Category Archives: Hope

A Mental Health Day Focusing on a Self Care Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is just after ten evening Seattle time and realized that I have been doing some great self care due to the fact that my anxiety, depression and PTSD have been rearing its ugly head. It’s nothing I can’t handle with the help of my self care that I do on the regular basis.

One of the things I do is to do mindfulness meditation to help me keep grounded. Keeping grounded is a much needed thing for me and my anxiety as well my PTSD. Of course eating food on a regular basis is key to my mental health. Other things that help me with my self care is reading which the book I am is The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan.Is is an awesome book and I am half through the book. I really enjoy the book. Another self care think I am doing is Sudoku. I love Sudoku. It helps keep my mind sharp. Something that helps me keep calm and at peace as well as given me some hope is music. Of course my cat helps me a great deal with keeping me calm. I don’t have much more to say as I am getting tired and and hungry. I need some food before getting some food. Good night world!

Taking a Mental Health Day from Work Tomorrow Wednesday 7/26/23

Posted on by Gertie

Right now I am realizing I am needing to take a mental health day off from work tomorrow Wednesday, July 26th, 23. I feel bad for doing this as I don’t want to put more work on my team however my supervisors and team members understand that taking a mental health day is something that is needed from time to time. I am grateful for my team being so supportive.

I realized I need to take a mental health day when I realized I wasn’t doing my regular self care regiment when my PTSD, Depression and Anxiety starts to act up especially when I don’t make it apart my daily self care or just quit doing it because I start to feel better. I know from experience what I need to do for self care.

I have many things to help me through self care regarding my mental health challenges as well as just everyday life. For one I can cuddle with my beloved cat, Billie. I can always read a book that I am quite enjoying. Another thing I can do is make sure I have food on a regular basis. Of course doing art work by painting, coloring and diamond art. Also I can also do crafting by cross stitching and latch hooking. Listening to music is a great help as well as listening to podcasts. Of course there are my friends I can reach out to and go for walks. Mindfulness Meditation has been a great deal of help to me. My family and friends are of great support. Self care is major in helping yourself so you can be able in staying in recovery.

So I am going to end this particular post for now. I want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated that you the reader, read my blog. It wasn’t for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be writing my blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Looking @ Silver Lining In Things Despite a Minor bout of Depression

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World from Seattle Washington,, where I am unable to sleep. I had to take the Thursday off due to the migraine I have quite. Thank goodness I don’t need to take paid time for my regular days off.

I did get mayday a day early as a normal pad is a week day but it’s on a weekend, week payed if it’s on weekend. I am happy about this as I don’t have to do more taxes. Anyway, I have to pay more bill which I am not too worried about.

My next order of business I have done is order more art and craft supplies from Amazon to start on them tomorrow I hope I will start my mainly art and crafting things needed help me with my self care team make time self for youu work.

A Busy Day (Off) Ahead

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning and Happy Friday, World!!! Today is my day off and I have a busy day ahead. My day started off by feeding my cat, Billie some wet food as he has dry food is free fed. I then went for a walk. As I walked I listened to music. When I got home from my walk, I did a mindfulness meditation practice. Now, I am sitting at my computer with my cat Billie in my lap as I write this blog post about to tell you how busy my day off is going to be.

You just heard how my day started, now let me tell you how busy my day is going to be. I will be volunteering at PAWS Cat City from 10:00am to 1:00pm today. I love volunteering at Cat City. I love being able to play with all the cats as well as helping cats find the perfect furrever home and helping people find a cat to join the family.

I, then come home and have two virtual appointments with my mental health treatment team. My first appointment is at 2:00pm with my psychiatric nurse practitioner for a med review for my psych meds. I do not think anything will change med wise except for getting refills. My next appointment is at 3:00pm with my therapist. My therapist and I will be discussing various things that I need to work on as well as coping skills. I look forward to meeting with my mental health treatment team.

After my appointments with my mental health team, I am planning on spending time with my cat, Billie who I consider family. I know there are some people out there in the world that do not consider pets as family but I do. Billie, is family and I am grateful for his unconditional love.

I do not have much to talk about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog post. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Happy Friday and Peace Out, World!!!

Middle of the Night Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World! I am tired as hell. Partly because I took an extremely long nap yesterday afternoon and I know better to not make my naps so long. So that is why I think that I am not sleeping well tonight. I am also dealing with a lot of pain due to a migraine. A migraine that I hope goes away before I go to work tomorrow. I at least don’t have to start until 12 noon Seattle time.

Since I am having a challenging time sleeping due to the pain of migraines, I have other ways to help. I usually start with reading but at times I have to cut it short because it can cause more migraine pain. the book I am currently reading is called “The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan. I am only a quarter into reading the book and so far it is a pretty great book. If the book doesn’t help with the migraine nor the sleep, then I will work on an adult dot to dot book regarding only pets. I am ready to finish the first dot to dot picture. It takes a while to do especially when you are awake and not as sleepy as I am that includes a painful nightmare. If the dot to dot doesn’t appear to help I then will do some diamond art which isn’t always the best for a migraine but it is always worth try to see if helps with the migraine to go away and at least decrease the pain.

