Stress Management - Painting Happy Trees

"You have to have dark in order to show light...it's just like in life" - Bob Ross

Bob Ross is one of my favorite artists. I've always wanted to learn how to paint landscapes like him. I took various art classes in college, but it's been a couple decades since I've picked up a paintbrush. My imagination has been mostly focused on arts and crafts with my kids. Last year, I felt motivated to start a new hobby and have fun with my youngest daughter. I purchased some paint brushes, canvas, and a Bob Ross paint set. Oh, and there were Bob Ross wigs to wear, too! My daughter loved it and now painting is one of our favorite pastimes. I've never used oils before, but it has become my preferred medium. The only drag is we make a huge mess, and the clean-up takes a long time! I don't have a room dedicated to painting, so we paint on the kitchen table with lots of drop cloths around us.

Here's my first oil painting: 

Reflections of Calm - June 2018

Claude Monet, another favorite artist of mine, is now featured in a local art museum. Monet's paintings of his lily ponds and the outdoor scenery of his home in Giverny are so lovely. It was a thrill to view his masterpieces in person and read about his life in the exhibit. I am inspired and hope to spend more time painting. It's a good way to relieve stress and if I make a mistake, I just turn it into a happy little tree. As you can see from my painting above, it actually worked!

14 Years of Living with Pituitary Disease

 Click on the graph to enlarge

This month marks seven years since my Proton Beam Radiotherapy and 14 years of living with pituitary disease. Dealing with hypopituitarism (caused by radiation treatment) continues to be a challenge, but hormone replacement has successfully returned my energy and overall sense of well-being. I'm taking medication for secondary hypothyroidism and still have mild adrenal insufficiency. I do not take steroids unless I'm sick (flu) or need surgery. My ACTH levels are stable, and my AM Cortisol levels are, too. Whether I am in menopause due to my dysfunctional pituitary gland is a toss-up. My symptoms match the diagnosis, but my FSH is too low for the GYN to call it (I suspect it will never be high - time will tell). Also, I've been having problems with my right ovary due to recurrent and persistent hemorrhagic/sometimes complex cysts for which I have been referred to surgery. As a last-ditch effort, I began HRT this summer to see if it resolves the problem without surgical intervention.

My IGF-1 levels have remained low. My prolactin levels vary, but have stayed in the normal range. In 2017 my MRI report said tumor was not seen, so unless my labs differ from what is the norm for me, or my endo suggests it, I've opted to wait on any further MRI screenings for tumor.