Am Not Coping

Sounds like there have been a few challenges along the way @Faith-and-Hope. Glad that you are embracing the uni experience and doing what you can to plough your way through. Must be difficult to see your family struggle. You must have a lot of inner strength.

Wishing you well during your travels - family stuff or purely for pleasure? Is everyone going?

It does sound like a good idea for both of us @Faith-and-Hope. Your nephew is staying very close today - not even wandering outside into the sun - he knows when his mummy is not too good

Your niece is outside and sitting in the garden - she will probably stay under her tree most of the day.

Are you begin to catch up on your notes Hon - hope you are.

Hi @soul

It's a holiday @soul, the first one we have been able to take as a family for a couple of years now ..... the kids becoming increasingly unwell across that time. Yes, it is hard watching them struggle, but the medical intervention turned something up .... there is a genetic predisposition to a personality disorder and the kids (most of them) have been carrying the traits .... it's the same one that has triggered in my mr., but they have it in its depressive form as opposed to his aggressive form. It's all tied in with addictions and what-have-you that I have seen on their broader family spectrum, and it is also 'informed' by the genetics in my side of the family ..... so in one sense, it is better they come to terms with it now, get educated about how to return it to / keep it as personality traits, and develop those self-management skills to keep the positive aspects of it happening while dampening down the negative ones. It sure explains why they were so firey growing up ..... baby dragons indeed .... I wasn't wrong ..... but they are also bright, and creative, and loving. What can I say ?

These holidays support our bilingualism and biculturalism, and help to keep us bonded as an extended family around all the struggles and issues, because we all have to row together to get around, and we stay in a family property that is small .... tiny in fact .... so we all have to work at getting along, which is easier in holiday mode .... so it brings happy memory-building along with it ....

It's very bitter-sweet.

Don't know yet whether all the marrieds can join us, but one couple is anyway.

Yes @Zoe7, have started into the notes, and it feels much better to have gotten them sorted.

Hugs to your furbabies from me ..... 💕

I'll give then both Aunty F&H hugs from you Hon. @Faith-and-Hope

I don't like days like this but I know I will get through it. Tomorrow is a big day for me with appointments with my pdoc and GP who are both back. The GP appointment is the most important to get the work thing rolling again. Hopefully it all happens quickly but I am really not expecting it to.

A change of environment and activity might be just the thing you need to rejuvenate the family @Faith-and-Hope. Amazing how much genetics comes into play. Then there are the environmental influences as well. The old nature and nurture theory.

My partner has two sons - one currently living with him; the other with his ex. The one who cohabits with him is taking a gap year - had just the final year of uni to do but wasn't coping. He has Aspergers and in a nutshell was apprehensive about going into the big wide world and having to be an adult. Unfortunately this gap year has become one where he rarely leaves his room - just plays video games. Sleep patterns are all over the place.

All I can do is observe and be supportive. I know it's a cause of stress for my partner who has his own issues to deal with and has suffered from depression from time to time. Tears you apart to see people you care for struggling.

Certainly makes me grateful that my own kids are doing okay. Daughter was stressing about work and study commitments but there is light at the end of the tunnel for her.

Yeah .... it's so much like that @soul. My S2 is trying to work out which way is up with it all, but his dad's illness is affecting him, both in terms of the control issues that came into (heavy-duty) play, which definitely has a cultural and upbringing basis, and with identity in the face of what has happened. He is very much afraid of what he sees in his father becoming his own reality in later years, including the lack of insight and the mi "takeover" .... and there is little I can do or say other than to simply be here, and try to model sensible, practical, balanced behaviours myself as far as I can manage under all the strain and rollercoastering of events and feelings.

My art studies and art space have become my mental and emotional sanctuary .... and a life outside of this life.

Hang in there @Zoe7 .... breathe ..... sucky-day will pass ..... 💚🌹🌷💚🌹🌷💚

What's for lunch everybody ? Sushi here.

How are you going @Zoe7 ?

Have you managed a sleep ?

Has your stomach settled ?

I am feeling sleepy-ish, but it is a bit late in the day to have a nap now if I want to get to bed earlier, so I will hold out for (hopefully) a 10:00pm bedtime. Mr. is not here for it to clash with his bedtime audiobooks (very loud .... wondering about his hearing) and bedtime munching (also very loud).

Doing a little better than I was this morning @Faith-and-Hope. My stomach has settled a bit - more a dull ache now than constant pains so that is good. I have been sleeping most of this afternoon. Haven't got anything done at all today but I knew that was likely this morning. Not beating myself up about it - nothing I could have done today under the circumstances.

It will be nice for you to have some Mr. free days to help you out with your sleeping too. I am also planning on a 10pm bed time again but think I may need to take my meds earlier to help with that. All the sleeping today may affect my sleep tonight but will just have to see how that goes. My first appointment isn't until 1pm tomorrow so I have some time in the morning to do a few things if I am up to it.

Hello @Zoe7 @soul @Adge @Faith-and-Hope

I am sitting quiet at home alone, plus cat, then going out for a small gig in an acoustic venue.

My son and I made a lovely lunch together. I did all the salad and he did eggs and kransky. Yum

Went to supermarket and bought some remedies for my chest, throat coughs etc ... first time I have bought cough mixture for me ,,, as a good girl ...lol... I usually have just toughed things out, but with the voice ... its molto delicato ...

Have a good evening ... crazy weather here in Melb.

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