Zapping Kindness

I do not have any tattoos.  In fact, I cannot for the life of me imagine ever being able to decide what to get on a tattoo and committing to have it on my body forever.  That, to a commitment phobic like myself, would be one of life’s toughest decisions. I see some I like on other people – swirls, amazing quotes, beautiful art – but to PICK ONE and actually get it done is beyond my commitment level.

But, in my naiveté, I also thought of tattoos as just that:  a CHOICE.  I thought, people decide they want one, think long and hard about what it should be, then they get it.

I was recently reminded that tattoos are not always a CHOICE. 

Maybe you remember Amy from one of the first Kindness Activist pieces in this project - Waffle Kindness .  She is a kind soul.  

Amy and her sweetheart Michael

I recently saw this touching status on her Facebook wall:

     “The most amazing thing happened to me yesterday. I couldn't wait to share.

     Michael and I were heading home from the farmer's market and we passed a smal

     storefront. The name on the glass was, "Zap a Tat".

     I have been wanting for quite a while to remove my radiation tattoos. Every time I look in 

     the mirror, I see them and feel a twinge. They do not remind me of the end of treatment 

     or of surviving cancer. They do not bring with them feelings of elation or completion.   

     These 6 small blue dots remind me of struggle and sadness. They are a flashing neon 

     sign that blinks, CANCER, every time I see them.

     I walked into the store and was pleased that it was clean, comfortable and a certified,     

     licensed facility. I began to speak with the person at the desk, and was then surprised to 

     be greeted by the owner, Chris. As I explained what I wanted, his face became 

     concerned, and slightly sad. It is always disconcerting to me to be on the receiving end  

     of the, "I am so sorry you had cancer"' face.

     I quickly recovered and continued with the most important question I have had since     

     recovery: "How much will it cost to remove these 6 blue dots."

     I was surprised and unprepared for his response, "free", he said. 

     I cried and hugged him. 

     I am now dot free. I am elated. I am thankful. I feel blessed.

    So if you find yourself in Arlington, Virginia, and you want your dots removed, see Chris   

    at, "Zap a Tat".

    Radiation dots are free, and so are hugs.”

Well, I didn’t even have to get to the end of reading her blurb to know that Chris at Zap a Tat HAD to be dubbed a Kindness Activist!!  So after a bit of phone tag, I went in to meet him.

His store is only five minutes from my house.  I had walked by it before and admired the clean, crisp design, so I was excited not only to meet him but to take a look around!  Chris Slavin is the founder and CEO of Zap a Tat (which he started 6 years ago) and struck me as humble, bit shy, very knowledgeable, and super smart.  Oh, and NON-JUDGEMENTAL, too!  He seemed like one of the most non-judgmental people I have ever met.  He was very cool!

Chris, Founder/CEO of Zap a Tat and Kindness Activist!

The shop is just as cool inside as it looks from the outside.  It’s super clean, modern, crisp, and comfortable.  I told him I felt like I should be there to get my nails done!  J  I had a lot of questions and he was nice enough to sit and talk with me.  When I mentioned it felt like a sleek salon, he said, “Removing a tattoo is a cosmetic decision.  Getting a tattoo is a cosmetic decision so removing one should be, too.  I think it should be a good experience.”  Well he sure has the environment set up to make it a good experience!

Zap a Tat removes all kinds of tattoos.  I got to look at some “before and after” photos and it was amazing. 

Disappearing cat tattoo - one photo was taken each session.

An advanced technique - this dark tattoo lightened up
THAT MUCH in one treatment!

But the most pressing question for me was WHY he would “zap” radiation tattoos for free.  I mean, sure, it is an amazingly kind thing to do, but this is his BUSINESS…  I asked if he always removes radiation tattoos for free or if this was something special he did just for Amy, and he explained, “Really, since I started the business I have done free removal of radiation tattoos.”  When I asked how many people his business had removed radiation tattoos for, his immediate response was, “Not enough!”.  He told me that when Amy went into his shop, she didn’t know it was going to be free and was just inquiring about the price.  “When I said it was free, she was overjoyed.  And that is really our ‘2^nd paycheck’.”  

Isn’t that the sweetest philosophy – that being able to see other people so happy is a “2^nd paycheck”?  I love it.  He told me that not charging people to remove radiation tattoos is, “Just the right thing to do.  It is very meaningful to people.  And the emotional gratification that people get out of it is big in terms of what it costs me to do.”

Funky store signage

Chris told me that he was surprised to learn that some women really want to keep their radiation tattoos, which are the size of Sharpie marker points.  “Some women say, this is my reminder, this is my badge.  But others just can’t wait to get rid of the memory.  I like to help the people who want to get rid of the memory.  Those “small” tattoos look like HUGE things when they are on your body.  Because you are looking at them every day and it is a painful reminder.  So to be able to remove them I think is a really great thing.”  Chris, I think everyone would agree with you on that one!

