Day 16- "Strength"

Yes, I changed my blog pic- just for today (depends if you all like it- I might keep it up a few days). Today I thought I would blog about my tattoo and also how my husband (my wonderful husband), Fredly, came about getting the same tattoo. Grab your box of kleenex- this is going to be a sentimental post today. I decided to do this one today, because really, nothing out of the ordinary or funny really happen to me today on the cleanse. Well, there is one thing and then I will talk about the "tats". So I was eating some of my leftover chicken fajitas and veggies in my NEW EZEKIEL TORTILLA WRAP for lunch in my office, (it wasn't as sensual as my banana yesterday- that was so Lindsey Lohan ago) and man did I need to "toot" something bad. I think it was the beans from last night. So, forgetting my surroundings AND forgetting that our new project officer just started her first full day in the office across from my office (it had been vacant, so I have been able to fart in my own little world for the past few weeks)- I let one rip. Oops. She probably thinks I am a class act. Oh well. It was a little squeaker, so she probably didn't notice. (Don't sit there and tell me you have never farted in your own office!) LOL.

Ok, ok, back to the tattoos. The symbol is the Japanese symbol for STRENGTH. I had found this symbol about a year ago and at some point, my third tattoo (yes I have 3) was going to be the symbol for strength. But I needed to accomplish something (this was my own personal goal) before I would allow myself to get tatted up again. Well, I had set a goal to lose 25 pounds and then I could get the tat. Well, the weight loss thing wasn't going well, because I was tired and I ached all the time= LUPUS diagnosis. When I was diagnosed with Lupus on March 16th, instead of crying and being a pouty baby (I was for a few hours by the way), I said to myself "screw it". I need strength now more than ever. That's it! I can get my tattoo for my own self support. So Fred, who had accompanied me to my doctor's visit earlier that morning, went off to the radio station and I went off to Coolhand Tattoos. The gal that did my tattoo, Holly, (who is now one of our dear friends and her fiance', Chris who is the shop owner and ended up doing Fred's tattoo) knew nothing about my diagnosis when I walked in. We started with small chit chat, told him about my husband being a DJ, yada, yada, yada and BAM! in 20 minutes the tat was done. I felt alive. I have something to live for and I can look at this symbol and know that when I am in pain(my pain is the most severe in the wrist where I got the tattoo) that it will pass and I am stronger than this Lupus.
Sooo....I was on travel in San Francisco, gee, almost a month ago and my husband was sneaky. He had planned all along to show support for me by getting the same tattoo on the same wrist that I got my tattoo. He waiting til I was out of the ATL area (and radio airwaves)- doesn't he know I can stream online? LOL. He talked about getting this tattoo on his show all week. (and told people to keep it a secret from me- and they did) He had the gals in the studio crying, callers calling in crying, etc. I don't know what he said, but I bet I would have been crying too. He is my best friend and the best husband in the whole world! So off he went to Coolhand Tattoos to have Chris do his tat. Chris heard the whole "bit" on the radio and all the dudes in the tat parlor were also tearing up. (my goodness). So to make a long story short, Fred got his tat and then it took me a day and a half after my return from San Fran to notice that he got the tattoo (wow... I am so in tune with my surroundings- LOL). I was so surprised- and I got teary eyed too. So that is the story of the wrist tattoos. Pretty damn cool. So that's the story- hope you liked it. Who knows what my next tat will be-- maybe a banana? Ha! Farvel! (Good-bye in Danish)