Cindy Heineman
"In the Pink"
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| (Photos by Patrick Fraser) |
When you’re not feeling well, it’s difficult to know what to say when people ask, “How are you?” No one wants to hear, “I’m feeling lousy.” When my brother had liver cancer he would tell everyone, “I’m fine.” Was it the truth? As a massage therapist, my job was to encourage patients to share their true feelings in order to help them. This winter, when I had polymyalgia rheumatica, I found this dilemma particularly vexing. I wanted to stay optimistic and cheerful, yet I needed to express my frustration and let people know that I couldn’t function as well as usual. The front of my mask represents how I would do my best to look well, yet I could hardly drag myself out of bed. The streamers on the mask have some of the thoughts that were in my head.
After being unable to find the stamina for some of my favorite crafts such as silversmithing or knitting. I found I was able to bead because it required very little strength or stamina, while offering me a creative outlet.