Updates: what happened between 2022 and now
In 2021, right before the total lock down caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, me and my fiancée moved to Berlin for work-related reasons. I ended up learning some coding, having some fun online and “enjoying” staying at home. I also found a job as a customer service agent on behalf of Sony, and then found the same position for the LEGO group – way more interesting and pleasant company to work with!
Everything was fine, until…
On the 2nd of August, 2022 I ended up in the hospital because I have had random bangs of pain in my stomach for the prior 3 months, to the point that I went to the ER and my doctor several time, with no concrete answer. Yet, after my doctor urged me to do a CT scan, something odd has been found around my liver area. A botched biopsy triggered in me a violent pancreatitis, and I had to go through a couple medical operations, I am without a gall bladder now, but worst of all… at the end of August, I got diagnosed with 4th stage metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma, a very aggressive cancer that spread from my bile ducts all over my body. I was told it was game over – and in my physical conditions at the time (I lost over 20kgs, I was weak, full of drugs and completely out of energies) I would have died between a month and a year maximum.
I got through 14 liters of blood transfusions, I got under the strongest painkillers and drugs to alleviate the pain, and I finally started my chemotherapy. It was only supposed to make me live a little bit longer, but I have been doomed.
Nonetheless, I got back on my feet, and in November I even got good enough that I could get back to work – a little bit of normality in this massive chaos. I never lost hope though: always positive, knowing I had a route to follow, and I would’ve fought until the bitter end – no stone left upturned, no chance ignored.
And yet, me and Denise decided to get married in 2023, on March the 17th – it was amazing and one of the best weddings everyone participated too! Our family and friends are still talking about it nowadays. The theme was Time and Thyme, we had it in a wonderful location, we got married by a pagan shaman with their own rite, and it was extremely moving and beautiful. Best day ever. I love my wife so much. She is been my anchor, my rock, my lifesaver for all this time, and never let me down – not even once.
My 6th chemotherapy stopped being effective. My oncologist said there is literally nothing else to do, just wait until death. That was it. I was at peace – it is what it is, after all.
I decided to leave Berlin – I could barely move from the bed, weak and damaged, while my wife had to take care of me, of the house, while working full time (she got a job at the LEGO group just like me, so at least she could work from home most of the time). If I were to die in the middle of the night, what should she do? Family and friends would have a very hard time coming to visit me for the last time, or after my death, so… back to Italy. We took a rent-a-car van, and our dads drove us back home from Berlin with a 14 hours long trip. Now I am back in Italy, but…
A friend of my brothers (bless him 2000 times) contacted an Italian doctor from Bologna, specialized in MY specific type for cancer. He examined my case, said I did all there was to be done until then, so it means our choices so far were good at least… and he gave me new medicines. A new chemotherapy.
A new light of hope.
Before, eating was for me a huge effort… I had to eat but I would always eat so little, nothing would satisfy me anyway, and I vomited a lot. So I was weak and useless, barely able to take care of myself.
Now? Well… I got back on my feet, I feel overall better, I am eating like a pig and finally started gaining some muscles and strength back! I colored my hair blue and I am enjoying my life here in Italy. We live with my mother in law that is a real angel, I will never stop being grateful to her and Denise for taking care of me with such love and attention. My own parents live nearby and do their best to support and help us, which is something I really appreciate.
I am being followed by the local doctors that are caring and loving, always ready to be of help whenever I need for something. Italy smells different – people here do really care. I could see all my friends and family, so many times, we can even go out with a wheelchair and enjoy the beautiful Tuscanian area – where I come from and live. I am keeping myself busy with many little things, I have my PC here and I play games, I love helping my MIL whenever we need to go out for groceries, and little by little I am getting better, stronger, and healthier. I couldn’t be in a better place right now. My head has always been on a positive track since the very beginning, and again… I was supposed to die 3 years ago. They literally left me for dead, in Germany… yet here I am, still kicking and fighting.
I also am getting obsessed with gemstones and crystals – again. I loved them as a kid and now I am an adult with money and I can buy all the shit I want, ahah!
Thanks for reading through all this. An update to my bio was needed. Let’s get back to the more “normal” stuff.
Who are you? What is the purpose of this website?
