Us Trendy October 2008: Best Designer!

Us Trendy October 2008: Best Designer!, originally uploaded by MlleHyena.

I entered their contest and if you like my design, please go vote for me here:

 http://www.ustrendy.com/contest/

I've submitted that little number

Determination

Warning long post ahead.

France

I spent 3 weeks in France. The trip to go was nice, I met a french woman in the plane who just spent 3 months in USA and we spoke for hours. It was cool because the time was flying as well. I also couldn't wait to arrive as I so eagerly wanted to be with my Dad.
When I arrived at my parent's, I was so happy to see my Dad and so sad to see in what pain he was. He was bedridden for almost 3 months, he had lost a lot of weight and muscles. He was at that time in the first week of treatment.
But I stayed strong and didn't cry. I didn't suffered much from the jet lag. 
I discovered the doctor wasn't really treating my Dad's pains! They did give him some tylenol and that was it!

When I went to the hospital with him, I met the doctor and had to ask all the nurses around about the pain treatments. The doctor was saying that with the chemio treatment the pain would go away by itself. But meanwhile my Dad was suffering for nothing and he had to walk with a cane and was waking up every 2 hours at night!

The french system is maybe all good when it comes to costs and relatively fair and equal treatments of the sick ones. The only problem is structural. Administrative. They finally gave some more serious painkillers to Papa. With those and the treatment taking effect, the pain slowly went away and on 3 weeks I was there, I have seen my Dad walking around again, having some good nights sleep and eating well again.
The last news are pretty good. The treatment is working very well. 

I was so amazed at my Dad's strenght! He was never sick in his life and then, this terrible cancer and he fights! His moral is pretty good even though my mother is such a PIA sometimes. But she is also taking really good care of him.
That terrible disease of my Dad really brought us all back together and we got rid of all our pety fights. I spent a very good time with my brother Mathieu and my sister Emilie. I am so glad we are speaking together again. I think my Dad was really happy about it as well.
I was also glad to see my granny who has been really traumatized by my Dad's cancer.

I am going back in December. I really miss them all and I wish I could be with my Dad more. But there is just no way for us to come back to France. There is the financial issue, but for me now there is something else.

USA

Once again I was glad to come back even though I was letting my family behind. 24 hours trip just let me half dead and I caught a terrible cold, a kind of flue. But I came back with a very strong determination about my business. I love what I do. I am enjoying living in USA. Generalisations are what they are, but french people are not generous. And even if I have been ostracized here, even if it has been really difficult at times for the french person I am, I really like my life here and what I am able to do.
I also can see the difference between french selfishness and how americans "care".
Also it is such a great thing to be in USA during these last moments of the election.

I have been working a lot lately. I am really happy at how my work turned out. I also have been selling quite a lot!  
So all of you my dear customers thank you so much for supporting my work and for allowing me to finance my visits to my Dad.

On a side note, I am muted for a month on etsy forums. I have decided I won't come back there at all. Unless the rules change and become fair and clear. But we all know this won't happen.
So you know where you can find me. All the links to my web presence are here!

Walking in the mud

Walking in the mud in Northern France, originally uploaded by MlleHyena.