderful thing!
Posted by: The Goldfish | January 05, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Three things:
1-The "Talking Points" that you wrote and linked to here is one of the best things I have ever read. I mean that.
2-Your new leg is gorgeous. Gorgeous. So cool that you could do that. So cool that you are so talented. That is one awesome leg.
3-My mother LOVED her necklace.
Posted by: laurie | January 05, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Oh honey, that's just beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. I'm so happy you are healthier and makin' stuff!
Posted by: Sugared Harpy | January 08, 2009 at 02:34 PM
I'm surprised it came out as dark as it did, given the original. But I guess it's not much different from the fabric being perma-wet, huh?
The life-sucking cancer diet is a breathtakingly efficient one. The lifesucking doomed pregnancy diet kept pace for a while, but in the end didn't come nearly as close.
Here's to a better 2009.
Posted by: Amorette | January 08, 2009 at 07:34 PM
Sara--LOVE "Action Barbie"! Amazing leg, amazing embroidery. Thanks for sharing the technique--I really enjoyed reading how you did this. (I'm thinking of ways to adapt it to Breast Cancer Barbie!--just kidding.)
And welcome back after the "life-sucking cancer diet"!
Jeanne
Posted by: Jeanne | January 23, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Ah, the good ol' life-sucking cancer diet...I know thee well. I love the new leg. Purple is my favorite color. I wonder if I could get my doctors to fill in my missing ribs with a nice shiny purple replacement...
*hugs*
I'm adding you to my blog-roll and regular reading list.
Posted by: bint alshamsa | February 04, 2009 at 03:15 AM
Just wanted to let you know I'm thinking about you...and I *love* that purple :)
Posted by: Michelle | Bleeding Espresso | March 17, 2009 at 05:16 AM
Hi, I'm writing in a shameless attempt to coax more blogging from you. Think of the lurkers! We check in from time to time hoping to be bowled over with either amusement or wonder depending on the day but no new posts are there to dazzle us! We have to head back to our bookmarks sadly disappointed. You spoiled us with nanoblogmo and though I get a warm feeling thinking of your adventures, I seek fresh updates! Warmly, and hoping not naggingly, em.
Posted by: em | March 25, 2009 at 12:00 PM
we'll miss you sara.
Posted by: anon | March 29, 2009 at 11:47 PM
To a bright light in a sometimes dark world. I will raise a glass of good red wine to you, my friend. You will be missed.
Posted by: laurie | March 30, 2009 at 06:45 PM
Sarah, if you get to read this...I want to say, I am so happy I have been this lucky to know you. You are a friend I have never met in person, who I love with all my heart, and who took so much time out your life to say hello, comfort, and make me laugh. I thank you for you. All my best to either recover right now, or a calm sweet slipping into your next, great adventure. I cherish you, my friend.
Posted by: sugaredharpy | April 06, 2009 at 03:45 PM