SpokleArt, life updates and where I've been.

I want to apologize for a near total radio silence for so long. To say life has been hectic is a major understatement. I need to take a moment and let you all generally know, in all my socials and online art galleries, to let you know what I've been dealing with for the past few... wow past few months now.I will say the TLDR of it all is, the past 2-3 years have been rough, but the past 6 months from November to current have been the worst times of my life between health, financial issues, loss of family, depression, and more health issues. I'm slowly working my way back and very sorry for the silence.Near the end of 2023, starting mid November, I came under a very alarming medical abnormality I wasn't prepared for in a sensitive area seemingly out of no where. Seemingly within a span of a week I became house bound, barely able to move, nearly bedridden. Due to the awkward painful nature of my condition, I had to rely in help of some friends, and a little with my family (who was preoccupied assisting my mother through her cancer). The biggest issue concerning this was... living in the US, I was technically living poverty wages at the time with no insurance. I didn't/don't have the ACA insurance either, as due to my financial situation from the previous year, I did not qualify for premium assistance and couldn't afford it. Through November and December, I was attempting to get on a local Healthcare assistance program but the process took over a month to clear.Late December 2023 a couple of odd things happened. While I was still attempting to qualify for special assistance, my health seemed to somewhat improve on its own, though I was still concerned as I hadn't gotten proper care and there might have been some underlying issue. As I seemed to get better in spite of waiting for health care, my motherboard in my work PC fried. I had to replace that, the CPU, and the RAM due to their age/compatibility with a new MB, and this cleaned me out completely even with help from a friend. I was mobile enough again and able to get out of the apartment again by the time I actually qualified for assistance the first week of 2024. As soon as I did I wanted to get checked up to find what had gone wrong with me, but something happened.In January my mother had taken a turn for the worst. Since 2021 she had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer. She had been on chemo for nearly that long, but was informed late 2023 that the chemo was no longer effective (stopped slowing the tumor growth at all), AND it ravaged her body so much that they could not increase the dose as she was already to frail from the radiation. Around December they took her off of chemo, and in January her health started to plummet. It was on me and my few immediate family to be there for her as much as we could. Her mobility was completely shot, and due to her frailty in just over a month of not being on chemo, we knew she didn't have long.Mid February after assisting time and home help and taking turns taking care of her, my mom passed away due to her cancer. She was 65 years old. My step father, brother, and myself were run ragged and broken. During that time I had hoped we could be there for each other... But it didn't turn out that way. Due to financial decisions made by my mother and stress in the family due to her passing and outside stressors, family life imploded, and I was on my own to greive. It was a very rough time that I was able to make it through only with some help from my friends and some extended family.March was a devastating time. As I was pulling myself together to try to finally schedule doctor visits now that I had some financial aid, the issue I had in Nov came back just as bad if not worse. Thankfully now with coverage, I was able to see a doctor and then specialist (after a run to the ER because I couldn't wait any longer) within 2 weeks, and got medication in lieu of surgery should the medication not work. Through the end of March and April however, the meds HAVE seemed to work. My physical malady seems to have all but regressed and I'm able to get around again after another harrowing time. I'm scheduled for a follow up this upcoming week in May now to see if there's any other concern (it didn't seem that internal injuries or cancer was the cause, but we will find out).This is/was a lot I know. Gone through quite a lot now, but I'm starting to be able to work again. I was able to survive with thanks of some friends, and a tiny bit of money left to me by my mom that was pretty much my only means of living beyond some Patreon help from my lovely fans who stuck around despite the art dry spell.While I know this goes on extensively to let you know what's been happening, it does not excuse me from waiting so long to get her my thoughts to inform you all and those waiting on my business why it's been so quiet, and I apologize for that. I'm just now getting to the point where I can work again. While I'm not at full speed again, I have started up slowly.I have many of you patiently waiting on commission/artwork and I've done a disservice on the long wait even from before all this started (it's been the worst couple years of my life rolling right after lock down / depression / family infighting / mother's cancer diagnosis) so, over the course of the next couple weeks I will be reaching out to those whose works I started first to pick up where I left off and try to get them going, and rework anything I've done to make it the best possible, and later I'll be reaching out to those who were waiting for me to START (provide preliminary sketches) their pieces and determine if the initial commission request has remained the same, or if a new request needs to be made instead. I know it's been far too long, but I need to let those know that I will complete all work paid for in time, and again I'm so sorry for not communicating enough despite all this.I am working on completing a long outstanding comic job and then, like I said, resuming work on started commissions and going from there. While this is going on you may also see small personal pieces/projects of my own to mix things up (life is too short, I'm determined to animate before I die), and I may through in some YCH style comms in the middle (and or look for pt remote work) to help keep the lights on as I don't have much of a financial cushion and I need to keep breathing. Life is still hectic and nothing is certain, but I need to tell you all that I'm here, I'm going to eventually make good on all the work and get art out there, and I do want to keep living. Obviously thank you to my financial supporters, art commissioners, fans, and friends I have in the community.