Now, as far as HOW the removal happens, Chris explained that the shop has very advanced laser removal techniques.  The laser shatters the tattoo ink into teeny tiny pieces for your body to take away.  Basically, when the lasers hit the ink, the ink rapidly expands and collapses – it snaps.  Your circulatory and lymphatic systems are the agents that act to take the ink away.  To make the experience less painful, they use cryogenic air (which is below zero and much colder than ice) and topical numbing.  But the most important part, he stressed, is the SPEED; the laser covers a very large area really quickly.  He had a good analogy – zapping the tat is like ripping off a Band-Aid super fast. Once they “zap” the tattoo, you wait around 3 months to see the results.  Then if you would like to you can come in for another treatment.  (He explained the process more in detail – the actual system of how it all works. I hope I captured it all correctly above.  He is a smart, smart guy and if you go in to get a piece removed, he will be happy to explain it all!  It is a really cool process!)

Prep room

Treatment room

The problem with finding people who want their radiation tattoos removed, he explained, has been getting the word out.  He really likes to offer this service, but most people don’t know about it.  He has asked the American Cancer Society and breast cancer sites about putting information on their pages, but they want him to PAY to advertise.  He is probably too sweet to say this publically, but geez Louise I will say it, that is ridiculous!  He is not wanting to solicit paid customers, he wants to offer a FREE SERVICE to people who decide they want to remove their radiation tattoos.  After all they must have already gone through with diagnosis, perhaps surgery, chemo, and radiation, having a kind soul offer a GIFT to them to complete the experience is amazing!!  I wish the national organizations would help spread the word so that people knew that this was an option. 

But since the big organizations won’t help get the word out - WE WILL!!!  Readers of this blog, TELL PEOPLE about Zap a Tat.  If you know anyone who has radiation tattoos and is ready to be rid of them, please have them call and make an appointment.  The toll free number is 877-ZAPATAT (877-929-2828).  Chris currently has two locations – Arlington, VA and Newport News, VA.  Now I know that readers of this blog live all over and not are necessarily close to one of his shops.  So I will throw in THIS as a complement to Chris’ offer:  if you do not live near one of Chris’ shops but have radiation tattoos you want removed, message me on Facebook (go to Kindness Activist on FB) or email me at kindnessactivist@gmail.com . I will give you a place to stay for a couple of days while you are in the DC area so you can zap those radiation tats!  (I also give a great nighttime tour of the DC monuments, if I do say so myself, so that would be included in your stay if you would like J .)

Finally, as Chris said, “I would love to get the word out.  If we could do a lot more of this, we would.”  Get the word out, people!  Share, share, share and tell people about Zap a Tat.

Thank you Chris.  Your kindness is contagious and you are a welcome addition to the Arlington neighborhood.  It was an honor to talk with you and dub you a KINDNESS ACTIVIST!

  

Website - www.zapatat.net

Look for Zap a Tat on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram under Zap a Tat (Chris prefers Facebook because it allows for more conversation and lets him post photos easily)

Locker Room Kindness

This story of kindness happened 11 days ago.  I have been wanting to write about it ever since, but it is a tough one to put out there, and I have not been able to bring myself to write about it.  It involves someone I love being on the RECEIVING END of an amazing kindness.  But before I can introduce you to the newest Kindness Activist, I have to tell you something I have not wanted to admit:  my big sister has breast cancer.

Sherry during less stressful times, checking out cherry blossoms when she was visiting us in DC

There are 3 sisters in our family – Sherry, Annette, and me (Susan).  Sherry is definitely the glue that holds the Thompson family together.  She is smart, loving, extremely organized, giving, and KIND.  In fact, she was one of the first Kindness Activists featured in this blog, because she is practically the definition of Kindness Activist.  In fact, if the dictionary ever decided to make “Kindness Activist” an official word, I would not be surprised if Sherry’s picture was what they used to illustrate the word.  To read the story of Sherry’s kindness (one of mannnnny she does) go here:  Sherry's Holiday Kindness

Here are the 3 sisters with our mom - Annette, Mom, me, Sherry (back in 2002)

So let’s put it out there – Sherry has breast cancer. 

She doesn’t have all the details yet.  She has had a biopsy, met with the surgeon, had an MRI today, and has a meeting with a plastic surgeon coming up.  Right now it is “wait for MRI results” time, then comes the treatment.  She doesn’t have a stage yet, doesn’t know for sure what next steps are, and isn’t sure what these next few months will involve.  It is obviously a very scary time for her.

Now let me introduce you to a GOOD part of this story.  Her real name is Heather, but we like to call her ANGEL. 

Sherry had her biopsy and was waiting for results.  They didn’t come as quickly as she had hoped (do they ever???) and when the call from the doctor finally came in, she was at the gym doing her early morning workout.  When the doctor asked if she had someone with her and if she was sitting down, that was a pretty good indicator that the news coming up was not going to be good…

She grabbed a pen and paper and scribbled down what the doctor was saying.  And when she hung up, she crumbled into a puddle on the locker room floor, crying.

Enter ANGEL.

