Flourish Forum

General Categories => Coffee & Nib-bles => Topic started by: Carina_I on April 05, 2016, 09:22:28 AM

Title: I am in the hospital
Post by: Carina_I on April 05, 2016, 09:22:28 AM
Good morning Flourish Forum members.

My name is Sylvia and I am Carina's mom. I understand that she used to frequent this site and she has made a few online friends. I generally do not allow online friends, as there is always a risk involved, but looking through her posts and messages, I do not feel as if her interacting with you (the members) has caused or can cause any harm. I thank you all for that.

So on to the story. Carina was walking home from school one day and was hit in a hit-and-run incident. She has been in the hospital for the past few weeks, and yesterday she wanted me to let you guys know what happened. She could not type, as she was in a lot of pain from her injuries. Despite her injuries she wanted me to play youtube videos of someone known as "Colors of Christ" so that she may, and I quote, "see the beauty of calligraphy again." In fact, the only thing she has been doing these past few weeks is watching those videos (I don't know how many times I've replayed them) and twirling her fingers in an attempt to 'air write' the letters and the drawings (I believe they are called flourishes, but they look more like drawings).

I don't know who you are, "Colors of Christ" but I thank you for providing my daughter with hope. Calligraphy has become Carina's passion, and even here, in the hospital, she continues to try and work on the basic strokes and letter forms as she talks incessantly about how good her calligraphy will be once she can write again.

Unfortunately, today she was placed into a medically induced coma in order to stop her brain from swelling and causing permanent damage. I want to let her friends on this site know that she is doing (relatively) okay, and she should be able to come back to this site after a few months (or if she recovers quickly, perhaps in just a month).

I thank you all for giving my daughter something to work towards. I thank you all for helping my daughter live life to its fullest, even though the circumstances are bleak.

Thank you,
Carina's mom, Sylvia
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: melanie jane on April 05, 2016, 10:46:10 AM
Sylvia, I am so sorry to hear the news about Carina, I know before Christmas she was so excited about getting her calligraphy supplies and getting started.  What terrible news to hear about her accident.  I will keep her in my thoughts and please do keep us updated on her progress.

Melanie
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: melanie jane on April 05, 2016, 10:51:56 AM
Oh, I forgot to ask, is there somewhere we can send get well cards to?  If you don't want to post an address on an open forum, please feel free to pm (personal message) me and I can pass it on to anyone who wants it.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Estefa on April 05, 2016, 10:56:00 AM
Dear Sylvia, I am so shocked to hear about Carina's accident. I've had a few conversations with her here on Flourish and felt her great passion about calligraphy. I wish her and you and your whole family a quick and complete recovery!! You are in my thoughts, from far away Germany.

Stefanie

P.s. Colors of Christ is the online name of Connie Chen, you can get in touch with her via her website. I am sure she will be touched to hear how much her work means to Carina!
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Inked botanicals on April 05, 2016, 11:14:42 AM
Oh Sylvia, I am so sorry to hear that. I hope Carina recovers quickly and all of you can come back to normal life as soon as possible. Be strong. If you provide an address, I would love to send a card too, so when Carina wakes up she knows that we (and calligraphy) are still here to help her in any way we can!
Best wishes from Spain!

Melanie, if you get an address please do tell me!
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Garima on April 05, 2016, 11:22:19 AM
Hi Sylvia, sorry to hear about Carina's accident! Wishing her a speedy recovery with loads of strength to you and your family. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Michellie on April 05, 2016, 11:27:25 AM
Hi Sylvia,

It is terrible to hear about what happened to your daughter. I wish for her to have a full and speedy recovery.

I have forwarded your message tobconnie through instagram.

I would also like to send her a card. Can you please provide me with an address too?

Best wishes,
Michellie
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: AnasaziWrites on April 05, 2016, 11:31:49 AM
So sorry to hear of Carina's accident. I (and I guess others) would be very happy to send her a get well card if you would provide her address. You could pm it to Erica, the forum administrator/creator of FF and she could provide it to anyone who would like to send a card.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Salman Khattak on April 05, 2016, 11:48:12 AM
Sylvia - so sorry to hear of the unfortunate incident. I am sure Carina will recover soon and will be back in full form soon. I am also interested in getting a mailing address.

