Tag Archives: Mental Health

An Early Start To The Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I know I have posted earlier than this before however I really never needed be up and ready by now unless it was when I was working. I am at the conference I have been telling you all about. The one I am volunteering at. I got to the hotel yesterday.

Well, I am looking forward to what the day has to in store even if things appear to be a bit more disorganized than last year. I have a volunteer meeting I need to be at, at seven. That’s about thirty minutes way. I am having anxiety over some things but that is normal for this kind of thing especially when things appear to be disorganized from my end of things.

I know this is relatively short post from me as of lately however I need to do good self care before the morning volunteer meeting. Thank you so much from my end of things for reading my blog. It is very much appreciated from my end of things. I hope to update you when time allows for me to do so. I have a full day ahead of me so I might now be able to do so till this evening. Peace Out, World!!!

Monday Morning Madness

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! As always there is always some madness to Monday mornings. Not sure why there always seems to be some morning madness to Mondays but there is. Today’s Monday morning madness it brought to you by last minute shit that needs to be done before I head to conference later on today.

For instance, I have some last minute packing I need to do. Stuff like my laptop other such stuff. For the most part I am mostly packed. I highly dislike packing which is why I do as much as I can as early as I can. I pack early because I am always fearful I might forget something.

As I pack the last of what need to, I am also getting ready for the day and other stuff I need to do. For example, I have therapy today. I have to emotionally prepare myself for therapy as it is hard and difficult work. Another thing I need to do I get wet (canned) cat food for my cat so my cat sitters can give Lil Gertie, my cat, a special treat while I will at the conference. Another last minute thing I have to do is get my meds. I most definitely need to get my meds or I won’t be able to function very well.

Well, I need to get going and get ready for a long day ahead. Thank you so much for reading my blog. I hope you have a great Monday. Have a great week ahead. Peace Out, World!!!

Ways To Get Through The Grief Today

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, once again, World!!! I know this is my third time blogging this morning but I am having a tough moment with grief at the moment. So I want to discuss what I plan on doing today to help through the grief of missing my grandma.

First and fore most I am relying on the support of Lil Gertie, my cat. She has her moments of being a cat and not want anything to do with me or any other human. Just having her around is helpful for me. She has be cuddly with me this morning which is most helpful with dealing with grief.

Another way I am going to deal with the grief is going to go to a local peer run organization to volunteer. I volunteer by helping co-facilitate a peer support group. Due to confidentiality I can’t go into more detail about it. But I enjoy being able to volunteer by co-facilitate a peer run group.

Another thing I am doing today is spending time with my family. We are celebrating my grandpa’s birthday today even though it was this past Thursday (August 23rd). Celebrating my grandpa’s birthday is going to be a good thing. Yes, a little difficult as it is his first birthday without my grandma but my dad, two uncles and I will do our best to make it a good one for him.

When I get home from spending time with my family, I plan on packing. Packing for a peer conference I will be volunteering at. The conference may not start till Tuesday but I need to be at the hotel tomorrow afternoon to help do last minute set up as I am volunteering for the conference. So I will be doing a lot of packing. Yes, I will be able to attend the sessions of the conference as I volunteer and that is the beauty of it. I just hope I don’t forget anything when I am packing for the conference.

Thank you for reading. Have a great Sunday. I hope to be able to blog again later today but I can’t make any promises. Have a great day. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Blog
  • Co-Facilitate Group (A volunteer gig I have)
  • Spend time with family

Monday

  • Blog
  • Therapy
  • Head to Hotel for conference
  • Help set up last minute stuff for peer conference
  • Spend time with friends (who are fellow peer specialist/counselors)

Tuesday

  • Blog
  • Attend and Volunteer at Peer Conference
  • Spend time with friends (who are fellow peer specialist/counselors)

Wednsday

  • Blog
  • Attend and volunteer at peer conference
  • Head home after conference is over
  • Spend time with cat when I get home from the conference

Thursday

  • Blog
  • Go to doctor’s appointment
  • General lazy day
  • Spend time with cat, Lil Gertie

Friday

  • Blog
  • Job interview
  • Spend time with family

Saturday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Spend time with friends
  • Volunteer at the Warm Line

 

The Wave of Grief Strikes Again

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! As I sit here at my laptop, I have tears rolling down my face. Tears rolling down my face because I really miss my grandma and wish she was still here on Earth. I know it has only been six and a half since she died but I wish the pain wasn’t so difficult to deal with.

