The Back Story of “Brain Tumors” photo on Talenthouse.com (Please vote)

I wrote this blog post, “Love, Loss, and the Lessons of Letting Go” in June of 2011. I had just gone out to Wyoming to visit my mom in the nursing home. I had received a call earlier that week that my mom took a turn for the worse. I thought I was going to have to say goodbye. In fact, that is why I got on a plane two days after getting the call from the nursing home. They calIed Thursday night; I was on a plane Saturday morning.   

                                   Light and Shadow.

Here is another post about that difficult time: Light and Shadow part 4.  If you read this, it will put you in the frame of mind I was in when I took the photo, which is in the talenthouse contest.  You can vote on the link here or at the bottom of page that says, “Vote for Betty.”

I still haven’t been able to write about what an emotional journey it was. I have a master’s degree in creative writing (recently graduated in December 2011) and for me to really write, it is a process.  I get to the bone of the story and emotion.  Some might say I get to the marrow in the bone.  But for some reason, I just have not been able to go there.  So, I made art out of emotions by taking photos, my other medium for self-expression. If you want to catch up with the whole dramatic story, See the archives for May of 2011 on the sidebar of my blog.  Look for one titled “Light and Shadow.” There are several posts from that time and I have been reblogging them and posting them up front on my blog so you can get the story if you are a new visitor to the blog.

I currently am twittering about this story. Follow me @memomuse1. The twitter link is also on the right side of blog.  Please excuse my sidebar.  I feel like it is a messy closet I have just jammed shit in and have refused to clean up and organize.  I have two more blog awards to post over there (but I have no idea how to and just don’t want to bother learning right now).

I also need to write a fresh blog post about my photo of my mom on Talenthouse.com. It is a platform building site for artists. My current creative invite (on Talenthouse) is a photo of my mother in the hospital when we thought she was going to die. The photo is called “Brain Tumors.” Here is the link to vote for photo: Brain Tumors. Please consider voting. You will have to vote through your facebook or twitter account (or both). Every vote helps.

Thank you for your support and following this story. My mother was diagnosed with brain tumors in 2000. They said she would only live three to five years. It is 2012; she has beat the odds. She is a strong woman who I am so lucky to call my mom.  Read “The Red Rose of St. Therese” to read about her close call with death.  I really believe this story illustrates the power of prayer and faith. 

I am going to leave you with some photo of my beautiful mom.  Thank you for following this story and visiting my blog.  And please vote on Talenthouse.  Here is the link again: Vote for Betty.  I told my mom today about the photo and the contest and she said to tell everyone, “Keep the votes coming.”