Tag Archives: Boyfriend

Hump Day Update

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is Wednesday which means it is time for a mid week update or what I like to call it; Hump Day Update. The only thing I really have to update you on is something I want to confirm with my doctor first and I see her for my annual wellness check this Friday. Overall, things are going relatively well. Things with Junior are going quite well and my mom is quite happy that we are back together. Of course my dad and grandpa “approve” of Junior because he has always treated me well.

I do not have much more to update you on in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write on my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

A Pleasant Surprise

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is just barely after eight o’clock in the morning here in Seattle. Thankfully, the weather is somewhat becoming more normal for Seattle. It is now currently raining but sadly it is still cold outside and in the thirties (Fahrenheit) but at least it is not cold enough to snow at this point in time.

As I type this particular blog post my cat Billie is on my lap as my partner, Junior is fixing me breakfast when he does not have to. He decided to come by my place after his shift as a Seattle fire fighter to spend time with me and to make sure I eat. When Junior showed up to make me breakfast I told him he just wanted an excuse to see my cat, Billie. Anyway, Junior is making me French toast with scrambled eggs. Junior knows how much I love French toast and scrambled eggs and how I have been craving them almost daily. I am always happy to spend time with him and wish he didn’t spoil me so much.

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

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • University of Washington women’s basketball game with grandpa and uncle
  • Dinner with grandpa and uncle
  • Work on a recovery workbook

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Clean apartment with the help of two friends
  • Work on a recovery workbook
  • Color
  • Read

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Go to Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Dinner with a friend
  • Work on a recovery workbook
  • Color
  • Read

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Virtual group
  • Lunch with partner
  • Attend a virtual 12 step meeting
  • Work on a recovery workbook
  • Color
  • Read

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Virtual group
  • Work on recovery workbook
  • Color
  • Read

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Go to Emerald House (a mental health clubhouse)
  • Work on recovery workbook
  • Movies with friends and boyfriend
  • Dinner with friends and boyfriend
  • Color
  • Read

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice with the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • University District Farmer’s Market with boyfriend
  • Work on recovery workbook
  • Color
  • Read

Nightmares Sucks Sh!t; The Love of a Boyfriend & A Cat, Priceless

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is just after three o’clock in the morning, Seattle time. I am unable to sleep due to severe PTSD symptoms. Nightmares accompanied with body memories is never a good thing and I am beyond grateful to have Junior staying with me at the moment. Part of the reason Junior spent the night is because we spent last evening watching movies and eating junk food. I am beyond grateful for the movie date at home after a challenging session with my therapist yesterday. The distraction was much needed as well as it was enjoyed by both myself and Junior as well as my cat, Billie. Billie loves the attention, Junior gives him. I really wish the PTSD symptoms were not so severe as they suck shit. Anyway, I am happy that Junior is here to help me through this tough PTSD moment.

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

The Love Of A Partner

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! Right at this moment in time I am feeling even more loved by my partner, Junior than I normally do. I informed him after my last blog post on what I was craving from Red Robin. He ordered what I was craving as well as something for himself and brought it over to my place so we could eat lunch together. Oh how I love my partner and the fact that he thinks of the simple things to show me of his love. He just left as I have a virtual appointment with my therapist in less than an hour.

I do not have much more to share in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write on my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Love Does Help One With Struggles

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am currently struggling at the moment with some pretty major PTSD symptoms and some slight depression symptoms. Due to the PTSD symptoms I called my boyfriend, Junior and he came over. (Yes, Junior and I are back together after much discussion.) Junior and I talked for a couple of hours and we both fell asleep. It is nice to love someone who you know that hurts you or harms you.

Now that we are both up, Junior is fixing the both of us breakfast. He is making French toast and scrambled eggs and bacon. I am looking forward to breakfast this morning and I am beyond grateful to have a fresh and homemade breakfast that is soon to be ready to eat.

Billie, my cat really likes Junior. Hell, if Junior and I lived together, I am sure that Junior would be Billie’s human. Of course Billie likes most people and Junior and I have no plans on moving in with each other anytime soon no matter how much we love each other.

Well, I best be going as I want to help Junior finish making breakfast and I also do not have much more to write about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Introduction: Junior

Posted on by jjuniorz

Hello! I want to introduce myself; I am Junior. I am Gertie’s fiancé. I was asked by Gertie to be a contributor of her blog from time to time. To share my experience on what it is like to be a partner and loved one of a person who struggles with a mental illness. I am not sure what exactly to say except that I love Gertie with all my heart, soul and mind.

My love for Gertie grows everyday and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Yes, it can be quite challenging at times when Gertie is in the height of a mental health relapse yet I have seen her grow in recovery over the last several years.

I first met Gertie when she had attempted suicide and my engine company as well as a Medic One Unit responded to the 911 call nearly sixteen years ago. Myself and the rest of the crew didn’t think she would make it. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the only time I had responded to Gertie attempting suicide however over the last sixteen years I have seen Gertie grow in strides.

Gertie has been focused on her recovery for quite some time now. She has struggled some and despite her struggles she gets more determined with her recovery as well as more resilient.

