Cathy Cauthen Joyce

I meet Mark Tuttle in art school and we married in 1974. We had Alex two yrs later. After 11 years we divorced, but remained very good friends after the dust settled. I quickly got a job in a local bank in High Point, NC where we lived.

There I meet Mike Joyce. We lived in the country in Davidson County. We also had a son we named Michael "Casey" Joyce. When Casey went to first grade I got a part-time job at our church, Emerywood Baptist. I did all the graphics for the church . The church bulletins, brochures, special occations, Vacation Bible School, booklets and Weddings. Durning this time I begain having terrible back pain, which they thought was a ruptured disc. After having an MRI they realized is was something quite more serious. There was a leasion in my lower back and after futher test I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a very serious bone marrow cancer. The doctor said I would probaly survive about two years.

Casey had just entered first grade and Alex was in his senior year. There had to be something better somewhere. I learned that Sam Walton the founder of Wal-mart died of MM, but before he died he started a clinical trial at the University of Arkansas Hospital. This I heard was the most advanced treatment in the country for MM. So off we went to Little Rock, AR. The place was amazing!! I had two autologous stem cell transplants back to back. and here I am 15 yrs later to tell about it.

There were a lot of up and downs and problems here and there, but the doctors are still scratching their head wondering how I am still here, they have even used the "miracle" word from time to time. But we all know the truth, this has truely been a miracle.

Mike and I divorced in 1999 and I moved to a little cottage in the woods in Van Wyck, SC on my parents acreage. At first I moved here to be near them incase I need medicial help. But thats a thing of the past. Now I enjoy doing my artwork. I freelance for portraits of people and dogs and cats. Alex and his wife also live out here and Alex does websites for a living. He keeps promising me a website, but until he get time I have put a lot of my colored pencils and pen and ink on my fb if you would like to check it out.

My youngest son Casey has moved to California about two years ago. We keep in touch through skype and the phone of course. But that does't keep me from missing him terrible. I dream of going to California some day if I can save enough money.

I loved going to Grimsley. Most of the time there I dated my best friend and my first love Len Edgerton. We were joined at the hip as they say. We would see each other as much as we could durning the day and talk on the phone all night.

My other love was to be a cheerleader. The summer before my senior year was my last chance and my great friend Alice Levy helped me learn the cheers for tryouts. I practiced and practiced all summer. By Sept. I was ready. And finally I got it. It was the most fun I have ever had!! It was my greatest accomplishment all year.

After high school I had alway been interested in art. I heard that GCC had a great art dept. so I went there and it was fantastic. I would advise anyone going into commercial art to go to Guilford Community College. It was the best, I learned so much and enjoyed every minute of it.