Winter solstice

Here is a funny photo of Wilbur in ward!

Hi @Cuddlebear thanks for persevering and reposting. That's a gorgeous photo of your doggo guide. Waiting for a tummy rub?

it's gold that you've been referred for longterm weekly therapy. I hope the waitlist isn't too long.

I taught for a few years but was mostly in what I'll call here research support roles Very interesting and satisfying, and I enjoyed working with staff and students. I dropped out from my PhD studies near completion so I never considered myself a fully fledged academic despite an academic load for a while.

I've been blind in one eye for many years. In a Goldilocks zone of light angle and light intensity my good eye is ok, otherwise I struggle, and I'm losing vision to glaucoma.

Sorry to hear of your lack of supports, and being in survival mode. I'd have thought legal blindness and your other disabilities would qualify you for NDIS. I get a little help from CHSP, through My Aged Care, but I have no funding for Vision Australia.

Survival mode, c-ptsd functional freeze, and panic - commiserations, maybe we could pool strategies, diversions, and distractions.

It looks sunny outside and the butcherbird is in full voice. What's on the agenda for your day? I'll have a couple of phone appointments, and need to do some admin.it will be a plus if I can get outside.

@Dimity Good morning how are you lovely? its good you taught for some years and did some research. A PhD isnt the only thing they can make one an academic. Your role truly shows that’s what you were. I get a little help from NDIS but not much. My package severely cut leaving me in a hard situation. None of the organisations like Vision Australia and others offer any free supports. With multiple disabilities that leaves me in the cold. I know Aged Care packages are slim too. Since all this came no one can access anything that's free.

Yes CPTSD, depression, being in freeze state, nervous system a mess etc is very hard. I can see you too have experience of this and maybe are going through it yourself? Finding ways to get through would be so good. Today I have a medical appointment. Just trying hard to get through the day. I don’t have anything in particular but will need to exercise Wilbur. It’s hard being online even.

Do You get out much? If so how do you find ways to do that? Are there ways you find motivation to do stuff at home?

Hi @Cuddlebear it's sad your NDIS support package was cut so severely. It's also so unfair that people with ongoing conditions have to face frequent reassessment and withdrawal of supports they were previously found to be entitled to.

It's good you'll have some "Wilbur time" exercising him. Hope it wasn't too wet for you during the weekend.

Going out? I do my own shopping and attend fortnightly chair exercise but rarely socialise. It's lonely. I take local buses to familiar destinations but otherwise use taxis. Trains and stairs are difficult. How do you manage?

I'm a bit of a news junky and addicted to doomscrolling but want to read more. Print can be difficult but a high intensity light source helps.

Going back to what you said earlier, it's good you had help tapering, but it sounds hard at home. Depression is the pits.

Best wishes for your appointment - I hope your day goes well and you enjoy it - maybe a nice dinner?