My signature as a healing reminder

Celebrating five years since my 'April fool's day' surgery On April 1, five years ago, I underwent an eight-hour surgery that had a major impact on my life. Ironically I called this event April Fools' Day! And a few days later, at Easter I wrote a post on Facebook (see PS).

The sign under my signature to remind me of my second life

A happy turning point In general five-year survival from pancreatic cancer is a great success. I am among the 20% of benign cases diagnosed in time and operable. Today my annual check-ups show a stable situation and my surgeon suggests that the next check-ups take place every 18 months. Time to celebrate!

The signature and the memory

I'm very happy about this! I am moved to be able to celebrate the first five years of what I consider my new life.

Be strong and aware

The smear under my signature on the paintings is the sign of that painful passage. And it reminds me to be strong and aware and improve myself and the lives of others.

Check yourself too

I am also writing this to strongly encourage you to schedule check-ups immediately after Easter. Even if you feel good. I discovered my tumor by chance. Unfortunately, the pancreas and other organs do not give symptoms until an advanced stage.

In the meantime, I wish you a wonderful Easter of rebirth!

Francesco PS This is the post I wrote on Facebook five years ago: Days of Resurrection

Three weeks after the surgery that overwhelmed me physically and emotionally, I consider today the beginning of a new life. I want to thank from the bottom of my heart the many people who have sent healing messages, prayers and encouragement. Thoughts from old friends but also from people whom I don't know who follow me and pay me esteem from afar.

Your spirit comforted me in moments of fear and pain but also in current recovery, while gathering energy to be 100% as soon as possible. I wish you a wonderful Easter, the beginning of a true resurrection, where your deep desires find new life, light, security!

PS. And an infinite thanks to my family (daughters, sisters, parents in law, cousins overseas), superheroes surgeons and nurses at H San Raffaele -- and to my love Roberta who's a rock!

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Be Like a Brush

The real meaning of resilience (2 min read)

I don't exactly know what specific issues your are facing right now. I assume you are quarantining, and so adjusting to a new routine required by the pandemic. I am not sure what concerns you more, if your health at risk, your business to crash, running out of TP or getting bored at home. Or all of them. I guess it might depend on where you live. 

As we Italians are about two weeks ahead of USA, we past the shock phase, the scary phase, forgot the sing an cry phase, the family yelling at each other phase, the ok let's make a cake (followed by let's make a pizza) phase. Now we are in the phase: cool to slow down and reconnect to what really matters, but how long the hell are we gonna live like this?

Things we miss

My brush set

They say our life will never be the same. I hope so, there's so much to be changed in the world! Still there are things we're deeply missing, being outdoor in the first place

Last time I went out for a non-grocery reason, I walked to the huge park I use to go roller skating, but without skates. If the orthopedic ER sees me again, they will spit the coronavirus on my stupid face on purpose! So I went to run a bit. We were still allowed to run or gym solo and in the neighborhood. 

That day I found the park completely deserted, only one dog walker, in a mile square area. We did not even crossed each other, taking different trails as we spotted each other from afar. I guess I scared the dog. And as I was panting and sweating (man how rusty I am!) a lot of what I have been through in my life, came into my mind. 

Tough skin

Mafia, terrorism, illness -- to only mention the scariest ones. I grew up seeing bodies on the pavement for mafia murders in Sicily, survived the killing and bombing of political terrorism in the 70's and  shared the shock and terror for 9/11. More recently I cried the innocent lives shot at the Bataclan in my elective city Paris, and not later than 12 months ago, faced a tough and scary surgery to 'save my life'.

At that very minute in the complete silence of the sunny park, I found myself stronger than ever! "If you made it so far, you'll make it this time too" - I said to myself! Tough skin.. resilience..

So when anxious about the current situation, we should think of the difficulties we have been through and how and where we found strength, courage, faith and help to overcome them. We so easy forget. So as soon I got home, I searched the precise meaning of the word resilience: 

- The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
- Ability to spring back into shape; elasticity. 

Wow, just like a good painting brush. Spring back.. then I started painting. 
Keep safe, have a bit of fun and help others. 

Francesco
PS. Needless to say, artists need to resist financially as well as emotionally. Please take a minute to check my StayHomeArt sale to both support the arts and enjoy a special happy deal! 

Please leave a comment and visit www.francescofontana.com