Angel saw Sherry, a complete stranger, crying and came over to her.  She held her, comforted her, and talked to her.  ANGEL WAS THERE FOR HER.  Here is how Sherry described it:  “I have to tell you this story because it shows me that when I am without strength, God provides others to hold me up. I got the call from my doctor yesterday when I was at the gym. I quickly grabbed my phone, jumped off the treadmill, and went into the locker room.  I knew it wasn't good news when he asked if I had someone with me (no, I did not) and if I could sit down (I was too stunned to sit, but stood there).  He proceeded to tell me the biopsy showed I had breast cancer and he gave me a bunch of into to write down.  I somehow opened my combination lock, found a scrap of paper, and wrote the names and numbers he repeated for me.  When I hung up, I burst into tears and fell to my knees.  It was at this moment that a woman walked into the locker room.  She quickly walked over to me, asked if I was okay...  pretty obvious I wasn't, and threw her arms around me.  She held me as I sobbed there on the locker room floor.  She cried with me as I told her the news I had just received.  She stayed with me and softly reassured me that I could do this.  I had never met this woman, I don't know her name, but she was a gift from God to me yesterday.  I think I will call her Angel."  

Angel was there at just the right moment.  And she didn’t turn away, avert her eyes in embarrassment and leave my sister there alone.  She walked over, hugged her, and let her cry.  She even cried along!  And until I communicated with Angel, I hadn’t thought of what the whole situation must have looked like from her point of view.  She said, “I turned the corner to the locker room and saw her struggling to stand and she was sobbing.  I was just drawn to her, as she was clearly in distress.  I went to see how I could help, as anyone should when they witness another person in need. I was panicked at first, because I wasn’t sure what was going on.  After wrapping my arms around her and hearing her voice say to me, “I have cancer, my doctor just told me I have cancer,” I was overcome with emotion and cried with her.”

You know, I had an experience a few years ago in an airport where a stranger helped me when I was crying.  I was on a business trip and I got a call while on a layover saying that my dad had prostate cancer.  I walked up and down the halls of the airport in a daze, crying.  And one person, one business man, didn’t ignore me.  He was not put off by my tears, but instead gently approached me to ask what was wrong.  I cried harder and told him through tears that my dad had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer.  And I remember that stranger’s kindness, his sweet voice and his gentle words, reassuring me that it would be ok, that my dad could beat this, that this type of cancer wasn’t a horrible diagnosis.  He was right, my dad is still living.  And I have often thought of that kind man and wished I could thank him.

So I told Sherry, we MUST FIND ANGEL!  She is a true Kindness Activist, and needs a Kindness button to wear!!  I wrote a little note for Sherry to print and put up in the locker room, and she edited it to make it just perfect.  She printed it and hung it, and our “fishing expedition” started.  We were fishing for ANGEL!

This is the note Sherry hung in the locker room...  Let the fishing begin...

And it didn’t take long – Sherry found her!  First Sherry texted to say, “The note is missing!!”, but we were not sure if Angel had found it, or if the manager took it down.  But Angel found it!!!!  And she saw Sherry (at the gym) and came over to her!  Sherry later said something like, “I can’t believe I didn’t realize how TALL she was!” J. 

Angel (aka Heather) and her sweetheart.  Doesn't she just LOOK like an Angel???

When I told Angel how special her actions were, she humbly replied, “I feel so blessed to be called “Angel” but I am really no angel at all.  I just saw a person in need of support and was happy to be there.  It’s just the right thing to do.  J  I would hope anyone in my shoes would have done the same for her.”  I can tell you this much:  not everyone would.  It takes a kind person to be willing to comfort someone.

So Sherry has been able to thank Angel in person for being there at just the right moment and being so, so kind.  I would like to thank her, too.  I live quite a long plane ride away from the rest of my family, so being there at “just the right time” is difficult when it is not something planned in advance.  I feel bad that I wasn’t there to help Sherry through these difficult first steps on this journey, but I am very grateful that Angel was.  Angel told Sherry that she had thought a lot about her since they met in the locker room, had prayed for her and even cried for her.  And she told me that she has now been praying about ways that doctors can deliver this type of very difficult news in a more sensitive way.  She said, “I hope to help our hospitals adopt new best practices on ways of communicating unfavorable news to patients”.  Yes, the woman who was such an angel to my sister works in HEALTHCARE.  It is lovely. 

And Heather, I hope you don’t mind if we don’t use your given name.  To our family, you are Angel.  And you told me that you hope that Sherry felt some warmth and comfort from you – TRUST ME, she did.  

The 3 Thompson girls when we were a bit younger :)

If you are the praying type, prayers for Sherry are appreciated.  If you are the wishing on stars type, can your wish tonight be for her?  And if you are the “sending good vibes” type, send them her way please.  And if you are the commenting type, she is an avid reader of this blog and will read your messages.  However you can support her, she (and her sisters) appreciate it. 

This type of thing normally happens when the 3 of us get together, so if Sherry has to have chemo,
that hospital is gonna be a mess...

Thank you, Angel.  And LOVE YOU Sherry.

I can't resist one final photo - us with our mom again.  I am not sure why Sherry didn't have to wear a matching itchy plaid dress, but at least we all had the same gogo boots.