So here’s the hard part that I had to confront–the actual incision or the cutting of my baby belly. In order to write about my stomach surgery, I had to face the fact of the scalpel. These pictures tell the story. No need for too many words.

Given the fact I was intubated, I couldn’t verbalize anything, so claiming my scream through art was powerful. The second pastel shows the point of puncture.

This cracked, orange egg picture shows my profound feeling of brokenness after the incision. 

In the next two posts, I’ll share the last few pastels, the drawing of which enabled me to begin writing my memoir manuscript, Autobiography of a Sea Creature: Coming Home to My Body after Infant Surgery.