When Life Demands More Than You Planned

A Personal Note on Family, Mental Health, and Knowing When to Pause

This past month has not been easy.

Life shifted quickly, and in ways we didn’t expect.

My mother-in-law fell and broke her hip. What followed was two weeks in the hospital, then a move to a senior care facility because we live in a two-story home and she could no longer manage the stairs.

And the truth is—the facility was not what we hoped it would be.

My wife and I found ourselves going there every single day, making sure she was being properly cared for, making sure she was bathed, comfortable, and treated with dignity. We were grateful to have 24-hour support from the aide agency we work with—they helped advocate for her in ways that gave us some peace.

But after weeks of that routine, we knew one thing for certain:

She needed to come home.

When Everything Happens at Once

At the same time, I was designing and planning our Spring fashion show, Couture & Brunch.

Deadlines didn’t stop. Expectations didn’t pause. Creativity didn’t shut off just because life got heavy.

But mentally?

I was exhausted.

And sometimes, we tell ourselves to keep going. To push through. To figure it out later.

But there comes a point where you have to be honest with yourself.

And for me, that meant making a difficult decision.

Choosing to Pause

I decided to cancel our fashion shows for the next two years.

That was not an easy choice. Fashion shows are a big part of what I do, what I love, and how I express my work. But right now, I need to focus more on the business side—and more importantly, on life.

Sometimes, pausing is not quitting.

It’s protecting your future.

The Day Everything Changed Again

Right after making that decision, we received a call that changed everything again.

The ramp for my mother-in-law’s return home was ready.

She would be coming home on Monday, April 20, 2026.

And just days before that, I was celebrating my birthday on April 17—wanting to enjoy the weekend, to breathe, to reset.

Instead, we were preparing our home.

Rebuilding Our Space

Our living room became something else overnight—a multi-use space designed around care, accessibility, and function.

This is where my interior design mindset had to step in.

We had to create a space that allowed her to live, recover, and be safe—while still maintaining some sense of home.

At the same time, my own creative space continues to shift. What used to be shared, what used to feel structured, now requires constant adjustment.

The Reality of Caregiving

She is now home, recovering, and working through physical therapy so she can walk again and eventually get out of the wheelchair.

But right now, my wife and I are doing everything.

It has only been one day—and we are already tired.

We are taking turns sleeping on the sofa to make sure she doesn’t try to get out of bed on her own. Every movement matters. Every sound matters.

There is no full rest.

Mental Health, OCD, and Just Being Human

With everything going on, my mental health is being tested.

My OCD has become more intense, especially with the constant cleaning and the unpredictability that comes with caregiving.

And in the middle of all of this—I have my dogs.

Two now. And my new puppy, Atlas… he’s a handful.But even in the chaos, he brings moments of lightness that I didn’t realize I needed.

Giving Myself Permission to Breathe

This season is not easy.

It is exhausting, emotional, and overwhelming.

But I am learning something important:

It is okay to stop.It is okay to catch your breath.It is okay to reset.

Not everything needs to happen at once. Not every opportunity needs to be taken. Not every plan needs to be followed through immediately.

Sometimes, life asks you to pause—not because you’re failing, but because you’re human.

Final Thoughts

Right now, I am not just a designer.

I am a caregiver.A husband.A son-in-law.A business owner trying to find balance in a moment that feels anything but balanced.

And that is enough. The work will still be there.The designs will still come.The shows will return. But for now, this is where I am. And I am learning to be okay with that.