Kevyn Aucoin

So I was a the bookstore the other day and I saw this book about noted acromegaly patient, makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin. I remember growing up and reading fashion magazines and totally admiring him, hoping that one day I would be famous enough for him to do my makeup and make me look amazing as all the people in his photos.

Anyway, so according to this book, he was diagnosed with acromegaly on September 11, 2001. That's the same day as the WTC attacks! He was in L.A., but as a "New Yorker," this must have been an incredible DOUBLE trauma for him. It's never really clear but I have suspicions that he didn't actually die from acromegaly directly.... I think he couldn't handle the stress of dealing with acromegaly, so he got in to drugs, and I think THAT's what killed him. The EMOTIONAL part! (Well, it's hard to say if they are really separate, since hormones and emotions are so closely tied). Anyway, he was definitely in rehab after he was diagnosed. It makes me sad because I can totally identify with freaking out about having a tumor and all that, and feeling alone even if you have supportive friends and family.

Anyway, I wonder how things would have been different if he had some kind of acromegaly support network, like if he had people like us to help him feel understood and less of a "freak." I know that corresponding with all of you has definitely helped me less isolated. Maybe if Kevyn had the support that we have, he would have been able to get through the rough spot.

Anyway, if you are interested, I would leaf through this book the next time you are at a bookstore. It was kind of amazing to see discussion of acromegaly in print, because almost everything I've seen so far has been on-line.

PS this book only talks about acromegaly on a few pages, and the rest is all comments from celebrities about how much they loved him, stories from his childhood, and his makeup tips. Actually, it was kind of sweet, a lot of the celebrities mentioned how big his hands were! They would know, because his hands were always touching, working on, and in front of their faces. They would say how large but gentle and skilled his hands were.