Michelle Almendro serves as an inspiring individual who can be seen as a symbol of strength and courage despite her circumstances.
Michelle suffers from conditions that have not been diagnosed, thus Womxn of Soulitude is grateful to Michelle for consenting to share her story and her artwork with us.
Why she decided to share her story?
"I want more people to know. I've hidden my entire life but I think I've come to a stage where I realized if I don't talk about it, it will never get better. I help others by exposing them to things and in return I am able to receive the emotional support that I never had which helps me tremendously."
About her condition:
"I take 13 tablets a day, I had a blood clot that they thought was a cancer in my lungs. I've had cancerous cysts removed, endometriosis and IBS. I had a huge stomach opp from my small and thick intestine. My appendix burst whilst in a surgery and I have suffered constant struggles with endo/ anxiety.
Medication has become immune to me. It gets worse as I get older."
Q: What inspires your artistic creations?
A: I'm extremely inspired by daily occurrences, socio-political problems within South Africa from a psychological perspective and my own thoughts and emotions. Individuals such as Penny Siopsis and Anselm Kiefer play a huge role because they link both my German and South African heritages and I acknowledge their expressive works on their sociology within their countries.
Q: Would you say that living with conditions that have not been formally diagnosed serve as some of your greatest fears?
A: Yes, it's my biggest fear, I wake up in cold sweats when I have dreams about hospital or past events or memories that I have with doctors, the tests, the different hospitals, the nurses.
Q: What do you do when you are feeling vulnerable?
A: I count all my blessings, all the beautiful people whom I call my family and friends.
I try occupy myself with art and things that help channel my pains and emotions and turn them into something I can look back on and appreciate.
Q: How have you learnt to be so accepting in a world that tends to be so chaotic and demanding?
A: I think after having had so many hard times and obstacles throughout my life it has made me emotionally stronger. I've seen and been through some things people will never have to, but I can walk away from those events and say I've survived things that could've killed me. I've reached a stage in my life where this burden I carry within my body has helped me help others and I try see the good in the bad. I know that out there, there are people way worse off than me, and I want to help and I can't help if I'm busy crying about my own problems.
Q: The most mesmerizing thing/ moment that you have experienced or wish to experience?
A: I was on a community outreach camp, and over the years my friends and I have painted murals in antenatal care and pediatric wards of public hospitals to make the environment a more friendly place, but this time we painted a preschool in a small town in Fraserburg in the Northern Cape. I remember the looks on these little kids faces when they saw their new classroom. It was a simple task of colour and murals for me but to them it changed their entire environment.
Giving back to a community that has next to nothing changes your entire perspective of how you live and also causes you to see how privileged you are.
Q: The most important words/ phrase that you live by?
A: When you feel like you're about to reach your breaking point, push through it because once you've come out of it you feel so much stronger.
