Tag Archives: Mental Health

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!!!

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Brief Naps In Between Awakenings Due to Various Reasons

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am having trouble sleeping for a variety of reasons. The two main reasons are due to Migraines and PTSD on top of having insomnia. All three suck equally as much, I just wish it wasn’t happening at the same time because I really want to be able to go to work tomorrow. At least I don’t have to be at work till 12:00 noon. I really love my job but I have missed a lot of it due to being sick or due to disability reasons. I just don’t want to miss another day of work especially since I am not past my sixth month probationary period even though I do most of my work on time especially my notes.

Since I have been having trouble sleeping due to PTSD, Insomnia and migraines, I have been cuddling with my cat, Billie as well as doing some art work. I have been doing some coloring which is a pretty semi easy part as it has some challenging aspects to it. As far as the Diamond art goes it appears to be simple but is more challenging than expected especially when you are just learning how to do it. I am enjoying the Diamond art despite being challenging at first.

Of course the art is helping with me being able to go back to sleep despite how short the sleep can be. Any amount of sleep is very appreciative on my end. Billie, my cat is quite helpful with my sleep.I think I am going to attempt to go back to sleep. I hope everyone has a good Monday ahead of you and enjoy your three day weekend.

Before ending this post if my insomnia, migraines and PTSD continue, I am going to ask if I can work a partial day from home and hope to use flex time for the rest of the day. Worst case scenario I call in sick which is most likely unlikely. But it is better to ask than not to ask because if I ask, I am more likely to get the answer I like than if I don’t ask. Well I do not have much more to say so thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated that you do read my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

9 – Years Anniversary of Blogging

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Today is a big day for me as today marks nine years since I started creating my blog. Little did I know I would be blogging this long despite sometimes having periods of time of not blogging. Just know I do my best to blog as often as I am able to do so.

I love to blog about my own struggles and triumphs of my mental health challenges and how I am able to learn for the triumphs and struggles. It gives me a sense of hope and strength when I am able to do work through my own personal journey of my recovery as everyone’s journey to their recovery looks different to everyone. I really hope I give some form of education to people along with hope when I share bits and pieces of my story as not everyone will connect with some peoples recovery story or journey to recovery as it looks different to everyone.

For me some of the self care I do for myself is do mindfulness meditation at least twice daily. Once in the morning and once in the evening before bed.Another thing is to take two daily walks; once in the morning and cones in the evening. I also take meds for my mental health stuff as well as see my therapist every other week. Most importantly, I have my cat. A cat that loves me unconditionally.

I do not have much more to say except thank you for reading my blog. I grateful for your readership. I hope you have a great week ahead of you. Peace Out, World!!!

Brief Update of Work & My Cat Billie

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I have not blogged in a few weeks. I wanted to update you on both my job as well as my beloved cat, Billie. Let’s start with my job. Work is going quite well for the most part. Sadly, the team I am on lost five clients to death in less than three weeks. I can’t disclose how they died due to HIPAA laws but all five deaths hit the team quite hard. One of the clients hit me harder than the others due to them “trusting” me more than my other team members but all client deaths are difficult.

One way, I have been doing self care is spending time with my cat which includes his biannual vet appointment. Sadly, they couldn’t due the fecal test because I forgot to bring his poop. And even more sad is that Billie was not being cooperative with getting his urine check and the vet attempted this test first instead of getting blood work first as Billie is more cooperative with blood work stuff. Vet admitted to her “error” but I understand. Even though Billie is cool with getting blood drawn, the vet decided to wait to when I get the other test done which will be the next visit as she and the other vet (who are both co-owners) want the least about of fear for the animals which I appreciate as a cat parent. Billie’s vet clinic is awesome.

I do not have much more to say 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 continue writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. 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!!!

Still Feeling Sick & Staying Home From Work

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Or at least it is still morning here in Seattle. I am worried that I could lose my job due to missing so many days due to being sick. I would hope that they would at least give me a talk about missing so much work before letting me go. On the good hand, I am a part of a union and it is hard to get fired from my employer. The only thing the union can’t do in the first six months which is our probationary period is to help make sure we don’t get fired. Once the six months of the probationary period is up, the union can make sure we don’t get fired. So, yes I am a wee bit concerned but I think they have to go through all the union contract stuff before firing me.

One of the things to help me feel better due to sickness as well as less worried about anxiety missing too much work, plan on listening to music as I do some art work while my cat, Billie cuddles with me. I’m mostly going to listen to my Childhood Memories playlist which is 241 songs and just over fifteen hours long. While listening to music, I will be doing some art work. I plan on starting to do some diamond art work. The diamond art work is that of a treble clef which I find ironic that it’s the first one I chose to pick while listening to music.

