before the comeback

- Hola chavos! After a period of feeling unwell, in January 2022 I was diagnosed with Oropharyngeal Cancer caused by the HPV virus. ////////////////////////////// - That came on top of other complex and vaguely understood health problems like arthritis, and a rare and severe allergy condition that requires a surgery inside the nose and immunotherapy. ////////////////////////////// - Something is wrong with my immune system and it cannot recognize the enemy so it attacks it’s own self. According to one doctor when I came to mexico my system got suddenly exposed to too many new pathogens and allergens and that rebooted my immune system wrongly. “May You Live In Interesting Times” ////////////////////////////// - I have undergone two surgeries in the neck and now preparing for radiotherapy treatment ////////////////////////////// - The prognosis is good. ////////////////////////////// - The logistics of cancer treatment are very demanding. care is specialized and expensive. ////////////////////////////// - Savings have been steadily evaporating since this process started and having no health insurance certainly hasn’t helped ////////////////////////////// - For every appointment I have to travel from Malinalco to CDMX and back. ////////////////////////////// - . The first steps, including an operation to remove an inflamed lymph node and subsequent PET CT scans, magnetic resonance tomography, ultrasounds, X-rays, blood tests, doctor consultations etc all took place in private. Luckily the radiotherapy treatment will take place in InCan a public and mostly free of charge institution, while still working with private doctors for secondary yet very important parameters of the treatment like nutrition and dental care. ////////////////////////////// - My case hasn’t been straightforward and the primary tumor has not been found , the only proof that I have cancer is the biopsy of the inflamed lymph node. It’s normal to not feel sure about what the information doctors convey (especially since I got many false diagnoses in the beginning) and that’s why I have been triangulating the results and information I receive with private doctors along the way. That has geometrically increased the costs. ////////////////////////////// - After the treatment is finished I will have to return to private care as I want to spend time in Greece, (and where my health always dramatically improves) but where I also don’t have health insurance. (Medical care in Greece is free but only for registered citizens that hold jobs and permanent addresses there. It might take me many months or years to qualify for free care over there) ////////////////////////////// - In the next few years I will have to go for check ups very frequently, once a month in the first year and in the following years gradually less frequently. I will also have to do supportive treatments and also invest in a decent health insurance scheme. ////////////////////////////// - In the meantime, because dealing with cancer is a full time job and because doctors have advised that I take it very easy, I have postponed or canceled all projects that I had upcoming. That means that in 2022 my income might be close to zero and my expenses higher than ever before. ////////////////////////////// - I nevertheless keep making small drawings in a notebook and planning a larger comeback strategy. ////////////////////////////// - Some time is needed to regroup and heal properly and it would be preferable to not have to stress too much about the profitability of art during this time. ////////////////////////////// - Properties on my name, stocks or fixed income of any kind is in the sphere of fantasy. The artworld never provided any kind of long term security, insurance or pension. Yet it has provided me with some great friends and supporters who have helped by buying works and being around to hear me out. I have depended purely on art sales and day to day work all these years. I want to deeply thank everyone who has supported me all these years. You know who you are. ///////////////////////////// It's just another chapter in the book. We are going for drinks soon. I'm planning a comeback.