Christine's Recovery
Donation protected
I met Christine 14 years ago at Open Circle Theater. . . At Ondine. I knew then she was an artist. It didn’t hurt that she was doing all the body painting for the mermaids (she even did me). But I quickly learned, she is not only an artist, but a healer, too. She, passionate about the body and how hands could heal it, gave me my first massage.
Since then, I have learned how amazing a performer, producer, and friend she is. I know you know what I mean. But she has also been an amazing healer for me. Her hands just know where to go. I often leave her table with a flood of tears having been released from some stuckedness in my body. Due to a real birth defect from when I was born, I’ve had a heal cord lengthening, neck fusions and lower back discs bursting. Christine’s hands just know how to help my body cope with the pain of these things. I know I can trust what she does because she empathizes with what hurts. I know when I’m talking to her, she relates to me. I know she’ll say “Preach!” when I tell her sometimes getting out of bed is so painful it takes several minutes before the stabbing pain stops.And while I know about chronic and long term pain, as even her doctor said, I have no idea how she does it. She is a strong, determined woman. I admire her deeply.
And she needs her hands. They heal people. If you are reading this, you have likely been touched by her healing hands, too.
And right now, she could use our help to be able to recover without stress and keep her indispensable tools that help us.
If you know Christine, even a little, you know the amount of surgeries she’s undergone (it’s a whopping 14 and counting) due to an unbelievable amount of shit. Shit most people couldn’t imagine having to endure. She lost her ability to have children, her ability to sing in an unbelievable range (one that took a decade to recover) and I cannot imagine the loss if she could no longer help others with her hands.
So, November 20th, Monica Glaraneau and I are hosting a fundraiser that will entertain and amaze you! Come join us at the Traveling Medicine Side Show. If you can make it, we will be so honored! We also have a silent auction for many great things from our community (link coming shortly). BUT, we know not everyone can make this event or find something in the auction, and so we wanted to provide an opportunity to help.
We are looking to help offset costs of recovery. Christine will need to rest and recover for at least 4-8 weeks, hoping for the best. Going under the knife is dangerous and scary and helping to make sure she is not scared AFTER the surgery is the least I feel I can do. To help her feel at ease, this means we need to raise between $4,000-$8,000. This isn’t to make sure she has top notch PT or other fancy recovery items, it’s to help pay rent, pay insurance, and eat.
Christine is my colleague, my mentor, my healer, but mostly, she’s my friend. When she asked me to do Lion in Winter last year, after I had retired from theater, I said yes immediately. Not because it’s a damn good play, but because if I am going to come out of retirement, it’ll be for Christine (and Lyam - I love him, too). And holy ravioli, if you didn’t see the show, know it was AMAZING.
This is a small thing I can do for my friend. She didn’t ask. It was something I and Monica want to do. Because we love her. And we know you do, too.
If you can, please donate, come to the show, or bid on an auction item. If you can’t, please share. We are eternally grateful for your generosity.
She wrote a heartfelt letter to all of you that I am including here as well.
———
Dear friends, family, colleagues, and clients. This year, I am facing what will be my 14th surgery since beginning my surgical career. In the past few years, and especially the last few months despite multiple diagnoses: Positional thoracic outlet, syndrome, Hashimito’s Disease, multiple multinodular goiters, numbness in both hands, Carpal Tunnel bilaterally, chronic neck, arm, hand and finger pain, a recent MRI that reads like War and Peace, I have finally gotten a workable diagnosis regarding the arm, hand, and neck pain, as well as the increasingly severe numbness in my hands and fingers. The latest neurologist I saw has diagnosed me as having Double/Triple crush syndrome. What this means is that there are multiple lesions on my nerves from surgeries, injuries, a broken neck, a broken hand, bilateral rotator cuff injuries, scar tissue from multiple anterior neck surgeries. These lesions cause daily pain, daily inflammation, spasms that have almost caused me multiple auto accidents, burns, so many broken dishes I have lost count. Most days I have a very difficult time tying my shoes, taking of my bra, doing my pants, lifting pans out of the cupboard, typing, or being in a computer at all. I am unable to hold a book without my hands going numb. I love my job SO much, but my hands are becoming increasingly numb each day. I don’t talk about it a lot as I love what I do, I need an income, and I don’t want people to stop coming to see me.
The neurologist has helped me prioritize the diagnoses and symptoms, and has recommended Carpal Tunnel surgery on my left hand, first. There are most likely 3 sites on my arm that they will need to clear.
Previously this year, I had a surgery to remove a growth from my eye, and in order to have my hands surgery covered and the deductible already taken care of, I need to get it this year.
The hard part about the job that I love, is that there is no sick leave. I have talked to numerous clients and colleagues that have had this surgery and they have stated anywhere from 2 weeks recovery, to some clients not even having full grip power a year later. I have been trying to save “salary” money for the 2 to 4 weeks minimum that I will need to recover and “hopefully” get back to work. With so many medical bills, it's proving harder than expected.
The other hard part about all of this, is that I was unable to have children due to scar tissue from a surgery, also my right vocal cord was paralyzed by a surgery. Having had a four octave range before that surgery, as a singer and performer, that loss took me almost a decade to get over. Friends, I am scared. If I lose my hands….
Enter two angels, KP Ramsdale, and Monica Galarneau, who ask me one day as I was talking about all of this, if we/they needed to do a fundraiser for me. I got very teary, and mumbled a head nod.
It is very hard for me to ask for help. But that is what I am doing. If you are able to help monetarily, service wise, talent wise (I hear there is going to be a theme. (medical side show mysteries)...I works be the most grateful person on the face of the earth.
