How are you? Just check in, would ya?

For my own mental health I’ve stopped watching the news. I am doing some scrapbooking for a friend and I’m going to go see my great niece tomorrow.

If you need to stop watching news for a few days in order to calm your mind then do so and allow yourself to feel calmer. I feel for all of the people in that region no matter their religion. Don't let terrorists take over your headspace. By doing so, they win.

I just got home from a medical trip and I feel so much better. I'm looking fwd to having better energy and enjoying life. I have long covid, but I jumped on it and now I might have it, but I'm 10 steps ahead.

mom, what can you do this weekend that will be fun for yourself? Sometimes you have to act as-if when you are trying to overcome anxiety.

Our friend's daughter lives in Israel. She and her 4 year old son arrived in DFW last night. She spent 2 days in Istanbul awaiting a flight to Dallas. I don't have to tell you that her parents are so relieved.

Our son and family are arriving from Canada tonight. DH has not seen them in 5 years. DH won't travel anymore, so he has not seen them except for Zoom calls. I have made 2 trips per year to visit them, except during covid times.
They will just be here Saturday and Sunday, because school is in session.

We are rushing around doing all those last minute things prior to guests etc. Sunday I will play host to 10 as the 3 sons and assorted family members celebrate DH's birthday. I have mentally settled down, but earlier in the week I was so upset about it all I was wishing I had not planned a family gathering.

Honestly I have been better. We are all healthy and safe in my household, so I am thankful for that. But yes, world and national events have made this week tough--we have family in Israel that is Jewish, and I also really hurt for the Palestinian families being killed and displaced. The discourse, such as it has been, has been awful. And watching the clown show in the House makes me leery that we'll ever fix anything. At the same time, I'm burned out at work--the Boomers say they paid their dues and the Millennials won't take responsibility so I'm stuck with an ever-increasing set of time-consuming responsibilities that involve weekend and evening meetings. And I'm dealing with personal stuff too because I read the Kerry Washington memoir (she, like me, is a sperm donor baby whose parents didn't tell her), but unlike me, she was able to get closure and healing with her parents, and I'm processing that I just won't ever have that.

Anyway, yeah, it has been a week. Hoping things will get better, but part of the existential dread here is that I have no signs things will improve any time soon.

Thank you for asking us to check in, so sweet of you girl.

I'm struggling as well. I have the tv shut off but I compulsively check TikTok, half hoping to see a cooking recipe or a cute kid video but I follow so many political TikTokers like Hawk and HausofPetty that the algorithm feeds some scary stuff on my FYP.

I just read last night that a pretty little coffee/bakery with a nice outdoor patio just opened up in town so I'm going to take DD for a nice a cappuccino and a sweet and just enjoy this beautiful October afternoon we get here in the Conejo Valley.

<hugs> to all my pea sisters

I had a total knee replacement yesterday and hoped to go home but my blood pressure had other ideas! Today I was able to get up, use the bathroom (bedpans don’t do much for your dignity!), walk a bit and try the practice stairs. If I can handle real stairs when PTcomes back I can go home.

I don’t usually watch tv but being bored in the hospital I turned it on this morning. That was a mistake. I can’t handle news. My mental health is too fragile.

I'm pretty stressed as well. I am spending too much time on IG and reading comments, which is never good. I have listened to some good podcasts on the Palestinian/Israeli history and have a better understanding of the accurate history, but that has led to feeling even more frustrated with things TBH. I am trying to limit my viewing (I typically have CNN on in the background when I am at home) and spending time getting other things done. Work is also stressful right now and I feel like our house is in disarray so trying to get things wrapped up with the new furniture, etc. It's also raining today and I am dreading watching football in this weather tonight.

Scrapmaven - I have long Covid also, it’s been exactly 3 years, and while I’ve seen some progress, I’d love to know how you are treating it if you are willing to dm.  There is just so much we don’t know and lots of testing and trials.  