As difficult as it is for me to deal with my grandma’s death six and a half months ago, I am sure it is that much more difficult for my grandpa. My grandparents knew each other for over seventy years and married for sixty two and a half years. As hard as my pain is with missing my grandma, I am sure it is that much more difficult for my grandpa. It is hard to see him break down when he cries about my grandma. Now that is difficult to see when an eighty eight year old Navy man cry over the loss of their spouse.

As much as I miss my grandma, I am happy that I have my cat, Lil Gertie, to help me through moments of grief. Another thing that I have found helpful with dealing with my grief is journaling. My cat and journaling have been life savers the last week or two in regards to dealing with grief.

Thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated. I do apologize that it is a depressing to read a post about grief first thing in the morning. Again thank you for reading. Have a great weekend. Peace Out, World!!!

Feeling Blah & Other Randomness

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!! Right now I am feeling a little blah which is a sign of my depression acting up a little bit. So, I went over my grandpa’s place and had dinner which was quite helpful for me. We had breakfast for dinner which was yummy. We had biscuits and gravy for dinner.

Now that I am home, I am spending time with Lil Gertie, my cat, who seems to be extra cuddly at the moment. She is also purring up a storm. Poor little thing has coughed up two fur balls in the last two days. So I am going to take her to the vet if it happens again.

My asthma has been acting up quite a bit lately due to the wildfires around the state. Yes, Seattle is getting plenty of the smoke from the wild fires. It sucks for folks like me who have breathing problems such as asthma. The air quality right now sucks shit for Seattle. Hell, it would even suck shit for Los Angeles. As much as I don’t want it to rain because I am not a big fan of rain, I want it to rain so it can help with the wild fires and clean the air to have better air quality.

I don’t have much to say as I am tired and hopefully will be able to sleep tonight. Sleep didn’t come very well to many people in my building last night but thankfully the problem person is getting the help that they desperately need.

I am looking forward to tomorrow and Sunday due to my volunteer jobs so at least I have something to keep me busy as I start getting excited about the peer conference I am attending next week.

I should get going. I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of their Friday. I also hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Thank you so much for reading. It is much appreciated from my end. Peace Out, World!!!

More Randomness About The Same Ole Shit

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, again, World!!! I am so excited for the conference next week that I created a painting expressing how I feel about attending the conference. Painting is not just for me to express my negative emotions but to express the positive emotions as well. I am thinking about taking the painting to the conference to share with people. Art is so helpful for me to express my emotions.

Even though I don’t check into the hotel to three in the afternoon on Monday, I have started packing. Which reminds me I have to get my refills for my meds on Monday before I leave for the conference. I already know what to pack but making sure I get my meds are the major thing I can’t forget to pack as I have refill to pick up on Monday.

I am also getting excited about my job interview for next Friday, August 31st for a peer specialist position. Yes, the commute will not be fun as it is about an hour each way on the bus. But on the bright side if I get the job, I will be traveling the opposite direction of the main part of the traffic nightmare since everyone tends to go toward Seattle while I’ll be going the opposite direction of most everyone else. I am not saying there won’t be traffic the direction I am going in, its just the traffic going into Seattle is worse. Look, I am getting ahead of myself as if I already got the job but I don’t know if I even got the job because I haven’t had the interview yet.

Thank you for reading!!! It is really appreciative from my end of things. Like I said in my last post, I hope to blog about the conference during my free time at the conference. I hope everyone has a great Friday. Peace Out, World.

