When I got the "all clear" on BOTH medical issues, about two weeks later, I felt like I had faced death down and triumphed. I founded the "Not Dead Yet Club." A few of my friends who had faced similar life and death moments, and provided me with the emotional support I needed during that time joined as well. I decided that there would be only ONE yearly membership fee. We all had to decide (a year ahead of time) on one thing that we had always WANTED to do - but had either never worked up enough nerve or got around to doing - and write it out and put it in a box...and then do it.
First on my list was a tattoo. I had planned to get one for at least 20 years, but always talked myself out of it. Since I'm an artist, I designed my own and took it down to the local tattoo parlor. And at 53, got my first - and so far, ONLY - tattoo. Since then, I have done big and small things; some I kept up, and some I only did once, but that first thing - the tattoo - was the beginning of the Celebration of Life for me.
