Well, here we are. In this video I’m finally sitting down to share why I’ve been gone from YouTube for over a year. This is honestly one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to recap, but before I jump back into room makeovers, thrifting tag-alongs, and DIY projects, I wanted you to hear it from me. I also want to apologize because so many of you reached out through Instagram and email, and I didn’t respond—I just didn’t have the words, and I kept thinking I’d explain everything “in a video soon.” A lot happened all at once. I found out I have advanced osteoarthritis in my hands, which changed what I can physically do—especially the heavy sanding I used to do for furniture flips. Around the same time, my mom got very sick while visiting Trinidad. What started as headaches and weakness turned into a fast, confusing medical crisis once she came back home. After weeks in the hospital, endless tests, and specialists who couldn’t figure it out, she declined rapidly and passed away on August 18. In the middle of all that, I leaned hard on my faith, and the one outlet that helped me through was thrifting and doing live vintage reselling—because that community gave me a little light in a really heavy season. I’m back now, and I’m ready to create again—more DIY decor, room makeovers, thrifting, and vintage reselling tips. I’m also transitioning my channel name to ThriftyDIY(Trish), and you can shop my finds (or join my live auctions) on NikNax.