Tag Archives: Recovery

A Quiet Thursday

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Today, has been a quiet day. Junior and I visited my grandma at home as she is in home hospice care at the moment. It was difficult yet rewarding. I love my grandma very much.

After spending time with my grandma Junior and I came back home to have a quiet day. We spent the day watching movies. We also had some intimate moments that we both enjoyed immensely.

If it weren’t for my recovery, I don’t think I would be able to have romantic relationship much less have an intimate moment or two. For me having a relationship with Junior is proof that recovery is well worth it.

Junior and I are now watching the Winter Olympics. Specifically, ice skating. I’m not a big fan of ice skating but it’s one difficult sport. I do appreciate the sport of ice skating.

I better get going to continue to watching the Olympics with Junior. Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Thursday Morning Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! As, I sit here I am struggling to write while listening to music. Music that is helping lessen my anxiety. Anxiety that is caused by the not so lovely PTSD. PTSD that is causing slight depression however I am using skills to fight it off. Mainly, I am reading (and blogging).

Something that I am looking forward to is that the Winter Olympics start today. I love how the Olympics bring the world together. I am not sure what event I am looking forward the most but am looking forward to it.

I think I’m going go and read now. Peace Out, World!!!

Still Sleepless in Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It’s 3:30 in the morning in my neck of the woods and I am still unable to sleep. So, I have been reading Wonder Woman comics as well as Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. I am slowly getting through book but immensely enjoying it. Some people call me a “Geek” because of the types of books I read and I am okay with that title. Some people may find it offensive but I don’t.

Something I’ve been doing to get back to sleep is mindfulness and meditation. It helps me relax and most the time get back to sleep. Tonight its not helping so much on the sleep side of things however it is having me be in a relaxed state of mind which is always a good thing.

I’m grateful to have skills to help me through sleepless nights like this. My recovery may depend on me getting sleep however before recovery I would just say “Fuck It” and self harm or attempt suicide because it was getting to be too much to be in my head. Now I know what to do to no be in my own head as much.

I’m going to try to get some sleep now. Have a good night and/or day in you part of the world. Peace Out, World!!!

Venting My Frustrations

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I am sitting here frustrated at friend, attempting to not get frustrated with him or the experience he is sharing with me via text. It does appear that he is getting frustrated with himself as well as me and my experience with a similar issue especially since it deals with Social Security and Medicaid. I understand where he is coming from and am frustrated for him. It just rubs me the wrong way when he (and others) demean my own experience. I’ve been dealing with Social Security since for twenty plus years and he only ten or so years. I’m feeling like since he is older than me he thinks I don’t know anything. I informed him of my frustration and he is more frustrated.

I’m thinking I need to put this conversation on hold with my friend so I can get some sleep or attempt to do so. I’m going to do some mindfulness and meditation to help me let go of some of this as it is not my issue to fix and I think my friend wants  me to “fix” it for him. This is where I know mindfulness will be helpful for me and my own recovery.

If it weren’t for me being in recovery I wouldn’t know about my own boundaries and that I need to use my DBT skills in this situation. One of which is Mindfulness. Another is to do get sleep and do good self care like blogging. Hell, mindfulness and meditation are good self care activities or at least for me they are.

It is almost one o’clock in the morning for me and I want to get some sleep. Have a good night everyone. I hope you all have some good sleep. Goodnight and don’t let the bed bugs bite. Peace Out, World!!!!

The Love Between Gertie & I

Posted on by jjuniorz

Hey! As Gertie mentioned last week, they want myself and Mama Bear to post every other Wednesday. I stepped up to the plate to post today and Mama Bear will do it next Wednesday.

I’ve decided to write about the love Gertie and I have. I originally met Gertie when she was found unconscious and unresponsive as well as barely breathing due to a suicide attempt. Gertie’s neighbor found them and called 911 when the engine company was called out to help Gertie. Fortunately, she survived that attempted suicide as well as a handful of others.

If it wasn’t for Gertie being survivor, I wouldn’t have become friends with them. Being friends with them is what helped me fall in with Gertie. Gertie has the endearing way about her that has people go to them as friends and for me it had me fall in love with them.

