I'm worried.
I hobbled to Walgreens a couple of days ago and invested in a heating pad and Salon Pas. But now that my show is hung and ready for the opening TOMORROW (Tues. Dec. 6th) -- I'm worried.
My back is killing me.
The pain never goes away unless I'm knocked out and sleeping deeply.
CRAP.
The problem is...Well there seem to be lots of problems looming..
But the biggest one is that my body's first reaction to pain is to get nauseous. (Seriously nauseous) And another problem is that my kidneys are failing. My last reading was function at 22% - the conversation went from "Let's prolong your kidneys as long as possible.." to "we need to take steps to get you on the list.."
And here's another looming worry.. If I begin to throw-up because of the back pain...I immediately get into a loop where I cannot stop throwing up and soon begin throwing up blood...and then my kidneys really might fail...while I'm in NY.
Not at home with my beloved partner (we just got married); he is the love of my life...oh my gawd...I need to get home...
SO this is a snowballing worry. I need to take a specific medication to completely knock myself out for a day. And then...just throw in the towel and fly home.
Yikes.
I make the call. Call my airline, make the arrangements. Change my apartment rental. Let people know at the gallery... WHAT A COMPLETE BUMMER! I will not be at the opening of my own show!  I won't even be able to celebrate with the really wonderful model of the series on show, Mandy. (Who flew in from Portland!!) Augggghhhh....It's too difficult to explain all this to everyone. I just say that I threw my back out and need to get home.
AND..
An ice storm in looming in Portland, and the city usually goes crazy in such a scenario...Will the flight get cancelled?
Will the plane be able to land?!!
I don't know, but I have to try. I feel compelled and feverish to get home to my LOVE and to my known doctors, etc.
Take the knock-out medication...And when I wake I hope to be better just to get to the airport, etc. What an adventure, eh?
I am with the force and the force is with me. I am with the force and the force is with me. I am with the force and the force is with me. I am with the force and the force is with me. I am with the force and the force is with me. I am with the force and the force is with me. I am with the force and the force is with me. I am with the force and the force is with me...

Will I ever get this completed photo-story out?
Here is one more step, er, post toward completion.
By this time, it's Sunday. It is "hanging day" at the gallery, for all the new shows that are to go up for the month of December 2016.
 
I take the subway over, which is always delayed coming from or going to Brooklyn because of various/continuous construction on the lines to Manhattan.  AND...small hiccup...I threw my back out the night before helping to take down the main gallery show in November. But! I nabbed some Salon Pas at the local pharmacy store and slathered it on (whew! I smelled like Salon Pas to "high-heaven"!) before getting to the gallery. (I hereby apologize to everyone who sat next to me on the subway rides.) My frames and work were all put together, so hanging the work was straightforward. I also thought it would be easier because I had smaller frames. You see, my show was to be upstairs this month. I only had 13 images to hang...I figured I could do it fairly quickly and get back to my heating pad at the apartment.

Hanging 13 photos/frames is more difficult than you would expect, but with help from dear friends at the gallery...SUCCESS! The December show was up and ready for the opening! Here is a photo I took of our trusty sign hanger, Neil, doing his magic!

NEXT...Back to the heating pad in Brooklyn!!

I interrupt my December trip to Brooklyn photo-diary to robustly promote my new concept series:
         EMOTIONS !!
This was my first shoot in NY and totally fun, creative, -in the moment- and, well, a fantastic experience!