When a Photographer Can't Photograph

Or, as my husband asked "what are you thinking about all day while you're laying there?"

It's been almost 6 weeks of bedrest following my surgery. Next week I'll find out how many more months of this I have ahead, and whether the 2nd surgery is required. This is far from over - so I'd better continue to keep my mind occupied!

What have I been thinking about?

• I'll admit to a few bouts of self pity, but generally my spirits are high - and mostly I'm so grateful that the tumour was found when it was (before my leg snapped) and that it was benign. And grateful that my husband and daughter look after me with selfless love and great patience, I'm truly blessed and I remember that every day!


• I wonder about the lesson I'm to learn from this experience. When came through my last major health issue about seven years ago I left a well-paying, steady income to leap into the career I had always desired. It hasn't been easy establishing a new business, but that experience seemed to me to have a very clear lesson - that life is short, and I had to follow my heart to be happy (which is ironic to me given that it was a cardiac issue!)


• I'm still working on what lesson I'm to learn this time. Patience perhaps? I think I've done really well on this one, but I suppose next week's news will tell me about just how patient I might need to be! :-)


• Photography, and more photography. I just cannot get enough. I'm looking at other photographers' work, listening to audio blogs about the creative and technical, thinking about all the locations I'd like photograph when I'm able to again, imagining all the beautiful faces that my wonderful clients give me the privilege to photograph. There's never a moment that I regret leaving the corporate life behind (well, I do miss a regular paycheque and the benefits plan from time to time if I'm being honest). I know that I made the right decision seven years ago. Maybe my lesson is to fully appreciate what a gift the last seven years have been. I may have been given a rather challenging body to live inside of, but overall I'm one very lucky woman.