2013-0228aloneToday’s artwork is a work in progress, in Amy’s journal. It’s a fold out page, and you’ll just have to wait until it’s done to see the magic happen. And the color. Because rather than work on art this weekend, I’ll be cleaning my house, and stocking the fridge, and just generally preparing.

This will be my last post before my surgery, which is next week.

I know that sentence will bring another onslaught of emails, asking, “What can I do to help you?”. So, rather than answer many emails, I’ll just tell you here:

  • You can think good thoughts for me. Picture all those evil cancer cells, contained in a small bag, leaving my body. I do this daily, because the best case scenario right now is that all the cancer cells are contained in my uterus, and that the surgery that removes that uterus will also remove all the cancer cells. If that’s too New Age-y for you, and you’re more of the pray to a higher power sort, that will work.
  • You can send me some mail art. The lovely Corinne Stubson has been sending me handmade postcards every day for the last couple of weeks. My mail is nothing but medical bills right now, so those postcards have been a relief. Here’s my address:

    Lisa Vollrath
    400 E. Fuller Drive
    Euless TX 76039
    USA

  • Need collage supplies? You can buy some from Ten Two Studios. I will not be able to do much creation of new products for a while, but there’s plenty of stuff posted that will be available while I’m recovering. The digital download system is automated, so even if I’m flat on my back in bed, your stuff will arrive in the same speedy manner.
  • Donate to my medical fund. Don’t feel like you have to send a lot, or feel badly that you don’t have a lot to send. Last week, someone sent me the balance left on her prepaid money cards—and one of them had less than a dollar left on it. Every little bit helps, because, as I tell my doctor, any time I spend in bed is time not spent developing my next online class, or packing my next kit. No work, no income. No income, no bills getting paid.

  • Share, pin and tweet. If you’re on my newsletter list, share each issue on Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter using the buttons at the top of each message. If you’ve purchased something from me recently, share, tweet or pin that item.

That’s it. I hope to be back online here in a couple of weeks.

ETA: As soon as I hit the Publish button, I remembered that I wanted to give some shout-outs to friends who have gone above and beyond in the last few weeks…

Livia Hajovsky, who got up at the crack of dark and drove across town to take me to the hospital for my biopsy, sat with me and made me giggle while they were preparing me, and then adjourned to the waiting room with art supplies, so she could be there to take me home. And then, she said she’d do it again next week.

Corinne Stubson, who has been filling my mailbox with postcard insanity.

Barbe Saint John, Cindy Couling and Katie Cahill, who all posted pieces of artwork for sale, and are donating the proceeds to my medical fund.

Regina Wieland, The Passionate Vegan, for plying me with vegan chocolate chip cookies, and volunteering to bring me healthy food while I’m recovering.

And last, but not least, the brilliant Amy McDonald, who is dragging her happy ass to Dallas to take care of me for a week when I get out of the hospital, because I will be unable to do things like put socks on or cook for myself.

I am very lucky to have this tribe taking care of me right now.