On a sun drenched April afternoon at the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, we watched a thirty-something women, packed into a pirate costume, parade a jubilant crowd during a performance at an outdoor stage alongside the Mississippi River's edge. She was playful, she was sultry, she was tipsy. As much as we tried to focus on the music, Pirate Girl stole the show. She zigged, she zagged, she twirled, she dipped. Eventually her intoxication level exceeded her limberness, and she fell down. And so my new favorite drinking toast was born, "Pirate Girl Down."
It's fun to say and the visual is slapstick at its best - buxom, peroxide blond crashes to the ground while her crinoline and skirt swirl up, her breasts pop out of her tightly corseted top, and her faux leather, thigh-high, stiletto healed boots point toward the sun.
I've been toasting to Pirate Girl a lot lately. Even with a wrecked tail, the memory still makes me smile.
In between cheers to Pirate Girl, I've been googling obsessively - looking for the slightest bit of hope. As I mentioned in my previous post, 4 out of the 5 blogs I found from women with wrecked tails, are now dead.
And then I found Lesley, aka Pirate Girl.
Lesley is feisty, fun, and adventurous. In 2008 she and her partner sailed around the world on their yacht (she's a real life Pirate Girl). She is my age (okay, she's a bit younger). She was born in England and has lived in Israel for the past 30 years.
In 2012 she was diagnosed with stage 3b wrecked-tail cancer. She's now on the other side of pre-adjuvant therapy (chemo and radiation) and also the surgery and she's doing just fine! She's got a great attitude (attitude is everything). She's optimistic and grateful and I can't help but think.... if a Pirate Girl can do it, then a monkey can too!
Right now, I need to focus on what can and will go right, not what can go wrong. Right now, Pirate Girl is EXACTLY what I need. Pirate Girl won't let me feel sorry for myself. Pirate Girl won't let me stay down.
Lesley's blog is titled THE BOTTOM LINE - how clever is that! She also has a blog appropriately called, Pirate Girl, but her adventures are minimal and I must encourage her to tell me more tales of her riots and ruckuses on the open sea's.
So lets all lift our glass, or cup, or flask, or stein, to Pirate Girl... Pirate Girl NOT being down. Pirate Girl UP. Pirate Girl healing, thriving, living, loving.
xo, The Pirate in MOnkeyME
oh my.... I just remembered.... when Kerry came to me in my dream, on the eve before mother's day, I wrote to all of you that he looked like a .... pirate! CHILLS...I just gave myself chills!
ReplyDeleteIf you missed it, the post is called Happy Me Day.
Deletehttp://greenmonkeytales.blogspot.com/2013/05/happy-me-day.html
Oh boy, that gives me chills!!! Argggghhhh. (I know, I just had to add that.) I will read the pirate girl's blog and toast to both of you.
ReplyDeletethat just gave me chills too... Oh Shannon, I'm so happy that you found a kindred spirit in this wrecked tail tale. I think Kerry sent Pirate Girl your way so you wouldn't feel so alone in this whole WTF (Wrecked Tail Fiasco). {{{hugs}}} to you, my friend. And step away from the Googly computer. We know where that can lead. Pick the brains of your medical team, even if you haven't picked them yet. xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteOK, that just gave me chills too... Shannon, I'm so happy that you found a kindred spirit in this wrecked tail tale.
ReplyDeleteI think Kerry sent Pirate Girl your way so you wouldn't feel so alone in this whole WTF (Wrecked Tail Fiasco) thing. {{{hugs}}} to you, my friend.
PS Step away from the Googly computer. We know where that can lead! Pick the brains of your medical team instead, even if you haven't picked them yet. xoxoxo
Aye matey!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's great you've found some inspiration, but be careful of all that googling. It's good to be informed, but not so good to read such hard things when you yourself are in a hard moment. Thank goodness for pirate girls and pirate monkeys. She sounds great. ~Catherine
ReplyDeleteARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, that pirate girl you so described down in NOLA so sounds like she could have been my daughter... *cries*
I wonder if'n a pirate can wear red shoes??? I dunno, butt, I suppose it could be ok.
You have a host of people here on your side, Green Monkey Pirate... ;o)
~shoes~
I love this blog. I love pirates. And the Green Monkey pirate pic is AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteU are going to make it. And along the way, u will tell ur story of survival.
U have got me cheering cheering cheering cheering for u in Memphis.
U are always on my mind. Always always always. And u know I am praying praying praying praying praying for u. Because of u, I am that much closer to God. Searching and seeking.
I think having a positive attitude and an attitude of what is right versus what is wrong is the right direction to be headed.
Love it love it love it love it love it.
And one day, another person will find out they have "wrecked tail" cancer and they will google and what will they run across Green Monkey SURVIVED and IS THRIVING in life.
Our purpose in life is not about us but about helping others. U are strong. U will be someone's else beacon later on down the road.
LOVE IT. LOVE IT. LOVE IT. LOVE IT.
Could this be the new catch phrase akin to "man up"... "Pirate Girl up!"?
ReplyDeleteCause I kinda like it. :)
Nothing stronger than a pirate girl.
Bottoms up to you and all Pirate Girls!!! (I realize "bottoms up" is maybe a poor choice, but if I start parsing my comments, one might accuse me of being anal...) Shannon, your attitude and spirit are so strong -- greater/bigger than any disease; an elixir for all souls.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found a pirate girl hero and comrade for your newest journey, and it's stunning that Kerry looked like a pirate in your dream. Use the energy, Pirate Girl!
ReplyDeletedear shannon,
ReplyDeletei am so happy that you've found your very own pirate girl to inspire you and fill your sweet heart with BIG, BIG, hope. i love the monkey pirate in you - swashbuckling with the green parrot, to boot. i am still sending you waves and waves of the golden light of love to be kept lit - it, along with your darling pirate boy, kerry, will help you find your way. ooooo, just got those chill, too.
much love, XOXO
karen, TC
PIRATE GIRL UP!!!
ReplyDeleteDef I'll toast to Pirate Girl, and to you.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for the great post! I can hardly recognize myself, lol! For anyone who wants to read more about the sailing part of my life I have another blog, www.Chasamba.com, sorry I don't know how to make that into a link. I'm not updating there just now because I'm stuck here in Israel having chemo, but when we do get back I'll carry on with it.
ReplyDeleteI was just going to post exactly what Sarabarakat did ;-)
ReplyDelete