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Dear Lovely Blog Readers,
Most of the time, I try to keep the majority of my personal life, sad events, and negativity, off this blog.
The daily reality of life is not fun, or chic, or even 100% awesome; much of the time it is itchy, annoying, depressing in its own ways. But like many of us bloggers, I rally up and do my best to present my bast face to the world and provide you with fun DIYs! Chic ideas! Happy posts! despite what might be going on for me in my personal life at the same time.
But sometimes stuff that’s happening takes over my blogging abilities and I’m overwhelmed to the point of not being able to be Fun! Chic! or Happy! in the slightest.
So here’s what’s been going on with me:
Last weekend, my mother had a spinal stroke [an extremely rare type of stroke] and lost feeling from the arms down.
She’s been hospitalized in Tokyo, and thankfully her doctor believes it was a minor stroke and with medication and physical therapy she will regain use andsome feeling in her legs (though it’s hard to say to what extent, though the dr. is positive). She is being released this Thursday, and needs live-in home care for at least several weeks, and someone to take her to her physical therapy etc.
She lives alone in Tokyo, and the only family we have there are the relatives on my husband’s side of the family, and my cousin [my mom’s nephew)]. There really isn’t anyone to take care of her, and she can’t arrange a home health care worker at short notice.
So.
Myself, Hub, and Lil Tot will go to Tokyo for a month, and I’ll live with my mom in her apartment and take care of her as she recuperates. Hub and Lil Tot will stay with my husband’s family, and visit with the relatives, and try to have an enjoyable vacation while in Japan together.
I have been scrambling in the last couple days (because we only made plans to go on Friday) to book plane tickets, responding to an avalanche of email, return 1001 things to whatever stores I got them, stockpile tutorial photos, pack suitacses for 3 people, eat up the 2 weeks-worth-of-food that I had bought prior to finding out I had to go to Japan, withdraw from this semester’s classes at school, and generally try to take care of the million things that have to be taken care of before we leave in…oh, 9 hours.
As you can imagine, these past couple days have been full of worry and stress and general exhaustion, and I have not had an ounce of ability to blog about anything right now.
My mother sounds positive on the phone and has been able to take some steps with a walker, though has little strength or control in her legs. We’re hoping for the best and that she will be able to gain mobility over the next month or so.
Though I am taking my computer with me to Japan, please understand if I am not able to update very frequently.
Edited to Add (4/5): Thanks so much to all of you who expressed your well-wishes to my mom and family. We so appreciate the kindness!!:-)
Thank you~
xoxox
Carly
P.S. If anyone is interested in writing a guest post while I’m abroad, I would welcome anything from another DIY’er who’d like to share an original DIY tutorial! Please email me at carlyjcais at chic-steals.com if you’re interested! Thanks so much~
thinking of you and your family. safe travels and prayers for a speedy recovery for your mother.
Best wishes for your mother,hoping she’ll get well soon,prayers from Italy.XOXO Donata
Hi Carly,
So sorry to hear the news & I hope your mom feels better soon. I am glad you can be at her side to cheer her up.
Geneviève
Genevieve recently posted…Dream catcher / attrape rêves
You are definitely correct! Sometimes life sucks a lot! Especially on times when you really want to go out and enjoy your self, then here comes the trouble! That’s sucks!
Born25 recently posted…Video Conference Equipment
I hope your mother will be on the mend soon, and wish you and your family all the best. You are such a blogger rock star to even have the energy to put this post together in the midst of all that is going on in your life at this moment. 🙂
Anita recently posted…Book Clubbing
It’s true, When you really want to go out and enjoy your self, then here comes the trouble!
Johnny S. Ewald recently posted…Proenhance Patches
Wishing your mother a speedy recovery and safe travels to you and your family.
So sorry to read about your mums health- I hope she will be well soon.I had some problems with my mum back in Dec so I understand how you feel. Stay positive and optimistic- I know it’s hard sometimes, but it’s the only thing you can do for yourself not to go crazy.
Sorry about your bad news. Hope it gets better from here.
Bromeliad recently posted…Seagrass baskets
So sorry Carly 🙁 Hope she gets well soon!
alicia recently posted…We Are Wild
Dear Carly,
Wishing you and your family a safe trip. I’m sorry about your mother. I hope she will fully recover soon.
Sending lots of hugs your way!
Natalie Hua recently posted…Photo
Take care of your Mom and yourself (your hub and tot will have fun w/ his family, don’t worry about them)…And I’m sure there will be some guest DIYing here – we are all fans of the DIY and I’m sure there will be some fun things going on here that you wont have to worry about either…
get rest and eat properly…and grab some of those great Japanese magazines and enjoy them. I’ve never seen them except on your site and they are great!
donner recently posted…Nice, quiet Spring weekend…
Sorry to hear about your Mom and hope she fully recovers.
I’m sorry to hear about your mother. My uncle recently had a stroke and I was the only one available to fly to him to drive my aunt back and forth from the hospital. Its very difficult when something like this happens. I will have you and your family in my thoughts. I wish the very best for all of you.
I’m so sorry. Don’t worry for your blog. followers will understand if you stop for a while. If you want me to traduce some of my DIY for a guest post, just ask. I’ll do it!!
my best whises for you and your family!
quepuedohacerconesto.blogspot.com
Carly, I wish your mom all the best. I know the feeling of having a parent sick far away: my dad had a stroke while I was in Houston (he’s in Italy) and I couldn’t even go back immediately because of hurricane Ike. she’ll feel better just because you’ll be there. Hope for the best.
xox, d.
Donatella recently posted…DIY Matthew Williamson pompom neckline
Dear Carly, I’ve been following your blog for quite some time now, and I’m not all that into commenting, even though I usually really enjoy your writings. But I felt a strong need to comment to this sad post. I wish you and your mother all the best. I sincerely hope she’ll have a quick and good recovery! I wish you and your family much strength. Travel safely. love, Maria.
Hi Carly,
I’m very sorry to read about your mum’s spinal stroke. I hope she makes a speedy recovery. . . I’m sure that you being with her at this time will make all the difference to her recuperation. I wish you and your family all the best whilst in Japan.
PS: I’ve been following your blog for a while and I really enjoy reading about all your DIY projects.