Let me introduce myself properly: my name is Francesco, but people usually know me online as Taliesin. Born and raised in Italy, I recently moved to Germany together with my girlfriend to start a new life abroad. In my free time I enjoy drawing, specially digitally on my PC using a graphic tablet, and I originally made this website to collect my artworks online.
Taliesin studio actually is at its second life cycle: before getting a well deserved upgrade onto a WordPress platform, this used to be a VERY old, hand-made html compilation of pages that carried not only the pics I drew, but also gifts I received from other artists, my own webcomic, poetry and other stuff. I actually decided to keep a copy of the whole old thing on my hard drive… rest in peace, sweet prince.
My old website. It didn’t age well, but I still sentimentally am attached to it.
The main purpose of this website was that to be a repository of information – some sort of time capsule showing off my artistic evolution from its dawn until now, ever evolving. Now, thanks to the current situation (COVID-19 and quarantine are still happening), I am sitting at home, together with my girlfriend, mostly doing nothing. Using all the extra free time, we ended up working on a couple projects of our own: these made me realize how actually easy making a website from scratch can be nowadays, so I finally decided to rework and update my own personal digital space.
What’s up with all these cute animal people? Why can’t you draw humans?
I find anthropomorphic characters way more interesting that plain boring old humans. They can have more shapes and colors, and also proportions are different. I prefer focusing on fantasy creatures over “realistic” ones. I first found interest in anthro characters when I was a kid, around 5 years old, watching old Disney movies (like Robin Hood) and playing videogames like Sonic the Hedgehog. From there, I noticed that all the animal characters in videogames and cartoons were more interesting to me than their “boring” counterparts, until I decided to also start drawing my own humanoid animals.
I even have them tattooed on my arms.
What do you like to do? How do your spend your free time?
First of all, I consider myself quite the nerd person. I spend alot of my free time in front of my computer, which primarily allows me to talk and hang out with my friends from all over the world.
These are my windows on the world.
My PC also allows me to do the things I like to do the most: drawing, play videogames, and listen to music. I am a huge music addict, and I don’t mind trying different genres and styles. One of my favorite bands is Pearl Jam (I am positive Black is my #1 song), followed by Bastille, Foo Fighters, Daft Punk and Low Roar. I really enjoy emotional stuff, both in lyrics and tunes. Also I always sleep listening to Lo-Fi tunes… so relaxing.
I am not a big reader, as I tend to find reading more informative than entertaining. Having a bit of ADD makes me need for multimedial interaction to keep myself entertained… so I prefer videogames with a good story and charming characters over a good book. My favorite games are Night in the Woods, Final Fantasy VII, IX and XIV, Bloodborne and Undertale. I spend alot of time on Minecraft too, and I firmly believe that Yume Nikki is one of the most interesting games ever conceived.
Concerning movies and TV shows… I tend to like horror/scary/psychological stuff the most, but I can’t say I have a favorite movie or series: among the latest additions to Netflix, though, I feel the urge to really suggest you all to check The Midnight Gospel. TMG is an animated series based on a podcast, where characters discuss about various topics while going through the weirdest stuff. It’s gorgeous and moving, specially the last episode. Oh, and speaking of podcasts… check Welcome to Night Vale. If you want to hear the radio bulletin of a small desert city in the middle of nowhere where weird stuff happens on a daily basis, you will love it.
Vinyls are so cool.
Among other things, I love travelling (I mean, who doesn’t?). The best part of it, though, is actually doing it with my girlfriend: we got to visit many different places, and we plan to keep on moving while we can. Oh, and we also have a cat, named Mango. He is adorable.
I told you he is adorable. Look at those eyes!
What else to say… oh yes, I also enjoy spirits. I am not a big drinker, I don’t get wasted and I don’t drink to get shitfaced… I just really like to learn how different kind of alcoholic beverages are produced, what are the differences among them, and how to taste and savor them. My drink of choice? Depends on the mood. My spirits of choice usually are Gin and Whisky, depending on mood. Favorite cocktail? Island spice – it mixes Captain Morgan spiced rum, ginger beer and lime juice in equal parts with half a part of vanilla syrup and 4 dashes of angustura. I love that drink, so spicy!
A small collection, ever growing.
So yeah, this sums me up pretty well. There is so much more I would like to say, but I am pretty sure I can expand any of the aforementioned topics way better in my blog. Keep an eye on it, I will try and post new things now and then. Stay tuned, and thanks for stopping by!