As time goes on I will share my experiences with being a partner of someone who struggles with a mental illness and how I take care of myself in the process especially when Gertie is in a mental health relapse. Thankfully, she is not in a relapse at the moment.

I will be sharing my experience as a first responder and how as I first responder I interact with those who have a mental illness and in crisis. I hope to share more with you soon

Junior

An Idea or Two

Posted on by Gertie

Good morning, everyone!! Or at least it’s still morning for another twelve minutes in my neck of the woods. I have come up with an idea or two for my blog. As many of you know that I recently acquired a writers magazine that has fifty-two writing prompts for every week of the year starting in on the first Monday in June. You may know that I have decided that I am going to do the weekly writing prompts here on my blog for the next year (52 weeks) starting in June. Of course this is an idea that I have had for a week or two and that  may or may not be new to you.

The idea or two that are new to you is that I was thinking about doing a weekly check-in with you all. I would do this weekly check-in with you all on Friday evening or Saturday morning or afternoon. It is my hope to engage you my reader a little bit more as well as to let you all know how things are going with me. Part of the reason why I am wanting to do this is I am realizing I am not blogging as much as I would like to and this will help me with being more regular about blogging.

The other idea of the idea or two is to have contributors to my blog. They would be people in my support network. For instance, I have Junior my fiancé to be a contributor and he thinks it’s a wonderful idea. Another contributor would be a friend of mine who has taken me under her wing and is a second mother to me. In fact she has been more of a mom to me than my own mother. I call her my Mama Bear and that’s how I will refer to her by here on my blog. Anyway Junior and Mama Bear both think its an “awesome idea.” They will both be posting at least once a month and posting from the perspective of having a loved one that struggles with a mental illness. They might even give the perspective of being first responders and dealing with the public and those of the public who struggle with mental illness. I am hoping with having contributors that it will give my reader and/or follower a different perspective on the side of mental illness and how it effects them and the stigma they to deal with.  I am not sure when my contributors will start but I will inform you when they do.

Before I go I hope that you like the idea’s I have come up with to keep you my reader and/or follower to continue to want to read my blog. I know when other bloggers I follow don’t post much, I start to loose interest and I hope that you all aren’t loosing interest in my blog.

Well, it is now exactly 12noon. So have a good afternoon everyone. I hope you all have a good weekend and Peace Out!!

Beautiful, Sunny Yet Crisp Sunday

Posted on by Gertie

It is a beautiful, sunny yet crisp Sunday where I live. To make this day even more beautiful than it already is, is when Junior came home from work this morning and made me breakfast in bed. Junior is so romantic. After breakfast in bed, we had some intimate moments and then took a nap.

After the nap, Junior and myself went to a local park with a lake and walked around the lake holding hands. We held hand and talked. We talked about everything. When we walked around the lake twice, we decided to have lunch a nearby restaurant. As we ate we discussed how our love continues to grow for each other and how cool (and romantic) it is to do spontaneous things that we were doing.

Now that we are home and it is three o’clock in the afternoon, Junior and I are relaxing and taking it easy. Junior is reading a book as I sit here at my laptop blogging. Junior just started a book called Into The Storm by Taylor Anderson. So far he says it is a good book. The book is a Science Fiction book that is based on a Navy Ship in World War II. After I am done blogging I tend to read. Not sure if it will be Speaker of the Dead by Orson Scott Card or Trauma Stewardship; An Everyday Guide for Self While Caring for Others by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk. I will probably read the latter of the two books.

I love days like today where I can be with the person I love. Most importantly, I love the fact that I can be at peace and be content with who I am despite still not feeling well. I am content with how my life is going and the people I have in my life.

With all that being said, I am going to end the post. Have a wonderful Sunday and Peace Out!!

Can I Have Just One Night Without Nightmares

Posted on by Gertie

I woke up about an hour ago with a nightmare. A nightmare that could have possibly turned into a screaming nightmare if Junior didn’t gently wake me up. The above picture is not me but that’s how I tend to end up after a horrific nightmare like the one I had tonight.

Like the loving partner, Junior is, he comforted me. As I was curled up in the fetal position, Junior asked if it was okay to rub my back and I shook my yes. As Junior rubbed my back I slowly felt safe enough to get out of the fetal position to allow myself to be held by Junior. As Junior held me I cried. I cried out the emotions that have haunted me for years.

After a nice long, good cry with Junior, we are now up. Junior put in a movie and decided to bake some chocolate cupcakes as I blog and watch the movie. I know it is going to take some time to recover from the nightmare I had tonight and I am radically accepting that moment.

For those who are not familiar with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), radical acceptance is a skill. A skill that is defined as: complete and total acceptance of something; accepting reality. Radical acceptance is one of the key components of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Radical acceptance is not the easiest of skills to master. I am speaking from experience. It is something that I will need to continue to practice so I can master it or at least come close to. It is a skill that I find difficult for many reason that I hope to explain at a later date.

I know I am needing to go so I can continue to radically accept the nightmare. I also want to focus on the movie and spend time with Junior. I hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday. Have a great weekend and peace out!!