Dearest friends, customers, and passersby....
What a long, strange trip it's been, no?
The past few years have been extraordinarily hard for me. I've never been very public about my health issues, save a passing mention that I had them. About two years ago, post a bout with the flu, my body took a very serious turn for the worse.
I woke up with my hands locked in place, swollen, with a very large vesicular rash covering my upper arms. I ended up for the first of many, many times in the emergency room, where doctors hovered and came to no conclusions. I was sent to the first of several specialists then. Internal medicine specialists, rheumatologists, gastroenterologists, you name it. And every time I came home with a larger and larger amount of medical debt and no answers.
Finally I was sent to two geneticists, who diagnosed me with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. The short version of which is thus: my body does not and has never produced collagen right. Collagen is the building block that literally holds our bodies together. And mine doesn't work.
I was told there was no cure, and essentially no treatment. I would continue to get worse. I would spend the rest of my life in pain. I began a regimen of constant medication that I will continue for the rest of my life. Like a lot of diseases, there are degrees to which this one can affect someone. I am one of the unfortunate people who have a severe case. I do not ask for sympathy or condolences, it is what it is. I have come to terms with it.
This disease, however, coupled with the eternal downsliding of the economy have made Second Life an unviable option for me. I am no longer pulling in a liveable income, and haven't been for some time. I have fought like crazy to keep my store open despite the ever rising cost, but I can no longer manage that. I am deeply hurting for income and Nomine is costing more than it's making. The best option for me now is to close my inworld store and sell my sim. I will be leaving Nomine open through the end of October, as I have every intention of doing one last round of the Halloween avatars.
I will be leaving the marketplace open as an option through the end of the year.
As a final thank you, (and to be perfectly honest, a chance to make some direly needed income), I will be auctioning off one of each of some of my limited editions. I will be starting with the Alice in Wonderland avatars, and they will be auctioned off in my inworld store at a starting bid of 5k. The auctions will run for 48 hours and then a new set will take their place. I intend to auction off the past two years' tarot avatars, and one of each of the limited edition gowns from previous years.
These will begin today at noon.
You have all made my second life an amazing and enormous experience. I am awed and humbled by those of you who have stood by me all these years, and to every single customer who came to my store. I truly am.
You have pushed and inspired me to stay in business for almost 10 years. Your ideas and suggestions helped me evolve into something far greater than myself. I will remember you always.
I woke up with my hands locked in place, swollen, with a very large vesicular rash covering my upper arms. I ended up for the first of many, many times in the emergency room, where doctors hovered and came to no conclusions. I was sent to the first of several specialists then. Internal medicine specialists, rheumatologists, gastroenterologists, you name it. And every time I came home with a larger and larger amount of medical debt and no answers.
Finally I was sent to two geneticists, who diagnosed me with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. The short version of which is thus: my body does not and has never produced collagen right. Collagen is the building block that literally holds our bodies together. And mine doesn't work.
I was told there was no cure, and essentially no treatment. I would continue to get worse. I would spend the rest of my life in pain. I began a regimen of constant medication that I will continue for the rest of my life. Like a lot of diseases, there are degrees to which this one can affect someone. I am one of the unfortunate people who have a severe case. I do not ask for sympathy or condolences, it is what it is. I have come to terms with it.
This disease, however, coupled with the eternal downsliding of the economy have made Second Life an unviable option for me. I am no longer pulling in a liveable income, and haven't been for some time. I have fought like crazy to keep my store open despite the ever rising cost, but I can no longer manage that. I am deeply hurting for income and Nomine is costing more than it's making. The best option for me now is to close my inworld store and sell my sim. I will be leaving Nomine open through the end of October, as I have every intention of doing one last round of the Halloween avatars.
I will be leaving the marketplace open as an option through the end of the year.
As a final thank you, (and to be perfectly honest, a chance to make some direly needed income), I will be auctioning off one of each of some of my limited editions. I will be starting with the Alice in Wonderland avatars, and they will be auctioned off in my inworld store at a starting bid of 5k. The auctions will run for 48 hours and then a new set will take their place. I intend to auction off the past two years' tarot avatars, and one of each of the limited edition gowns from previous years.
These will begin today at noon.
You have all made my second life an amazing and enormous experience. I am awed and humbled by those of you who have stood by me all these years, and to every single customer who came to my store. I truly am.
You have pushed and inspired me to stay in business for almost 10 years. Your ideas and suggestions helped me evolve into something far greater than myself. I will remember you always.
Thank you, truly. I couldn't have done it without you.
- Munchflower Zaius
p.s. - If you're interested in purchasing a sim, please contact me.
Posts
4 comments:
Life can be so unfair, and I am very, very sorry to see Nomine close, both from a selfish standpoint (my first non-system skin was a Nomine product, and I seem to recall that when I requested some sort of modification, you graciously provided it).
More than that, though, Munchflower, you were and are part of our circle of friends. I hope this does not mean you'll disappear from SL altogether.
Also, you still talked to me, despite the fact that I continually referred to you as "Munchie."
Best wishes.
Phoenix Psaltery
Sweetie, it has been my great honor to have met you, and spent time in world with you.
You are a super fun person, full of inspiration and creativity, and I am deeply saddened by your health issues.
I do hope a cure can be found, or at the very least, some seriously bad-ass relief.
<3
Munch, Youve been a friend of mine since 2004, and we have shared some of our struggles together over the years and it makes me very sad that you should have to suffer one iota. I love ya, girl dont ever lose your hope
Xo
Madiera aka
Scarlett Luv
I think I bought one of my very first skins from your store, back when I started in 2005. I'm sad to hear of your troubles and to see you go, but we all do what we need to do to get moving and stay moving.
Thanks for sharing so many awesome things with all of us, and my sincere hopes for some lucky events coming your way. <3
- Thaumata Strangelove
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