Passaic, New Jersey

pink alabaster

14 inches long x 12 inches wide x 6 inches deep

The "Screaming Turtle" piece was carved over the course of a year, 1999, after the severe adverse reaction to the antibiotic Floxin, now called Levaquin, that ruptured both achilles tendons and left me in permanent pain and disability. At the time I was hoping I would slowly, with patience, heal. All I could do was sit, so while sitting and carving it, I was internally screaming to God "When am I going to heal." The praying has not worked. It is a permanent condition, permanent damage. It's 15 years later now, and I am disabled, live in constant pain. My activity level is very limited, I cannot do so much of the active life I used to have. I sometimes think of where my life might have gone if I were healthy, and it is very depressing as well as painful.