Weather in DFW is nice and spent time outside away from social media and news this morning.  Need some down time before my sons senior pics this afternoon.  Trying not to internalize what is going on in the ME, but it’s hard not to.

I too am super stressed about what is happening in the world. I try to watch news for only a short time each day, then I have to shut it off and listen to some good music or go sit out in the sunshine and read for a bit. I'm trying not to bury my head in the sand, and my heart goes out to everyone personally affected. It's such a scary time right now.

In the mean time, I'm also at the breaking point where my divorce is concerned. I just want it to be OVER and it seems like that is never going to happen. Oh, I know it will eventually but right now, it doesn't feel like it. I met with my attorney yesterday, and it seems as if my stbx is being difficult with his own attorney. Mine said this his attorney tells her he hasn't complied with anything she has asked him to provide regarding paperwork about finances. He is supposed to be paying for my attorney to hire a forensic accountant because apparently his business finances are a hot mess, and it needs to be determined what his business is worth so I can get my fair share in the divorce settlement. She has a forensic accountant who said he will work on the case, but he needs a $5000 retainer, and my stbx hasn't paid that yet, even though the judge said he has to pay for it. I would just pay it myself then get reimbursed when the divorce is final, but I don't have that much money to do that. We have a hearing in a few weeks, so hopefully something will happen. She is also trying to get temporary maintenance for me as well. I'm just holding on until then I guess. So yeah...I've been super stressed. I am trying to do things that calm me down. I am working on a fun, artsy project for work that is taking my mind off things. Also, my daughters and I are going to a Chihuly exhibit at the Missouri Botanical Garden tomorrow evening. I have wanted to go all summer but haven't been able to, and it ends Sunday. So I am looking forward to that.

I got it out and started reading it again yesterday. I definitely need a reset, and last winter, it was so helpful. Then life just went to crap over the summer. I hope it is as helpful to you as it was last year!

hi mom I appreciate the check in.

I'm currently sitting in the outpatient surgery waiting room while my DH has a full axillary lymphnode dissection in his left armpit/chest/neck for melanoma. I'm holding it together just barely.

My kids are at home with my FIL and his wife while we're here for surgery.

I haven't watched the news since March 13, 2020- the day Covid hit and shut everything down. Like, I seriously have not even turned on the new channel for information. I "get my news from Facebook" in that I see a story and I go research it. It's been very good for my mental state.

I find that lately I've been super sucked into technology. I really need to break that bad habit. I come home from work and grab the switch and get lost in Animal Crossing for many hours. When the switch dies, I have my phone that I text and web surf on. When that dies, I grab the computer. I sit next to DH on the couch while he watches TV so it's not like I'm removed from the room but I'm not really "available" in that I'm playing a game/texting/surfing. We do talk and have conversations and I interact with the kids but it's not best for my mental state to be so absorbed in tech. It's been a needed escape while dealing with DH's cancer. Now that surgery day is here, I'm hoping I'll be a bit better and more conscious of all the time I'm spending on tech.

Oh my gosh, this is a big deal. I hope you're able to go home today and that your recovery (including pain control) is textbook perfect from there out! Deep calming breaths to get that BP done, and definitely no news! Everything crossed for you.

mom this is a lovely, caring idea for a thread.

Gentle hugs to all struggling at the moment; it sounds like a lot weighing many down.

Still reviewing notes, images, etc. There is a lot to go over send pre 2015 is all non digital so they have to literally go through notes in multiple books. Then look up images on discs. Not everything was transfered over.

Still leaking so Still keeping notes. And then to add to it, when he was a baby they thought he had a hernia but didn't in that same area so now we have to get out if network images to his team. So filling out paperwork for that.

Hope to meet up in Decmber with peds surgery, GI, and specialty team center about this.

I also want to get immunology and infectious diseases on board due to past issues with healing.

Going to be a very involved operation when it does happen.

But thankfully he is doing well and not loosing weight!