Purpura

Purpura A rash from small blood vessels (capillaries) bleeding their way in and onto my skin. Their color – crimson. Mother feels scared. Doctors care how many are there and where? I sketch them large and small on a body white strumming freckles grace and light. * In 2017, my life changed. I was diagnosed with CLL−Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. I learned to live with it, mainly through art. Countless hours spent writing poetry, taking photos of myself and others, giving workshops, playing music, singing, and keeping my soul young. Until one year ago, when my body collapsed, my platelet count dropped to zero, and I was rushed to the hospital, in danger of internal bleeding. For almost two months, I remained in isolation. My life in danger; my body, covered with purplish-blue marks and reddish purpuras for a long time refused to respond to the doctors’ attempts to help. And I sang to my platelets. I danced, wrote, prayed, did spiritual and consciousness-raising work, changed my diet, read cards, sketched −and in the most organic way, positioned a camera on a tripod and took pictures. These five photographs are part of this body of work.