Memorial Tattoo

  I decided awhile back that I wanted to get a memorial tattoo for Denali. I got my first tattoo 12 years ago in undergrad, and while it's not something I would choose today, it really expressed who I was at the time. In other words, I have a large tramp stamp (hey, it was 2002).

Her name is Ophelia

I've wanted to add to it for years but I just didn't know what I wanted. Last year, before I left Alaska for what I thought was the last time, I decided that I wanted to get a tattoo of fireweed. I love fireweed because it has come to represent everything that I have learned and loved about Alaska.

Fireweed

My engagement ring displayed on fireweed

Last year, when we got Denali's diagnosis, one of the first things that I did alone was go out and pick fireweed. I dried it, knowing all along that I wanted to have it with her when she was either buried or cremated. And it was. I also spent those long, lonely nights of the first month after John went back to work cross-stitching a fireweed bib for her. She was cremated in the bib as well.

And so, fireweed has come to represent not only Alaska, but also Denali. Fireweed was an easy choice for her memorial tattoo. But I didn't know who I wanted to do it. I received a recommendation for Shelly V at Body Piercing Unlimited and I checked out her work. She does amazing custom work and I scheduled a consultation with her. I was so nervous because I have seen some ugly tattoos in my day and I didn't want to end up with something that I would regret later. John was also worried and he really didn't want me to get any more tattoos. When Shelly sent me her drawing, I was so excited because it was exactly what I had imagined. And John liked it, too!

In the end, I decided not to have Denali (the mountain) included in the tattoo because it would be really large. Maybe one day I will.
 After the first session, I decided that I did want to incorporate the auroras into the piece. So, at the second session, Shelly added the auroras to the fairy's wings. I absolutely love, love, love it! It's still healing, and these pictures were taken on the first day, but you can see how awesome it looks.

On Palm Sunday, our pastor spoke about how fireweed represents life here in Alaska. It burns intensely during the short summer and then dies down, leaving only a memory, but something we can hope to see again. I thought that, when described in that way, fireweed becomes a fitting tribute to Denali.  She also lived during a splendid Alaskan summer and then died when the winter came. But her life was intense and beautiful and her memory will be with us forever.