Missed My Therapy Appointment & Other Random Shit

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! Let’s start at the beginning with me not getting much sleep. I will refer you to my last two post regarding the lack of sleep even though it did turn into a fun time.  Due to the lack of sleep, I fell asleep and missed my appointment with my therapist. He appeared to be understanding. We rescheduled our appointment for Monday at eleven in the morning. Which gives me plenty of time to be able to do last minute packing and say goodbye to Lil Gertie, my cat, for a couple of day due to going to a conference that is geared toward individuals who work in the mental health field as Peer Specialist/Counselor. My therapist thinks it “awesome” that I am going to the conference. He thinks it would help me with the symptoms of my mental health challenges.

Since I brought up the peer conference I am attending, I am looking forward to it just like I did this year.  I even got a scholarship for the attendance fee of the conference as well as one for the hotel I am staying at. Food is included with the conference fee. The only thing I have to pay for is travel which is easy for me since all I have to do is use my bus pass to use the Light Rail. So more or less the entire conference is free for me due to the scholarship. Part of the reason I am getting a scholarship is because I am helping volunteer again this year. I will be able to go to the sessions just like last year so I will be learning stuff again. I love getting some education when I can even when it is at a conference.

Since I am going to be gone for the conference for a few days, I do have a couple of babysitters to take care of my cat. My friend (who is a neighbor) will look after Lil Gertie, my cat on Monday evening as well as Wednesday morning while my grandpa will take care of her (my cat) on Tuesday around noonish. I have my basis covered when it comes to people taking care of Lil Gertie (my cat). And I don’t just trust anyone to take care of Lil Gertie.

I have loads more to share but I will blog again later on. I also hope to blog about the conference when I have time to do so. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciative on my end of things. Peace Out, World.

A Very Interesting Sleepover

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It sure has been an interesting night in my apartment building. Last night started out very interesting when a neighbor who appeared to be in a mental health crisis started pulling the fire alarm pull stations setting off the building fire alarm on multiple occasions. As time went on a handful of my neighbors and I decided that we would just have a sleepover and my apartment was the chosen apartment. The sleepover included both humans and pets. Both dogs and cats. If fact all the pets are considered emotional support animals. Anyway, the neighbor that decided to pull the fire alarm pull stations did so for about two and a half hours before the police decided to put them on a seventy two hour hold.

After he was finally stopped my neighbors and their animals still stayed over night in my apartment. We had a night full of laughter. Yes, we did get some sleep and all the humans are now awake at six thirty in the morning in my corner of the world. One of my neighbors fixing breakfast. Apparently we are having biscuits and gravy for breakfast. So, I am looking forward to breakfast.

After everyone gets fed my neighbors will go back to their respective apartments. As nice as it was to have people stay the night, I am more than ready to have my own space back and I am sure Lil Gertie, my cat, feels the same way especially since she is not a big cat or dog fan. She did quite well dealing with the other animals last night. She tolerated the situation and I am thrilled she was able to do so.

As everyone leaves I will get ready and go to see my therapist. I can’t wait to see my therapist to explain to him the events of last night.

I don’t have much else to say as I was to spend time with my neighbors. Have a good Friday. Peace, Out, World!!!

Sleepless in Seattle, For Many People

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Friday, World!!! Well, not a good start to a Friday for myself and my neighbors as well as our pets which many of the pets are emotional support animals because one of the neighbors is having some major symptoms of their mental health challenge as they keep pulling the pull stations to set off the building fire alarm.

As mentioned in my last post my neighbors and I decided to have a sleep over that includes our pets. Out pets that happen to be emotional support animals. The animals have be quite helpful as well as being able to share a common experience with not being able to sleep due to the fire alarm being continuously set of by someone pulling the pull stations.

The police and the firefighters are just as annoyed as we are. They finally figured out who was pulling the fire alarm pull stations and is sending that neighbor to the hospital to put them on a seventy two hour hold as it is obvious that their mental health challenges are acting up severely.

As far as the sleepover, it is going off well. People and pets are all doing well. It is nice to have neighbors who are going through the same thing to help deal with the stress of the constant pulling of fire alarms. Hopefully it will stop now as the person who was pulling the pull stations are on their way to the hospital to get evaluated to be put on a seventy two hour hold.

I should get going and try to get some sleep as I desperately need it. I hope I am not blogging to much that you my readers are getting bored with what I am writing about. I hope everyone has a good Friday. Peace Out, World!!!