Dust is flying, heels kick up and squeals are heard far and wide! A battle is happening and it's quite the sight! Juggy kicks up his heels trying to fend off Ankle Biter, but much to his surprise she not only ducks out of the way, she twists mid duck to bite back! Whoa! What is he in for?! Better question is...what did he do to provoke this rage? hehe 

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Long ago I decided that Juggy needed someone to spar with. I kicked around ideas for a while (pun intended!) and thought that another piece representing my own journey would be the only way to go. In the initial battle with cancer when Juggy was born, I lost much of what made me female and had to redefine what that looked like. My hair, breasts and ability to have kids were all casualties in the fight for my life. Thankfully the hair grew back. haha! But it took some serious rethinking of what it meant to be female, so I figured it would be perfect to have a mare represent this second half of the story. She needed to be strong, agile and fierce. Dodging the kicks of life (and Juggy) and coming right back at 'em.

I wanted to challenge myself to make a dynamic piece and really show off the equine form in extreme motion. Biter dodges out of the way only to twist right back, teeth bared and ready for her shot. Juggy doesn't know what he is in for!

The battle is constant. In my head at least. I'm sure my body fights too. DNA repair cells working to keep recurrence at bay. Did you know that up to 30% of breast cancer patients have a recurrence? That's a pretty high number.... Terrifyingly high when you've already gone through it once. They tell you it could come back in nasty places like the blood, bones or brain. I know a few people who have already had recurrences and had a friend pass recently. It amps fear up and you worry about each little thing. Headache? Bone pain? It's all enough to bring that fear back up. An endless fight in your head and heart and probably in your body too. Trying to ward off the potential of another rumble with the C. It's a wild feeling. 

Juggernaut was my battle with Cancer. He bucked and kicked and made it through. He helped me to make it through, and to find myself again.

Biter is the continued fight. She will help me keep fighting and help me give back as well. We've all been through so much and with such a crazy world I think her rage and fierceness really are needed in this time. A lot went into her strength so that she may be a pillar for others too. 

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