If listening to music and/or doing diamond art work, I plan on reading a book called “Written In Time” by Jerry and Sharon Ahern. I really hope it is a good book. So far from the first twenty or so pages I have read, it has been a good book.

I wish I could write more about the book and the diamond art but my cat Billie is wanting to cuddle and play at the same time so I am ending this particular blog post for now. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it was not for you the reader, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Self Care Time After a Good Nap

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I had a pretty restful nap and a great lunch. I had some homemade macaroni and cheese with fried chicken. I am really thrilled with myself that I made dinner from scratch. After putting away the leftovers and washing the dishes, I decided to read a book. A book that I decided to change to read. The book is called ‘Written In Time” by Jerry and Sharon Ahern. I haven’t started the book yet but I will when I do some art work first.

In fact I started doing a diamond art project. It is going to take a while to do and a great deal of patents to do the diamond art. I am hoping to share the progress I make as I continue working on it. After working on the Diamond Art, I plan on doing some more art by coloring one if not both of the giant coloring posters I am coloring.

I think if I have time I will read my book “Written In Time” by Jerry and Sharon Ahern. I am hoping I can stay awake to do some reading after doing some art work. I have been really tired and sleepy. I really do enjoy reading as it helps me get out of my own reality.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I am going to attempt to read despite being tired. I do want to thank you fro reading 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. 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!!!

Out of Work Sick (again); Possibly Anxiety Related

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am out sick again today because I am vomiting again. At least I know the vomiting is from the symptoms of my Anxiety, PTSD and Depression. I am really hoping that I can go back to work tomorrow. In fact I am slightly fearful that I could get fired for missing so many days but I am part of a union so since I have not been discussed about missing so many days of work I don’t think I will get fired. Plus my supervisors are pretty awesome.

Even though I fear getting in trouble for missing a lot of days, I am grateful that my supervisors promote self care. My self care today is of course cuddling with my beloved cat, Billie. Billie appears to be helping a great deal with my anxiety and depression which is helping the lessening of the vomiting. This is why I think the vomiting is anxiety, PTSD and depression related because I don’t have the normal symptoms that come with vomiting such as a fever or stomach upset or nausea.

Another way I plan on doing self care today is reading an awesome book called “Don’t Open The Door.” I really like the book and the author is Allison Brennan. Once I am done with this book, I hope to read another book she has written. I love reading books by authors that catch my attention right from the first two or three chapters. Of course when reading, my cat Billie cuddles with me which is a great form of self care.

Of course besides cuddling with my cat Billie as I read, I will be doing some art work. I of course will be coloring two giant posters. I will also start doing Diamond art. The Diamond art will be a bit more complicated to do but well worth it as I have had friends with Diamond art and they came out beautifully. It will take a lot of patients doing the diamond art but I think it will be well worth it.

Since this is a day of safe care to help reduce the anxiety provoked vomiting , I hope to go back to work tomorrow. I love my job and enjoy it immensely, Self care is necessary for both mental health and physical health. Just grateful for doing self care.

I do not have much more to say in this particular post. I do want to thank you for reading my post. It is greatly appreciated from the end of things that you read on my blog. If it wasn’t 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!!!

Sleeping Most of the Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I have been sleeping most of the day due to being sick. I hope that I can stay up till my bed time at ten pm, Seattle time. If I stay up to ten then I know I will be able to sleep tonight especially since I plan on going to work tomorrow if I am feeling better. Being sick sucks shit.

As I mentioned in my last post, I plan on doing some art work. The art work I plan on doing is coloring a giant poster. In fact I might color two giant posters as it helps me cope with stuff that is going on with not understanding housing paperwork. See, I got a letter in the mail saying something about eviction but when it was explained to me that it was due to an increase to my rent, I felt somewhat better but I am still anxious about it. I know in reality that they can’t evict me due to not giving me proper paper on my door as well as by mail. I was reassured that I won’t be evicted but I am still anxious about it even though it was just informing about my increase in rent. That is why I am planning on doing art work by coloring. I also plan on doing art work by diamond art.

Of course I will be reading a book called “Don’t Open The Door.” So far the chapter I have read seems to be a good read. I look forward to reading this book and reading out loud to Billie when I am home to read to him. Of course I do read when I am taking public transit but I don’t read out loud when I am on the bus or light rail.

I do not have much more to discuss. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it wasn’t 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!!!