Thanks for reading. I hope this gives some insight of my love for Gertie. Have a great day.

Tuesday Afternoon, Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! I had my interview this morning. They were already running late at 8:30 in the morning but considering what I witnessed in the waiting room I understood. The interviewers were “impressed” how I handled the client crisis and helped with the other clients in the waiting room. I asked the other clients what music they liked and started playing music suggestions from my phone.  I was informed that it helped the need to deal with the crisis at hand without creating a bigger one. I wasn’t doing anything out of the norm for me. I was just doing what was needed at the time. In the interview they asked what ways I would handle a client in crisis in a treatment room. I said I would have art supplies available at hand. Again, I impressed them and wasn’t attempting to do so.

When I got home from the interview I turned on some music and did some art. Specifically, painting about recovery. Like I’ve said in other post, art helps me express my emotions and I must be feeling hopeful.

Thank you for reading. Have a great rest of the day. I know I will. Peace Out, World!!!

Looks Like I Might Be Able To Sleep

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I’m realizing that I’m tired and might be able to sleep at some point tonight. I forgot to tell you in my last post that when I talked to Gilbert, we discussed the Photography course I’m take through WordPress. To find out that he too, likes to do photography. It’s nice to know that sometimes therapist can be human with you. It make them more real.

Speaking of being real, I’m thinking I should get going because I am falling asleep at my laptop and don’t have to fall asleep while posting. Thanks for reading. Peace Out, World!!

Ramblings About Work & Education

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I’ve been thinking about my future and what I want to do. Yes, I want to go back to work and plan on doing so when the opportunity  arises to do so. I’m wanting to go back to school to get an Associates and Bachelors degree at a local community college. The Associates would be in Social and Human services and the Bachelors would be in Applied Behavior Science. Both which would help me advance in my career.

I saw Gilbert today and we discussed the about education and work. He likes the idea that I am being future oriented. He also likes the fact that my depression symptoms are improving. He also talked about the hope I have with how things are going at the moment.

Thank you for reading. Peace out World!!!

Photo 1; Day 4: Bliss

Posted on by Gertie

Today’s topic was a little more difficult to do as I already talked about what gives me bliss and that is water. So I decided I would show you my tattoos again and what they mean to me.

1030151853The above picture is that of my semi-colon tattoo. For those who are site impaired it has a black out line and filled in with purple. It is on my inner wrist. I got this tattoo as reminder on how far I have come in my recovery and on what NOT to do when things get tough. That is to self-harm and/or attempt suicide.

IMG_0001The above picture is that of a tattoo of a butterfly. Its a doily, lacey type looking butterfly that is black outlined and no color. It is on my upper arm/shoulder and the butterfly resembles hope for me. It reminds me that through the darkness the butterfly goes through as caterpillar there becomes a beautiful being of a butterfly. So it resembles beauty through the darkness and hope.

Thank you for reading. Have a good work week everyone. Peace Out, World!!!

Sleepless, Once Again, in Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I’m Sleepless in Seattle, once again. Since, I am having trouble I decided to work on my workbook: The Queer & Transgender Resilience Workbook. I am finding this quite challenging for me as its really digging deep into who I am as a genderqueer non-conforming person. Stuff that I’ve been talking to both my therapist, Gilbert, and case manager about. They are helping me process what I need to while doing this workbook.

I also decided to start another self-help work book called The Mindfulness Workbook. It’s a beginners guide to overcoming fear and embracing compassion. I figured since one of my goals for 2018 was to increase my mindfulness and meditation skills. I am incorporating this into my daily practice now in the mornings.

Mindfulness seems to be helping me a great deal with my emotions and how I reacting to them and situations. Gilbert even mentioned it on Friday which shocked me as I wasn’t sure he was observing that.  It’s even helping my mental health symptoms.

Unfortunately, the lack of sleep is not helping with the mental health symptoms which is why I should get going. I think I will try to go and attempt to get some sleep. Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World