Previously, I thought of myself more like a horse or a bovine,
After the wedding and graduation and degree certification that commanded my full attention in May, I had one more major hurdle to get over before I could catch my breath and contemplate what to do next. Way back in March, Kevin and I had been asked again to be the official photographers for the SDMS Texas Shoot-out in Bryan in June. It is a 3 day show. They have miniature donkeys, regular donkeys and mules competing in an indoor arena at a nice event center with nice facilities. This is the biggest event we do each year and it is always a stretch for us on many levels. In April, when I began suspecting my life was about to get complicated, I thought about calling the show chairman to back out of shooting the show. I decided to wait until we had a diagnosis. Once I'd learned my diagnosis, I was even more unsure I wanted to tackle the event.I became concerned I wouldn't be physically up to the rigors of the show. It involves standing, stooping, holding up the camera, and dealing with heat and dust for 10 or more hours each day. In addition, each night I stay up for hours downloading the photos taken that day, charging the batteries for our cameras, and selecting a few photos to display the next day at the show. So, it is physically about as demanding as anything I ever do. Usually my feet hurt so badly that I can scarcely stay on them. I hobble about. I also get severe pains in my back, legs, neck, shoulders, and arms from the postures required. I knew Kevin couldn't, and wouldn't shoot it alone. So, I sent a couple of quick inquiries to other photographers I know in the area seeing if they'd be interested in sharing the show. One declined due to a conflict. The other, though, had a sobering reservation. She asked if the arena is air-conditioned. When I said it wasn't, she told me that she, too, has been dealing with breast cancer for some years and has been left with a condition called lymphedema. Due to having lymph glands removed (this is often done with a lumpectomy or mastectomy), she now has to avoid getting overheated because it causes swelling and fluid retention in the arm. As I understood her, she has to avoid getting hot. Doing the donkey show wasn't an option for her. It gets very hot in June in Bryan, Texas.
By this point, it was getting mighty late to back out of the 'gig'. I had a lengthy discussion with the show manager and together we determined that the logistics were better than before. We agreed to go ahead with our participation. When we got there, we did find that we were able to set up much nearer the arena, in better natural light, with a nearby lockable room (that was air conditioned) to put my computer. It was the best situation we've had yet. I found, too, that my feet were less an issue than before. That is almost certainly due to change in eating and making sure to stay hydrated. I also used a little camp stool (folding kind). I would carry it from one spot to another and perch on it whenever possible. There was also more of a breeze stirred by the 'Big Ass Fans' (that's really what they're called) than previously. So, although we did get hot; it wasn't sweltering. Overall, the show was the pleasantest experience we've had at an event. As usual, I ended up with way more images than I could process in a timely manner. Working full time as I do, and commuting, and taking care of the ranch at home, doesn't leave much time for computer work in the evenings. And now that I was sure I needed to get more sleep, I had even less time to work on it. Still, folks have been incredibly patient. I'm pretty sure they were told not to hassle me about it. Bless them!
One thing that did happen at the show was worrisome. Mid-way through the first day, the area under my diaphragm started to ache. The pain got worse and worse as the hours wore on. I tried drinking more water, resting in the air conditioned room, visiting the mercifully nearby toilet, but none of this helped. It began to feel like a bludgeon was bashing me in the mid-drift.The only thing that brought relief was sitting down and being still. So, I did. I let Kevin do most of the afternoon shooting. It was actually quite nice sitting in the breezeway watching the animals and their handlers coming and going into the arena. I visited with a few.
And so, we made it through.
But, there was so much post processing to do!
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