Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Hi @Dimity , how did it go yesterday, the first day working with your new helper? Did you take some stuff to the Opp Shop? I hope she was respectful and helpful...

A nickel allergy...not something I've thought of before, but of course, earrings and a watch would be difficult then.

I realised with a shock this morning that it's about time for the annual smoke detector inspection (as I'm renting) - and the house is in a fearful state! I doubt the man could fit his ladder through the narrow pathways 😞 So I need to tackle it in short order. I'm due to go out for lunch today with a friend, which usually wipes out the afternoon, so am crossing fingers that the smoke detector inspection is late this year... 🤞

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@Dimity wrote:

I'm feeling a bit grumpy and unsettled. The change of helper, trouble dealing with paperwork online, as well as the usual worries which seem insurmountable at times. I know I should be grateful for my home and relative health and just press on.

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I'm sorry to hear...it's a horrible feeling, being grumpy. Sending wishes that you wake up today feeling not grumpy and worried, but better...also that the online paperwork behaves itself 💚

Thanks @NatureLover yes more stuff to the opshop yesterday. My new helper is very nice and I think will be pushing me hard to make progress.

It's a worry about your smoke alarm inspection - at least you have pathways for your own movement. Is it mostly bags to unpack or are there boxes you can put in the shed? Maybe you'll have to move some stuff from the passageway to your bedroom temporarily, although it's not ideal.

I spent the afternoon trying to sort my admin stuff in person which helped, but there's a lot more to do, online and off-line and in person. I'll just have to try to muddle through.

I can hear the wind in the trees - so glad to have them.

@Dimity I'm glad your new helper is nice and also helpful (might have been one or the other, but both is excellent!). Well done on preparing enough to take to the Opp Shop on Tuesday 🙂

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@Dimity wrote:

I spent the afternoon trying to sort my admin stuff in person which helped, but there's a lot more to do, online and off-line and in person. I'll just have to try to muddle through.

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It sounds tricky...sorry to hear. So time-consuming, too. I hope it becomes easier with each step accomplished 🤞

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@Dimity wrote:

It's a worry about your smoke alarm inspection - at least you have pathways for your own movement. Is it mostly bags to unpack or are there boxes you can put in the shed? Maybe you'll have to move some stuff from the passageway to your bedroom temporarily, although it's not ideal.

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It's mostly bags. I never even thought of moving stuff to the bedroom...that's generally off limits and the only room in the house which is always neat, as it's my refuge. But yes, if the smoke detector man comes before I'm ready for him, I would have to do that.

I hope to tackle it this weekend...I'm also out of grocery bags so need to wash some.

Oh - I started the QV soap trial yesterday, that you recommended. It doesn't lather up much but if it doesn't make me itchy I'll be happy. I also risked 20 minutes of my therapy light box this morning - it was so nice and friendly and welcoming to have it on!

I am so glad to have trees around me too...I love trees.

Hoping you have good success today with your decluttering. Are you still aiming to work on one box a day?

I hope you can work through the bags and unpack them @NatureLover . You must buy a lot of groceries. I'm trying to run down my pantry to a few staples.

I do hope the QV soap helps. It might take a while for your skin to heal, but if it starts to reduce the pain and inflammation it would be wonderful. I'm glad you found your lamp comforting.

Unfortunately my efforts lapsed this week. I spent a day at Centrelink and the bank, and today I went on a shopping spree and bought some winter woollies. Tomorrow I'm seeing family. My helper urged me to clear the spare room before Tuesday - a big ask, but I'll try to make a start.

Have a good weekend.

I am a bit shocked that your helper asked you to clear a whole room in a week!! 😮 @Dimity

I'm glad you have some winter woollies. Was your day at Centrelink and the bank successful? I hope so...

My skin (mostly my hands) is even more itchy 😞 I'm not sure if it's the QV soap or the fact I put on the therapy lamp twice in the last week, only for 20 minutes at a time, but still. I will stop the therapy lamp again now for a while. I forgot I was on a soap trial when I put it on.

I do buy (and eat) a lot of food as I am a food addict, plus I've been hungry so often in my adult life that I hoard food now. Every now and then I have to offload a few bags to the local food bank, when it gets too much for me.

I'm not doing well mentally /emotionally at the moment. I went to the GP yesterday for a MHCP and the doctor refused, as my psychologist hadn't sent her a letter. I had asked my psychologist 3 times for a letter and told her when my GP appt was. As a result of all that germ exposure and stress for no point, I had a massive upset. I managed to sort it out with my psychologist bu text messages over a few hours, but in future I will be asking her to write and email the letter during our actual appt. There are other issues at the moment too, that I'm not coping at all well with - forgetting basic things, struggling to cope with life's demands, having meltdowns alternating with depression. If I am absent a bit, that's why.

@Eve7 @Snowie @creative_writer @Oaktree @Shaz51

Oh @NatureLover I'm sorry to hear you've got so much happening and you're struggling. Your psychologist definitely let you down. All that stress wouldn't be helping your levels of inflammation or even your memory. How are you sleeping? I hope you can rest well between onslaughts. I'm happy to support you if sharing helps. I do look forward to your posts and wisdom, which often make me reconsider - it's refreshing.

Lots of loving hugs coming your way @NatureLover

🌻🌝🌞🧡😊🙃🌝🌻💛 🤗 🤗

Good morning/afternoon @NatureLover

I'm sorry to hear that things are not going great for you at the moment.

Take all the time you need to for yourself. We will always be here for you.

Sending lots of love 💜💜

Thank you so much for your love and care @Dimity @Snowie @Eve7 @creative_writer ❤️

I'm a complete mess with not much to give at the moment. I spoke harshly to my family yesterday who were less than kind about me not coping at the moment. I even asked them to not to talk to me for a month or two if they couldn't be supportive. I've never done anything like that before, and it's not sitting right with me. Guilt's eating away at me and I didn't sleep last night despite my heavy-duty sleeping tablets.

I apologised to my brother this morning, but can't face my mother's casual cruelty.

I can't focus on anything, can't seem to regulate my emotions, am swinging wildly all over the place from anger to depression and everything in between. Have no idea whether I'll even be able to go to work tomorrow. I think I'll contact my psychologist on Monday and ask for a cancellation appt. I usually only see her once a month but I need some strategies/advice on how to handle this. It's like some sort of extended meltdown.

Thanks for listening, dear friends ❤️