It's doctor day, so here's more coloring :D

I made a small notebook out of duct tape.
Penguin duct tape!

(I started this post on Wednesday, but haven't had the energy to get back to it til tonight. Oops.)

Whew... I see my pain doc again today. It seems so much longer than a month since I've been there. That's what rough months do to you... they make you lose your sense of time, along with other things. Thank goodness for pens, and colored pencils.

Since I haven't had the energy to do much (my nails are even bare at the moment!!), I'll share some more of the goodies I've drawn, trying to maintain something resembling sanity. Just think, I've even managed to only post the decent stuff. If I were to photo everything I've done in the interest of managing my pain, you might just decide I need some time in a lovely padded room.

You might just be right, too. :D

Let me just say how much I love my main drawing pens. I'm very partial to the Pilot G2 gel pens, and I've recently discovered they come in a bold, 1.0 mm tip. So, so much love for these! I have pens I bought years ago that I keep refilling. The G2s write beautifully, and leave a great line which is so helpful when I'm drawing.

This is inspired by MiraculousMosquito on youtube.

I've also been watching drawing videos on YouTube. You'd be surprised the sort of things you can find online! The image to the right is a fun one, all psychedelic swirls and motion. I don't see myself doing any more images like this, but it was lots of fun to do! It's worth clicking to see it bigger, I think.

Then there are the flowers. I seem to doodle flowers fairly often, different styles and types. I don't remember where I saw the image that inspired this next piece. I think it might have been in Creative Doodling & Beyond, a fantastic book for anyone who likes to doodle. I wish I'd taken photos of it in the various stages, but I'm very happy with it.

I love this design! It's so bright and happy...

I'd started adding a colored pencil background but haven't finished it yet. Still, this one is a lot of fun. I'm really happy with it!

Then there's the photo I used at the beginning of this post. Yes, my friends... I made a notebook with duct tape. I've been wanting a notebook with graph paper for a while, but they tend to be a bit expensive. So, I did the logical (to me) thing: I made one.

It's the notebook you see in the first photo. I started with a few sheets each of lined paper, plain white paper, and graph paper. I cut them into sheets 4.5" by 8", then folded each sheet in half, leaving me with folded pages 4.5" by 4". I stacked those with the fold all on the same size, then pressed them against a sheet of duct tape that was sticky-side up. I then glued sheets of thin card that were 4.5" by 4" onto the front and back page, and covered those with duct tape. I then wrapped the covers in clear packing tape, to prevent the edges of the duct tape from getting fuzzy or icky. All done!

Since I photographed the notebook, I realized that I should have done two things: I should have matched the duct tape so that the images would have been continuous, and I should have added a design to the front so I could tell front from back. I've added a small design that I drew on the back of a business card, and taped it up with clear to keep it in place. The seams can wait for the next notebook, which I've already decided how to change up.

Yea, I'm neurotic. So? :D

Also, my doctor's appointment went really well. We changed one medication a bit, and it seems to be positive. I think we'll have it fixed by next month, if it's not fixed right now. We'll see, right?

Regardless, I love my pain team. Not only do I trust them, but I feel like they aren't overseeing me from pedestal like gods. Instead, they're my partners. They work with me to improve my life, and I have to work too. It's a good situation.

If you're struggling with chronic pain, pain that's affecting your life, I highly recommend talking with your doctor to see if there's a good pain management clinic in your area. Even if you have to drive a bit, they can make enormous changes in your life. I honestly thought I was going to spend the rest of my life helpless, in overwhelming pain. This clinic helped change that for me, and while I'm in the middle of a rough spot, there are better times coming.

Making the call was one of the hardest things I ever did. I was scared, ashamed... but I called, and I'm so glad I did. If you're struggling, I hope you can find something to help you too.

Thanks for reading. I'm gonna go sleep a bit, maybe.



          

I'd lose my mind if someone stole my pens.

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