Editors' Note: Just after we (re)introduced Karyn and Candice, former Blueprint blogger Marie Davis of All Polished Up! e-mailed NAILS to ask if she could continue where she left off. Marie (right, with NAILS managing editor Sree, at a trade show in early 2010) too had some health issues, but we welcome her back to health and to her salon. So, now we have five current Blueprint bloggers -- Alica, Melodie, Karyn, Candice, and Marie. Whew! We'll stick with these five for now. Marie explains more below.

Spring is here! With Spring comes new growth out of the darkness of winter, and that is exactly how I would describe my life the last few months. In my last post I mentioned I was having major issues with my back. Well, turns out that was an understatement! As to the months that followed, I'm going to make this very long and complicated story as short as possible.

I decided to have surgery, and it was to be a simple process for which I was to return to work part-time in two to four weeks. That was the beginning of a complete nightmare. I ended up having the first surgery with complications, which led to major back surgery. That, in turn, led to major issues with the medications that were supposed to be helping me. I was sent home on 32 oxycodone a day, then switched to morphine. My body became addicted to the morphine with the very first dose I took. The weeks and months that have followed were the hardest thing I've ever been through. I went through morphine withdrawal for more than 45 days. During this time, I took each day at a time. I still tried to see at least one client a day. At times I worked seven days a week just to save what little business I had left.

My first surgery was October 4, 2010, and my second surgery was October 14, 2010. As I write this, it is now near the end of March 2011 and I have just began to work four full days a week. I believe my life lesson for this year is learning patience and balance in all I do. I have always done way too much and then even more. I now know that led to my body breaking down. I have had to learn humility and to trust that others were capable of helping me with my load in life. I used to think letting others do things for me made me a weak person but I now know accepting help and doing things with others makes life a little bit easier and creates strength and unity.

As I mentioned, with Spring comes new growth and my business is again growing. So has the passion I have for my business. I have been able to host an education day with my fellow nail techs, and I have also started mentoring a new nail tech here in my small town. I have to say just over three years ago I was contacted by a fellow nail tech who didn't even know me but was so passionate for our business that she invited me to a complete weekend of training and networking. She has spent the last three years mentoring me, answering all my questions, showing me over and over again how to do certain techniques, gladly helping provide services for my clients when I couldn't, and even making sure I get on the correct plane when we are traveling together. Many of you know her and I would just like to say THANK YOU to Denise Anderson for being who she is, giving what she has, and doing what she does! I would never be doing what I am doing without her unselfishness and passion for our industry. I would ask all of you, what have you done with someone to better our industry?

Denise and I will be traveling to Vegas in June to attend the show there. I hope to see you all there!  

—Marie, All Polished Up!, Dallas, Ore.