Spa Date
Laser Cut Paper and Acrylic Paint on Paper, 19”Hx25”W
My friend Shannan and I are not like other girl friends. Our friendship deepened after years of being able to schedule our medical infusions together. Some women get their nails done together, book spa days together, go out for meals or drinks, but Shannan and I text to make sure our infusions line up. We jokingly called them our “spa dates”. Over the years, Shannan’s meds changed and our schedules no longer aligned, but every once in a while, we end up at the hospital on the same day again.
I created this work simply to celebrate our friendship. For those outside of the chronically ill world, these IVs, needles, and medical environments can cause some unease or discomfort. It’s our reality. We have each other to vent to, knowing that we can truly understand the struggle of health insurance, work complications, and the scariness of the uncertain health futures for the both of us.
My goal is to build empathy, not sympathy, with these works, giving a glimpse into what a chronically ill life entails.
