#loveandletlive

[yalanpapillons]

#loveandletlive #twinflame https://www.instagram.com/p/BvMmPt8AnFg/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4pphdabhwip

[purspektivz]

Like A Tattoo

A couple of months ago I decided to visit the International Museum of Surgical Science here in Chicago. It was an effort motivated by getting extra credit in my anatomy class and indulging my inner geek (in that order). I walked through the museum, saw pictures and exhibits of ancient medical practices that made me thank God for having been born in the 20th century, a time where doctors could SPELL anesthesia. I snapped pictures, selfies and bulked up my Instagram feed as I made my way through the lakefront mansion turned American Horror Story: Unseen Surgical Methods. I waded through exhibits that included kidney stones the size of footballs, paintings that depicted Cesarean sections sans anesthesia and human skulls that had holes drilled into them as a way of treating mental illness. I even saw a cool picture of a kid who had a serious case of viral herpes that had disfigured his face  (see the lovely pics below).

Kidney Stones

Thank God for the advancement of mental health treatment and services

Herpes viral infection on a kid. Sheesh!

When I made it to the top floor of the museum, I came across an exhibit that had the strongest impact on me - David Allen’s Tattoo Project. Allen is a tattoo artist who used art to help women feel better about their body image after being disfigured by breast cancer. He used tattoo art to cover scars left by surgical procedures that had been done as a part of treatment for this terrible disease. This exhibit impacted me the most because I am always a sucker for contemporary art. Also, it was breast cancer awareness month at  the time and I was still excited about my aunt celebrating another year in remission from breast cancer herself. With medicine physical recovery can be affected and even progressed through successful approach to treatment of the mind and spirit. 

The exhibit consisted of pictures of the women’s tattooed breast and chest areas and a documentary video highlighting one of the women Allen had worked with. She talked about the struggle with her body, sexuality and sense of self after going through breast cancer treatment. Although she received reconstructive surgery to ‘cover’ up the loss she suffered from the disease, the prosthetic solution wasn’t so much of a solution for HER. This project was amazing in that it seemed to help women regain a sense of control and beauty about their own bodies. My aunt’s biggest struggle was her hair. My family prides themselves on having thick, curly and coarse hair (although I pride myself even more on chopping the shit off for the sake of being able to sleep longer in the morning). To have to deal with any type of disfigurement in addition to having to go through treatment that can be debilitating is more than enough for the average person. In mainstream society, the bodies of women are sexualized and women often valued based on physical appearance which can make disfigurement harder to deal with. Allen provides a way to for women to feel in  more control of their bodies while also defying popular standards of physical beauty and worth. Women form all of the country have been touched by this project. What may be a simple tattoo to someone else is a tool to redefine one’s self, embrace recovery and see something beautiful in what is undoubtedly a difficult journey. 

I encourage all to not only visit this museum, but also explore their intrinsic definitions of beauty and self worth.

[kami-samab]

Forgiving is the greatest virtue one can possess... Being forgiven is the best reward you can ever get... Why can’t we just move on and get rid of such bitterness? Let’s just be kind and loving to others #forgivennotforgotten #islanders #lifeisbetterintahiti #spreadthelove #loveandletlive 🌴💫😘👍☀️ (at Pape'ete)

[foreverandinfinite]

Love doesn't mean restricting her, robbing her of her dreams....love means nurturing her dreams and letting her be herself

[joyyywd]

@Regrann from @maraalmo - Why can't we #loveandletlive ?!!! Your race, faith, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender should not determine your right to live or not. Is this so hard to comprehend?!! We are the community that celebrates and values lives; of humans and animals. I can't understand why some humans have hard times celebrating that amongst their own species. #alllivesmatter #skincolordoesntmatter #Regrann

[izyglazer]

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Does anyone know what kind of #insect this is?? Never see one before and this guy is as long as my finger and aggressively defended itself! #LoveAndLetLive (at Culver West Park)