On getting hit by a bus, and wincing sausage factories

January 22 2015 | arielmstallings
These sequined slippers arrived in a care package from my staff a couple days after I was admitted to the hospital.
These sequined slippers arrived in a care package from my staff a couple days after I was admitted to the hospital.

Last week after I returned home from the first leg of my Lovesick Expo travel, I was rushed to the ER and ended up having emergency abdominal surgery. I was in the hospital for a week, and am looking at another four weeks of recovery.

This is seriously fucked up… but you know what's amazing? What has literally made me cry, sometimes more than once a day? The fact that the team of people who I work with at the Offbeat Empire is so amazing that even when I get hit by a metaphorical bus, the sausage factory barely even winced.

I mean, be honest: unless you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, did you even notice I've been sick? That's not a loaded question, because the answer is NO YOU DID NOT and HOLY SHIT THAT IS AWESOME.

As a small business owner, I think most of us have that niggling fear of "…but what if something happens to me? Does it all fall down?"

The answer, when you work with people as awesome as I do is no, it does not fall down. The people I work with recalibrated, shifted gears, and kept right on working that magic they work so well. The questions for me are backing up, and of course this isn't sustainable… but the fact that the one time I was like, "Oh hey, what's up with this thing?" the answer was "Yeah, already done and in fact we're two steps ahead of you — get off your laptop and and get back to resting, asshole"? Tears, you guys. Tears.

As for me? I'm going to get off my laptop and be in recovery mode for several weeks, but you'll see me around here and there.

Ariel

Author of the Offbeat Bride book, Ariel acts as the publisher of all the Offbeat Empire websites. She lives in Seattle with her son, and if she's not reading or writing books, chances are good that she's dancing or happy-crying. You can get to know her better on her Insta stories.

  1. Oh my god, Ariel! (psst: It took me a little while to figure out you weren't literally hit by a bus…)

    So you're right, not being on Instagram or Twitter much, I didn't actually notice. But now that I know I hope you feel better soon! Offbeat Home has been humming along wonderfully, but you would absolutely be missed if you disappeared forever. Sending good recovery vibes your way. <3

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  2. Aw, this made ME teary-eyed. Thanks for the public decree of love and appreciation. The sausage may still be getting made, but the process isn't as fun without you. 😉

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  3. I'm so sorry to hear about your surgery! I hope you feel better soon and recover quickly! Even if the Offbeat Empire runs swimmingly (and it has been/will), you will be missed.

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  4. Everything's better with sequins!

    So sorry to hear you're unwell – look after yourself now, sounds like you've brought your baby up well!
    The empire is nothing without Ariel, though. We'll miss you!

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  6. Holy crap, unless my smarty-pants phone hadn't told me I should read this post I still wouldn't have known! Awesome staff is awesome and I truly hope you have a smooth recovery, Ariel.

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  7. Look at you that is awesome what your staff has done! Hope your recovery goes quickly and smoothly. I feel your pain. Was down for 3 weeks with flu and Have been working Stoopid numbers of hours trying to make up for it. I so wish I had a crew like yours! (I'm not yet big enough to HAVE a crew)

    • Yeah, this experience has made me think back to my freelance days when I was a one-woman operation… that's hard and scary, when not working = no billable hours.

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      • Honestly I didn't see you were gone because I didn't expect to see you back on here until after the Lovesick Expos were done. I thought you were out and about partying, then resting and doing it again the next week.

  8. Damn that is awesome. Like so many others, I had no clue that you were down for the count. (Also I totally thought that you ACTUALLY got hit by a bus, so I'm VERY glad it was just a metaphor!)
    Your crew is awesome. I hope you have a swift and complication-free recovery!

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  9. Get well soon Ariel!
    P.S. I did indeed not notice at all that you were not around, but that doesn't mean we won't miss you 🙂

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  10. Wow, this sounds like a potentially terrifying experience, regardless of how amazing your team is, on so many levels! I'm glad you are on the mend – take good care of yourself ! Sending lots of healing thoughts.

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  13. Okay getting my lesson in this as well. I am losing my right big toe tomorrow morning due to 35 years of diabetes, yep that's just twelve days before the Denver Lovesick expo. Let us say that it will be "interesting" as I will barely be out of the heavy restriction part of recovery.

  14. I totally get how you feel. I had spinal surgery a few weeks ago. It's amazing being able to walk again which I couldn't do pre surgery but you generally feel pretty crap after big surgery. The drugs, the bed rest, the needles everything. Speedy recovery to you and if you oopsoreallybigword surgery comes with rehabilitation enjoy it! I've just started mine and it's so freeing learning to move again!

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