Love, Laugh, and Living with Vitiligo

THIS BLOG

This is not a formal blog just my down to earth thoughts about these white spots taking over my body.

Turning WHite while living in Hollyood now Chicago has been very interesting, stressful, but never boring and I am like many Americans these days-HOPEFUL!

I may go from telling you about my noticing a new white spot under my arm, trying a Vegan diet to a celebrity spotting and giving them MY autograph-LOL.

This blog is my get-a-away corner of the world. My life changes by the moment like the earth shifting on its axis and the seasons changing. Through it all I embrace the joy , changes, challenges, victories and temporary setbacks life brings.

All the while I am monitoring my physical transformation of turning to white and slowly mourning my loss of honey brown pigment.

Thanks for reading, laughing, sharing and/or just browsing my blog! I appreciate you !

Maipecanswirl was chosen because the brown and white patches on my skin reminded me of butter pecan icecream and a pecan pastry showing the white dough with the glazed brown icing on top... LOL U know these brainstorms just come outta nowhere!!

Maia

J.D. Runnels NFL Running Back with Vitiligo

I stumbled on J.D. while researching the NET and am working on securing him as a guest blogger and potentially a guest on the show, "Turning WHite In Hollywood". For now it's been hard to track this big young man down cause he was with my hometown CHicago Bears and then when I thought I located him, he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (just signed this year)....and then their offices were closed due to the storm. WHen I called back they said he left the team !! Well damn I know there's got to be an NFL team out there that can keep this talented Brotha for at least 2 years. J.D. must be new to the NFL since he's a young buck. Hope he will tell us his story and experiennces of living with vitiligo as a young athelete.

My color before i moved to LA

Had to pull out some of these shots from 4 years ago cause I thought it was so interesting that the natural sunrays tanned me and then I began to see white patches spread on my skin gradually years later. Still at a rapid pace. So eventually, I may end up being this color above & whiter. This is so trippy to me. The Headshot shows a very small glimpse of Vitiligo on my fingertips turning white but now if you look at my hands in the large size pic way at the bottom of the page, you will see large patches of white spots!-lol All the pics that you see me in (more at bottom) looking more light skinned are professional photos taken by David Jenkins Photography out of CHicago. That is my natural complexion out of the sun(& living in cold climates like Chicago can make you more pale and lighter) David and I are getting ready to do a major series about Vitiligo. CHeck out his website by clicking the photo above.

...And On Another Note--Not your Bank Note

E. Jerome Malry- A Classical Pianist who lives with Vitiligo

Jerome is a superb classically trained pianist. He is an amazing musician who openly discussed with me his life with Vitiligo. Jerome noticed his first white spot at the age of 29 and it has now advanced since then. I must thank him again for flying from Chicago admist his hectic schedule to be a guest on "Turning White in Hollywood", (the television version of this Blog) Jerome started playing piano at age 4 because when he started with the Violin, he said he just changed his mine and preferred the piano. He was the first African-American to participate in the prestigious music competition in the world, the International Tchaikovsky Competition of Moskow.

Vitiligo Doesn't Discriminate-You can see the Vitiligo under Mark's eyes.

"This Film Not Yet Rated" - IT IS A MUST SEE! (click on the pic for info)

I must say this film was Damn daring and incredibly bold, too brave to write and adventureous to make! These Guys --Kirby Dick, Eddie Schmidt & Matt Pattersons, are brilliant and unafraid of going off the obvious path to investigate the Truth of the MPAA's "Big Guns". (Motion Picture Association of America) . While watching the movie, it reminded me of an organic & different version of the Wizard of Oz . I mean that these guys were trying to find out how the MPAA works and who they are the -secret members with all that power. These writers found out and saw that the powers that be seemed to be kind of like the characters of on Oz. Well, at least that's how some may have perceived the MPAA decision makers. Get the movie on DVD and decide for yourself. The movie was like watching reality tv and ammateur stalkers for justice. Your mind will be like a rollercoaster ride when watching this suspenseful/action packed movie. From a totally different perspective of what suspense means to us in "regular" motion pics.

Turning White In Hollywood-This is Maia's Metamorphisis

Thank you for making MaiPecanswirl (MPS) your destination. This blog is about personal expeiences of living with the skin pigmentation disorder, Vitiligo.

I thank MJ for making it popular in Hollywood. He's the first that I know of. Even though the Supastar was hush hush about it, he paved the way for Lee Thomas & Me. (is he still considred a superstar?) just askin! :-)

There R good & challenging days, complaints, fanstastic times & not so cute moments. It's a bit trippie, annoying & interesting turning white and being in Hollywood while it is happening. Never a dull moment of conversation!

African,Other-American, lol, Single, 35+, size 9-10, free-lancer, spots of white all over and after all, ..YES I am, content. Facing the Tinsel Town odds of landing a tv contract as an Ent. Host is a b___ , SO that makes me motivated to do the process. NO fear here..

Maipecanswirl is my sancturary. It is a place where I will show you pics of my white spots without covering up with cosmetics. Don't get me wrong, a woman MUST HAVE MAC, DERMABLEND & BARE ESSENTIALS.

I also hope to share medical views from respected dermatologist, Dr. Pearl E. Grimes. She's globally known for her research & knowledge of Vitiligo & other skin disorders. www. pearlgrimesmd.com

Check out Dr. Grimes non-profit to help foster youth with debilitating skin disorders & physical illnesses. Coalition For At Risk Youth, CARRY www.foratriskyouth.org

MPS, is where I'm unplugged, words are unleashed and containment is never an option; Unless I land a network contract then things are worked out, Got Flexability? !!-LOL

Join me on my journey!

Questions and Comments welcome!

Maia

Photo by David Jenkins Photography

When I relocated to LA , my complexion was much lighter from living in a city that has 4 seasons! Worked out hard and lost a lot of weight to get the Entertainment Host "Look" , so funny because moving to the West Coast has now increased my brown pigment cells, but as the white spots spread the darker I get the more obvious my Vitiligo! So, all I need is a trainer to get my shape BACK!!! and I might temporarily forget about my color contrast. Personality is always great and I am determined to be the first African/Other-American female Entertainment Host on national television.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Greetings All,

Have been meeting many people and funny thing, they all have been telling me that "turning white" is a hot topic these days. Trust me, I'd love that if they added that I could turn brown again. Nonetheless, it is what it is, Vitiligo and so I am adjusting even though I have had it for over ten years.It's hot as hell in Los Angeles and the combo of heat and sun can hurt or help my pigmentation. It all depends on the time of day.

I am told by previous dermatologists that, the sun can organically help bring back my pigment. However, at peak hours of the day, it can also burn my skin and cause blisters which could lead to cancer. Well, Damn!!So, I have noticed loss of pigment spreading on my ankles and hands. But that did not stop me from shopping at the Charles David warehouse shoe sale this past weekend. Spots or not, my legs still loook goood and my $498.00 stillettos that I purchased for $35.00 were not hotter than the day!So I got 5 pair of coutoure heels and who says you can't look sharp even if you have a physical flaw; if you take care of yourself people appreciate that and so do you!Well, that's all I am feeling for now, gotta eat and get my work out going!