Approaching 50 (Self Portrait)

12 x 9 inches, charcoal, 2016.


I turn 50 later this year. No big deal. What is a big deal is the decision I made with my consultant a couple of weeks ago to start dialysis and have my kidneys removed. I have Polycystic Kidney Disease, a hereditary kidney disease  where cysts grow on the kidneys (and sometimes other organs).  The kidneys grow in size and eventually stop working. My kidneys are still functioning (about %25) but are now so large they are causing a lot of discomfort and are squashing other organs. Hence the decision to remove them. So, by the time I hit 50 in December I will be dialysing three times a week and may well have had both my diseased kidneys removed. It will be a big change but hopefully I will feel more comfortable and have more energy. Maybe by the time I'm 51 I will have had a transplant. There is always hope - roll on 50!

Welcome....

Self Portrait, 2014, watercolour, 8 x 10 inches,

...to my new blog. I've been on a hiatus for a while. Let's just say I had to go away, take a break and find a reason to continue creating. Part of the resolution was ditching the digital and getting back to traditional media. So the first painting I did was this self portrait. It felt like coming home.