Life Doesn't Wait for You to Feel Better

There is a strange kind of guilt that comes with getting sick when you own your own business.

The world doesn't stop because you're in bed. Emails still come in. Orders still wait to be filled. Social media quietly reminds you that the algorithm has already forgotten your name. Projects you've been excited about suddenly sit untouched while you spend your days wondering whether you'll ever feel like yourself again.

For three weeks from May to June, that's exactly where I found myself.

What started as being sick turned into something much more serious than I expected. Over the course of those three weeks, I spent a total of eight days in the hospital. Between IV fluids, medications, endless tests, and trying to convince my body to cooperate, I learned something I didn't particularly want to learn: sometimes your body simply refuses to negotiate.

I'm not very good at sitting still.

I'm even worse at admitting I can't do everything.

There were moments where I found myself mentally writing photography concepts while hooked up to monitors. I'd remember a crochet pattern adjustment I wanted to make, then immediately forget it because another nurse walked into the room. I'd think about website updates, calendar plans, business ideas, and everything waiting for me at home.

Recovery isn't glamorous. It's not one dramatic movie montage where you wake up one morning magically better. It's frustrating. It's taking one step forward and then two back. It's celebrating the fact that you managed to shower without needing a nap afterward. It's realizing that healing requires patience, and patience has never exactly been my strongest personality trait.

Thankfully, little by little, I started getting stronger.

And because life has impeccable timing, getting stronger meant jumping headfirst into one of the busiest seasons our family has ever had.

This summer has been filled with milestones that only happen once.

Lorelai graduated.

Lorelai wearing her cap and gown.

Watching your child graduate is one of those surreal moments where time seems to collapse in on itself. One minute they're asking you impossible toddler questions, and the next they're walking across a stage into adulthood. There is an overwhelming mix of pride, excitement, nostalgia, and maybe just a tiny bit of panic as you wonder where all those years disappeared.

As if graduation wasn't emotional enough, we also celebrated Lorelai's Bat Mitzvah.

That day meant more than I can adequately put into words. Months of preparation, studying, planning, crocheting, coordinating, and dreaming finally came together. Watching her stand confidently in front of our community was one of those moments that reminds you why every late night and every stressful day was worth it.

Then, the next day, came another huge milestone.

Eighteen years old.

It's strange realizing that your child is officially an adult. No matter how prepared you think you are, I don't believe anyone is actually ready for that sentence to become reality. But watching the incredible person Lorelai has become has made every challenge along the way worthwhile.

Between all of those celebrations, life has slowly started returning to something resembling normal.

One of the first projects I tackled was finally giving the website some long-overdue attention.

Crocheted Chimerism has been steadily growing, but I realized I hadn't been doing a very good job showcasing everything I've been creating. So I've started adding more crocheted items to the site, making it easier for everyone to see what I'm working on and what's available.

It's exciting because crochet has become so much more than just making blankets or scarves. I've been designing clothing, accessories, and wearable art that reflect the same philosophy I bring into my photography: creating something that helps people feel seen, beautiful, and authentically themselves.

Speaking of changes, our family has also been navigating something wonderfully ordinary and surprisingly difficult.

Remembering to call Enzo... Enzo.

For years, habit had me saying Riley or simply R. Even when your heart completely understands a change, your brain sometimes takes a little longer to rewrite years of muscle memory. Every time I catch myself, I correct it. Every correction matters because names matter. Being called who you are matters.

So if you happen to hear me pause mid-sentence, now you know why.

Old habits take time to break, but they're worth breaking.

Once I finally had enough energy to spend time in my workshop again, I decided to dive into something I've wanted to make for a while: resin rune sets.

Notice I said attempting.

Failed runes

Anyone who has ever worked with resin knows that it has a personality all its own. Sometimes everything cures perfectly. Sometimes bubbles appear from another dimension. Sometimes pigments decide they'd rather not cooperate. Sometimes your mold apparently develops opinions.

I've had successes.

I've had failures.

I've learned a lot.

Most importantly, I've rediscovered how much I enjoy learning an entirely new medium. Every failed pour teaches me something that the next set benefits from, and eventually those lessons become products I'm genuinely proud to offer.

That willingness to experiment has always been part of Chimeric Creations. Photography. Crochet. Skin care. Resin. Every craft starts with someone being willing to make something imperfect until they eventually make something beautiful.

While I was in the creative mood, it was also time to make another batch of Liquid Gold.

If you've followed Chimeric Skin Care for any length of time, you already know that Liquid Gold is the infused oil that forms the heart of all of my products. Every batch represents hours of preparation, carefully chosen botanicals, patience, and a little bit of kitchen alchemy.

There's something deeply satisfying about making it. Watching herbs slowly infuse, knowing they'll eventually become products that help someone else's skin feel a little better, reminds me why I started this business in the first place.

And speaking of Chimeric Skin Care...

We're making room for new products.

That means we're currently running one of our biggest sales yet, with products discounted anywhere from 30% to 60% off. Whether you've been wanting to try Magic Cataplasm, our lotions, fragrance oils, lip balms, or Triple Goddess Whole Body Serum, now is the perfect time to stock up while supplies last.

Some items won't be returning in their current form, and others are making room for exciting things currently in development. It's always bittersweet clearing shelves, but every growing business eventually has to make space for what's next.

As if there weren't already enough exciting things happening, I recently received one of the most unexpected requests I've had in quite a while.

I was asked to design an outfit for a model participating in a production shoot.

To say I'm excited would be an understatement.

Fashion design has always lingered somewhere in the background of everything I create. Crochet has allowed me to make garments that don't just fit bodies, but celebrate them. Being trusted to create something specifically for a production feels like another step toward expanding what Chimeric Creations can become.

It's equal parts thrilling and terrifying.

Which usually means it's exactly the kind of opportunity worth saying yes to.

Looking back over the past month, it's remarkable how quickly life can shift.

Three weeks ago I was lying in a hospital bed wondering when I'd feel normal again.

Today I'm updating websites, planning new photography projects, designing clothing, pouring resin, making botanical skin care, celebrating my children, and dreaming about everything that's still ahead.

Recovery doesn't erase what happened.

It changes your perspective.

I'm learning to appreciate ordinary mornings more than I used to. I'm trying to listen when my body says it needs rest instead of assuming I can simply power through. I'm reminding myself that productivity isn't the measure of a person's worth, even if entrepreneurs often convince themselves otherwise.

There's still a lot to do.

The Alchemy of Her calendar continues moving toward its release. Photography sessions continue. New crochet designs are taking shape. Resin experiments are scattered across my workspace. Chimeric Skin Care is evolving. New opportunities keep appearing in places I never expected.

In many ways, it feels like I'm rebuilding momentum one project at a time.

And honestly?

I'm grateful simply to have the opportunity to do it.

Thank you to everyone who checked in while I was sick, who sent messages, who waited patiently for replies, who supported my businesses despite the unexpected silence, and who simply understood that sometimes life demands we step away for a little while.

I'm back.

Maybe moving a little slower.

Maybe appreciating things a little more.

But I'm back, and I have a feeling the rest of this year is going to be something special.