- Salman
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: AndyT on April 05, 2016, 11:53:49 AM
Dear Sylvia, I am so sorry to hear this news, and would like to extend my best wishes to Carina and the whole family.  It must be a terribly upsetting time for all of you.

Carina is very well liked here.  Whilst I understand (and approve of) your unwillingness to allow direct contact, if there's one thing we as a community could do really well it would be to inundate her with get well cards.  If you are still uneasy, perhaps you might be prepared to discuss the matter with Erica McPhee (whose forum this is) via the personal message system, who may be able to suggest a suitable arrangement?  I imagine that many members would like send something.

Sincerely,
Andy
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Brad franklin on April 05, 2016, 12:05:45 PM
speedy recovery and get back soon!
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Bianca M on April 05, 2016, 12:23:51 PM
Sylvia, thank you for taking the time and strength to share Carina's situation with us.  I actually had been wondering what happened to her (I thought- maybe she got caught up with school?).  I am so sorry to hear the answer is as severe as it is. 

As with the others here, I'd really love to send a card as well.  I hope there is some way to arrange that without invading privacy- which we all very much understand! 

Sending well wishes to you, Carina and your family.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: valerie a. on April 05, 2016, 01:19:47 PM
This is terrible news! I'm so sorry for her and for your family and i do hope she gets better soon. I'm new to calligraphy just as she is and a new member of the forum, but i'd be only too glad to join my fellow members and send Carina well wishes from across the ocean.

Bon courage à vous et à Carina,

valerie
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Moya on April 05, 2016, 01:29:38 PM
I'm so sorry to hear that. I also would love to send a card. Perhaps a temporary mailbox or care of the hospital could be set up?
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: scrapbookmom on April 05, 2016, 02:10:24 PM
Hello, Sylvia,

  Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Carina.  Keep us posted on her condition, if you think it is appropriate.

    Agnes
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: InkyFingers on April 05, 2016, 02:31:30 PM
With most sincerity.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: AAAndrew on April 05, 2016, 02:44:42 PM
So very sorry to hear of this news. I too would love to send her a get well message if a way is figured out that's appropriate. I've always enjoyed reading her enthusiasm and joy as she discovered the wonder of calligraphy.

Best of wishes you all of your family as you make your way through a very difficult time. Online communities can be scary places, but some, like this one, can also be true communities filled with very caring and supportive people.

Let us know if there's anything we can do to help.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Carina_I on April 05, 2016, 03:37:33 PM
Sylvia, I am so sorry to hear the news about Carina, I know before Christmas she was so excited about getting her calligraphy supplies and getting started.  What terrible news to hear about her accident.  I will keep her in my thoughts and please do keep us updated on her progress.

Melanie

Yes, that is true. She gave me a big long list of supplies to buy for her; unfortunately, I didn't realize I could buy all the supplies online, so I ended up bouncing from store to store looking for nibs and paper and oblique pens. I promised her I'll get the supplies later, and she has been so patient, using pencils and pens to practice.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness, and I will alert you once she wakes up from her coma.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Carina_I on April 05, 2016, 03:40:11 PM
Dear Sylvia, I am so shocked to hear about Carina's accident. I've had a few conversations with her here on Flourish and felt her great passion about calligraphy. I wish her and you and your whole family a quick and complete recovery!! You are in my thoughts, from far away Germany.

Stefanie

P.s. Colors of Christ is the online name of Connie Chen, you can get in touch with her via her website. I am sure she will be touched to hear how much her work means to Carina!

Thank you so much. Yes, Carina sure loves her calligraphy. Once she sets her mind to do something, she goes at it with her full heart.

And thank you for giving me the details about Colors of Christ. I will be sure to send her a message about just how helpful she has been.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Carina_I on April 05, 2016, 03:44:20 PM
Hello, once again, flourish forum members,

I thank all of you for your kind comments regarding my daughter. For those ho requested, I will be sending you our address over the messaging system.