Doing all this appears to be a bit childish but I’m okay with this as I just want to sleep and hope I can get some sleep. Now it is time to attempt to sleep and cuddle with my kitty cat, Billie. Good night world and PEACE OUT WORLD!!!!

Feeling the Blah’s with Being Sick

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I am feeling the blahs which usually happen when I am sick. On the plus note I am feeling better regarding being physically sick. Feeling better is always a good thing. Sadly, the one thing I wanted to do today was read but I was not able to concentrate and I am blaming my mental health symptoms on that.

On the plus note, I started doing my first diamond art. I knew it would be challenging and a lot of patients but it will be more challenging and required patients than at first thought. I spent about half an hour working on it before changing art genres to coloring. I love to color and spend more time on coloring than I did the diamond art. Of course while doing art work via coloring and diamond art, I listened to music. Music helps give me inspiration to be creative.

I am now going to take another nap and snuggle with my Billie. I want to thank you for reading my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Had a Self Care Nap

Posted on by Gertie

Good Early Afternoon, World!!! I just woke from a nap and feel refreshed from the nap. Now, I am going to get something to eat but I’m not sure what type of food. I am thinking either a Subway sandwich or Asian food. I will figure it out when I am more awake.

Of course I am going to do some self care stuff like reading as the book I am reading is very intriguing. Of course Billie my cat will be snuggling by my side as I read. I hope to tell you about the book, I am reading once I am done reading it.

I am also hoping to go for a walk while doing a mindfulness meditation practice to help with the symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD. I really need to start this on a more regular basis as it help with my mental health.

I don’t have much more to say in this blog. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from the end of things that you read on my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

A Mother’s Day Weekend Sadly Derailed by Covid

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Friday, World!!! Right now I am a little disappointed due the fact I cannot go see my mom in Olympia as if she is in the hospital for Covid reasons and is staying in the hospital precautionary reasons. due to my mom having Covid symptoms. Both my mom are disappointed by this but it is unavailable circumstance.

My mom is in the hospital due to the Coved manly due to the fact she had staged three lung cancer and is pecuartionary doe her safety. My mom appears to be in good specials despite being disappointment with my geeing my cat Billie.\

Maybe the nest time I see om I will take my Billie to introduce themeslef to gether.

I do not have much more to say in this blog post. I don’t want to think for reading my blog. Thank for reading my blog.

Happy Monday & Good Monday

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Monday & Good Morning, World!!! I know it is not Mother’s Day but sadly I was unable to see my mom yesterday due to the fact my mom has Covid. We were both disappointed by both of us especially since my mom has staged three lung cancer. On the plus side I think we did face timed on the phone. It was nice to see my mom via time even though I couldn’t hang out with her in person.

While doing face time with my mom, mom was able to see my kitty cat, Billie. Billie appeared to enjoy my mom by talking to her. My mom would love to meet my cat in person. I am so glad that my mom loves my cat, Billie.

Honestly, I am a little depressed because I was unable to see my mom for morthers day due to my mom having stage thee lung cancer and covid. I just wish my mom didn’t have cancer or covid. I love my mom so much and don’t want her to die.

At least I know that my mom and love each other. I am hoping that one day my mom can come to my hope tot meet my cate. I am sure she will love my cat, Billie.

i think I am going to end this blog for now. I do want to thank for reading my blog. If it wasn’t for you reading my blog. Peace Out, world

A Challenging few Weeks w/New & Refreshed Lessons Learned Along the Way

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Caturday Saturday. It has been quite a couple of weeks of being challenging for me for various reasons and many of them I have had to deal with some eighth deaths in a matter of a two week period. Some of the folks I have never met but really admired in the animal welfare community especially locally here in the Seattle area who touched the life of many humans and cats. Sadly this person took her own life and wish I would have been given to meet her in person. She will be greatly missed especially in the animal welfare community.

On the continuation of discussing death. I can’t really discuss much about it due to HiPAA law but many of the client I work with overdose on drugs and alcohol. Sadly some pass away to drug and/or alcohol overdoses and It is challenging to deal with. Thankfully I have the support of my colleagues with this especially when people have been trying to get off drugs so they don’t have to have a stigma with an addiction.

Dealing with so many deaths is the last couple of weeks I have been reaching out to my support system such as my friends, family and my colleagues as well as my therapist. I am just beyond grateful that I have supportive people in my life to be there for me. Not many people have a good support system and I have a great support system.

Now on to what I do to help with my self care. One way I do self care is due at least two mindful meditations daily; once in the morning and another one before bed time. I am also trying to put in third mindful mediation in the middle of a work day to help me refocus during work. Another way I have been doing self care is spending time with my cat as well as walking two times a day; once in the morning and once the evening. Of course another self care act is going to volunteer at PAWS Cat City a least once a week. Of course working at my job helps as well. I have been reading a lot of books that I find helpful to help with my recovery journey. I also have been doing some art work and hope to show sometime soon.

As this post comes to an end just know there is always hope along the way. I want to thank you for reading my blog. If it was not for you reading and/or following my blog, I most likely would be continuing to writing my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out World!!!!