Thank you SO much!
Christine
Since then, I have learned how amazing a performer, producer, and friend she is. I know you know what I mean. But she has also been an amazing healer for me. Her hands just know where to go. I often leave her table with a flood of tears having been released from some stuckedness in my body. Due to a real birth defect from when I was born, I’ve had a heal cord lengthening, neck fusions and lower back discs bursting. Christine’s hands just know how to help my body cope with the pain of these things. I know I can trust what she does because she empathizes with what hurts. I know when I’m talking to her, she relates to me. I know she’ll say “Preach!” when I tell her sometimes getting out of bed is so painful it takes several minutes before the stabbing pain stops.And while I know about chronic and long term pain, as even her doctor said, I have no idea how she does it. She is a strong, determined woman. I admire her deeply.
And she needs her hands. They heal people. If you are reading this, you have likely been touched by her healing hands, too.
And right now, she could use our help to be able to recover without stress and keep her indispensable tools that help us.
If you know Christine, even a little, you know the amount of surgeries she’s undergone (it’s a whopping 14 and counting) due to an unbelievable amount of shit. Shit most people couldn’t imagine having to endure. She lost her ability to have children, her ability to sing in an unbelievable range (one that took a decade to recover) and I cannot imagine the loss if she could no longer help others with her hands.
So, November 20th, Monica Glaraneau and I are hosting a fundraiser that will entertain and amaze you! Come join us at the Traveling Medicine Side Show. If you can make it, we will be so honored! We also have a silent auction for many great things from our community (link coming shortly). BUT, we know not everyone can make this event or find something in the auction, and so we wanted to provide an opportunity to help.
We are looking to help offset costs of recovery. Christine will need to rest and recover for at least 4-8 weeks, hoping for the best. Going under the knife is dangerous and scary and helping to make sure she is not scared AFTER the surgery is the least I feel I can do. To help her feel at ease, this means we need to raise between $4,000-$8,000. This isn’t to make sure she has top notch PT or other fancy recovery items, it’s to help pay rent, pay insurance, and eat.
Christine is my colleague, my mentor, my healer, but mostly, she’s my friend. When she asked me to do Lion in Winter last year, after I had retired from theater, I said yes immediately. Not because it’s a damn good play, but because if I am going to come out of retirement, it’ll be for Christine (and Lyam - I love him, too). And holy ravioli, if you didn’t see the show, know it was AMAZING.
This is a small thing I can do for my friend. She didn’t ask. It was something I and Monica want to do. Because we love her. And we know you do, too.
If you can, please donate, come to the show, or bid on an auction item. If you can’t, please share. We are eternally grateful for your generosity.
She wrote a heartfelt letter to all of you that I am including here as well.
———
Dear friends, family, colleagues, and clients. This year, I am facing what will be my 14th surgery since beginning my surgical career. In the past few years, and especially the last few months despite multiple diagnoses: Positional thoracic outlet, syndrome, Hashimito’s Disease, multiple multinodular goiters, numbness in both hands, Carpal Tunnel bilaterally, chronic neck, arm, hand and finger pain, a recent MRI that reads like War and Peace, I have finally gotten a workable diagnosis regarding the arm, hand, and neck pain, as well as the increasingly severe numbness in my hands and fingers. The latest neurologist I saw has diagnosed me as having Double/Triple crush syndrome. What this means is that there are multiple lesions on my nerves from surgeries, injuries, a broken neck, a broken hand, bilateral rotator cuff injuries, scar tissue from multiple anterior neck surgeries. These lesions cause daily pain, daily inflammation, spasms that have almost caused me multiple auto accidents, burns, so many broken dishes I have lost count. Most days I have a very difficult time tying my shoes, taking of my bra, doing my pants, lifting pans out of the cupboard, typing, or being in a computer at all. I am unable to hold a book without my hands going numb. I love my job SO much, but my hands are becoming increasingly numb each day. I don’t talk about it a lot as I love what I do, I need an income, and I don’t want people to stop coming to see me.
The neurologist has helped me prioritize the diagnoses and symptoms, and has recommended Carpal Tunnel surgery on my left hand, first. There are most likely 3 sites on my arm that they will need to clear.
Previously this year, I had a surgery to remove a growth from my eye, and in order to have my hands surgery covered and the deductible already taken care of, I need to get it this year.
The hard part about the job that I love, is that there is no sick leave. I have talked to numerous clients and colleagues that have had this surgery and they have stated anywhere from 2 weeks recovery, to some clients not even having full grip power a year later. I have been trying to save “salary” money for the 2 to 4 weeks minimum that I will need to recover and “hopefully” get back to work. With so many medical bills, it's proving harder than expected.
The other hard part about all of this, is that I was unable to have children due to scar tissue from a surgery, also my right vocal cord was paralyzed by a surgery. Having had a four octave range before that surgery, as a singer and performer, that loss took me almost a decade to get over. Friends, I am scared. If I lose my hands….
Enter two angels, KP Ramsdale, and Monica Galarneau, who ask me one day as I was talking about all of this, if we/they needed to do a fundraiser for me. I got very teary, and mumbled a head nod.
It is very hard for me to ask for help. But that is what I am doing. If you are able to help monetarily, service wise, talent wise (I hear there is going to be a theme. (medical side show mysteries)...I works be the most grateful person on the face of the earth.
Thank you SO much!
Christine
Organizer
Kp Ramsdale
Organizer
Seattle, WA