Once again, I thank all of you for helping my family and I move through these hard times. It's always refreshing to know that Carina is a part of such a rich and vibrant online community where the members truly care for each other.

I cannot thank you enough.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: LindaR on April 05, 2016, 04:11:25 PM
Thank you, Sylvia, for letting us know about Carina.  Along with so many others, I am sending my best wishes to her and to your entire family. I can only imagine what an incredibly difficult time this is for all of you.  I'd love to send her a card of well wishes, too.  Hopefully a deluge of hand-written cards will be a huge spirit booster!  Please keep us posted on how Carina is doing.
LindaR
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: anam_t on April 05, 2016, 04:29:57 PM
I wish Carina a speedy recovery and you, Sylvia, and your family lots of strength. I am glad that the calligraphy videos have been helping her as part of the recovery process.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Scarlet Blue on April 05, 2016, 04:33:49 PM
All my very best to Carina, I hope she is fit to flourish very soon.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Empty_of_Clouds on April 05, 2016, 04:48:34 PM
Really sorry to hear this news, Sylvia.  My thoughts and prayers are with you both. 

Hands palm to palm.

David
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Suzie L on April 05, 2016, 10:41:56 PM
Dear Sylvia and Carina,

Thank you for letting us know what happened. I am so sorry to hear of the terrible accident. You are in my thoughts and prayers as well, for a speedy and complete recovery. I will get your address from one of the other members so you don't have to keep sending it out as I'm sure you have so much on your mind and to do these days.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: prasad on April 06, 2016, 12:54:19 AM
Dear Sylvia,
My prayers and thoughts with you and your family for strength and with Carina for a speedy recovery. 

Please do keep us posted on how she is doing as and when you have time. 
-Prasad
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Estefa on April 06, 2016, 01:38:48 AM
Dear Sylvia – I'll also ask another member for Carina's address, if that is ok for you!! Again all my best wishes for you and your daughter!

Stefanie
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Dries on April 06, 2016, 03:20:22 AM
Sylvia, thank you for the updates. Like the others who have posted before me, I am saddened to learn of Carina's accident. However, if she applies the indomitable spirit and energy that she has shown on the forum to the process of healing, I am sure that she will recover soon.

My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family, and I look forward to the day Carina returns.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: evjo on April 06, 2016, 08:25:01 AM
Sylvia,
A message from me to you is in Carina's FF mailbox.  I forgot to say that it was Carina's idea that we could scan & email to her our fancy handwritten letters; she called it Free Snail Mail.  So if you are uncomfortable sharing an address for her, we can do that instead.  Either way, I'm going to get my pens out today and create something for her. 


Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Starlee on April 06, 2016, 08:55:42 AM
Dear Sylvia,

My heart goes out to you and Carina. She is strong. The mind is a brilliant thing. It will heal and her dedication and perseverance will have the pen back in her hand once again. Please keep us posted on her well-being.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: AnasaziWrites on April 06, 2016, 10:17:45 AM
Sylvia,
Which hospital is Carina in?
Also, you forgot to give me your name along with the address you sent me. Please pm me your name.
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Carina_I on April 06, 2016, 10:52:37 AM
Sylvia,
A message from me to you is in Carina's FF mailbox.  I forgot to say that it was Carina's idea that we could scan & email to her our fancy handwritten letters; she called it Free Snail Mail.  So if you are uncomfortable sharing an address for her, we can do that instead.  Either way, I'm going to get my pens out today and create something for her.

Hello evjo,

This is a splendid idea; if you don't mind, could you send me a personal message as to which email address you will use? I know that Carina has a few personal email as well as a school email, so it would be helpful to know which one I should check.

Once again, thank you,
Sylvia
Title: Re: I am in the hospital
Post by: Erica McPhee on April 06, 2016, 02:17:57 PM
I'm very sorry to hear about this.

Sylvia, please contact me directly via PM to give your full contact information and the best email for members to use if they choose.

I'm going to close this thread to protect the privacy of our members. Thank you all for your thoughtfulness.