Fall is my favorite month in Northeast Arkansas – the colors, the cooler temperatures, fewer mosquitos – but this year it has also been an uphill battle for the Occasions staff. We have limped along for nearly two months while our one-and-only graphic designer has been recovering from a fall.

It began with a text on Sept. 7 from Courtney Guest, sister of Occasions’ Art Director Brittney Osborn, notifying us that Brittney was in the emergency room with a broken wrist/arm. Subsequent texts indicated she was being admitted to the hospital and would have surgery the next day.

Brittney was preparing for another run when she fell. She had signed up for Community Health Education Foundation’s Heart & Sole half-marathon. She completed 6.06 miles of her intended 11-mile-run before taking a tumble crossing Church Street near Nettleton Avenue. While sitting on the curb, she realized her hand was dangling from her wrist.

“Made it to age 40 without breaking a bone or surgery. I’m forever grateful to the two Good Samaritans that saw me take my spill and helped alert Derek and get me to the ER,” she wrote on social media.

After she was released from the hospital a few days later, we agreed that freelance design help would be a good idea, but Brittney was still optimistic.

“I’m hoping to be okay with my left hand,” she said “A lot could improve in a week! I’m ambidextrous to a bit! Just may be a bit slower!”

She and her husband, Derek, made some adjustments to her work space and Brittney was able to do more with one arm than most designers could tackle with two good hands.

By the end of September, however, the obstacles were mounting. My mom had broken her hip and had been moved to the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House, I was recovering from having wisdom teeth removed and Brittney was still recovering from a broken arm. To be honest, I wasn’t sure when or if we would ever go to press.

Fortunately, the Occasions team had managed to keep us moving forward. Finally, near the end of September, Brittney, Rodney and I were able to meet at the office to wrap up the October issue. On the heels of one of the hardest months we could have imagined. I don’t think the three of us even remembered to let the rest of the staff know that we were finally able to get everything sent to press. At that point, I think they were afraid to even ask.

We’ve had difficult seasons before – the ice storm that left us with no power at press time in 2009, publishing a city/social magazine during the Covid shutdown, last October when editor Audrey Hanes went into early labor at press time, and even one issue that I proofread from a hospital bed while waiting for surgery to remove a monster kidney stone.

We have a small staff, but each one plays an integral role and we are grateful for their dedication. In a world where people no longer want to show up to work, I am especially thankful for a staff that shows up not only during the good times, but is also there when the world turns upside down to support each other. We may still be on the struggle bus, but at least we are riding it together.