Hi all, my name is Leo.
Even though I've been avoiding this for quite some time, I figure its about time I start posting here on the Cafe. So here goes nothin'.
The short version of this long post is the following:
If you ordered an armrest from me in the past and didn't receive it, or aren't happy with it, let me know and I will do my best to make things right. Or if you just want to drop in and tell me to p*** off, thats cool, too.
Either post to this thread or send me a message and I will work things out with you.
I stand by my work and also realize I've dropped the ball on numerous occasions for far too many people. I apologize profusely for my screw ups and neglect, and would like more than anything to tie up the loose ends that haven't already been taken care of. I've been trying my best to get back on my feet and keep things moving forward.
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As some of you may know, I make armrests along with an assortment of tools and other items under the name "LeosWood." As some of you may also know, at certain times in the last couple of years, my customer service and order completion times have been terrible to the point of embarrassment.
Life has dealt me blow after blow since May of 2015. It seemed like every few months someone important to me was either dead or dying. I lost over a dozen family members and friends to illness, suicide, or murder in about 2 years time. Every time I started to get things together and catch up with my armrest orders, things fell apart again.
Among the s***storm of trauma over the past few years, losing my mom to cancer and the murder of my pregnant fiance were the biggest blows. Its impossible to express in words how these events effected me. My mom was my rock and my best friend for first 27 years of my life, losing her left a giant gaping hole. However, I had some warning and a short period of time where we were able to say goodbye to each other.
When I lost my fiancé in such a gruesome way, it was completely unexpected and in many ways more difficult to handle with than losing my mom. I didn't even know she was pregnant until months after she was killed, when it was brought up while her father was on trial for her murder this past October. Finding out in that way completely devastated me. For a long time I thought I'd never recover.
Every time I entered a hospital setting I started having breakdowns and flashbacks to how my fiancé looked for the 10 hours she stayed alive after being shot 3 times in the head. This eventually led to me losing my career as an RN, since I could no longer handle being on the floor working as a nurse, let alone setting foot in a hospital. Woodwork was my only peace in life and it kept me going/alive.
Everybody deals with death/loss in different ways, and for me it led to periods of total shutdown and inability to deal with my obligations or any stressful situation, including just simply messaging my buyers. So much loss in such a short period of time put life itself in a whole different perspective for me. There were extended periods where I slowed down my work with wood and let many orders fall behind. My communication with customers was either slow or nonexistent during these periods, to the point where I am ashamed when I think about it now. Especially considering that woodwork is the only thing that kept food on my table since losing my career as a nurse.
I tried my best to keep it together but inevitably things fell apart. Sometimes for extended periods of time. I kept saying to myself, "I'll clear things up for everyone when I can think straight again." At this point I realize that time may never come, so I just have to keep moving forward and straighten things out as best I can.
Most all of my customers were supportive and understanding, and a few couldn't wrap their heads around what I was going through. Which is to be expected. Woodwork was one of the only things that kept me going throughout all of this along with the kind words from people who were nice enough to purchase my work and bear with me through the struggles I was dealing with.
So, as I said in the beginning of this post, if I messed things up for you I would like the opportunity to make it right. None of this is meant as an excuse, however, it IS meant to clarify where my head has been at and my current status. I'm not a 'crook' or a 'thief' or a 'scam artist' or an 'idiot' as I've been called on a few occasions by disappointed customers.
Thanks for taking the time to read through all this nonsense. I'm looking forward to posting here more often after I get everything taken care of.
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