Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Well, I screwed up my courage and sent the email yesterday afternoon pulling out of the small office job. I feel relief. I haven't heard back and I doubt I will. My psychologist agreed that it was definitely best to pull out.

Thank goodness I don't have to do that drive ever again!

Promoting neuroplasticity sounds good. A big Well Done for advocating for yourself, even though you shouldn't have had to. I hope the exercises become easier over time. Did they give you exercises to do at home?

I can empathise with your big change of going out every Tuesday now, when you haven't been used to going out.

It sounds like (from your thread) that you were maybe unsuccessful in getting a referral to an eye specialist yesterday? 😥 I wonder if you could maybe try a different optometrist, if so?

More rain today 😣

In a matter of no consequence at all, I'm looking forward to the upcoming page 555 of my thread!

@Dimity

Well that's done and over with @NatureLover and now you can move on. Maybe something will come up elsewhere. But you'll have a better idea of the pitfalls.

I did get a referral from the optometrist but feel put down and gaslit by the process, and uncertain I can trust the specialist. The optometrist herself was very unsympathetic to my plight. I tried to have a reasonable conversation about ongoing management and she was dismissive, saying just have a check up every 2 years, when the peak consumer organisation for my eye condition says 2-3 times a year. And I've never been given the standard eye test to assess vision loss although I'm already high risk. I would at least have appreciated acknowledgement of my concerns. Unfortunately from something she said I suspect there's stigma over my mental health at play, and I won't escape that given the chains of correspondence between practitioners.

My family situation and my efforts to do something about it have escalated and things are spiralling and getting worse.

I'll try not to ruminate.

Hope you can do something nice this weekend now you've shaken off the dread of Monday.

Thanks, @Dimity . I'm not going to look for anything else. I'm happy with my WFH job, which I can take to the library as needed.

That optometrist sounds no good! I'm sorry to hear! I'm glad you got a referral out of her, but I hope the specialist has integrity. I wouldn't be going back to that optometrist!

And your family situation... oh no 😥

I went out to a birthday dinner last night, then slept in. Am still in bed at nearly 9am, and want to go back to sleep.

Hope your day is not too distressing today.

Hope you're well rested @NatureLover . It must be a relief to have a new week unencumbered by old worries.

I've done my exercises (yay - I'd not been doing them with the inevitable consequence my back's been complaining) and I'd like to get onto some tidying. I'll see what I can do.

Thanks, I feel rested but still down. Need more sun. Skin is so incredibly itchy that I've scratched it raw all over.

Yes, it's a relief to have pulled out of the small office job. Apparently they were upset, as they rang one of my referees about it; but seeing as they never got back to me before or after, I feel I did the right thing pulling out.

Well done for doing the exercises. I hope you can do some tidying as you wished.

Podiatrist and a lunch out today.

Good luck today...I hope you feel OK.

@Dimity

Ouch @NatureLover I hope you have something to sooth the raw skin. And I hope you ended up finding soaps that don't inflame it further.

I had a look at some boxes yesterday and made some progress - I've consolidated 2 boxes and shifted some stuff to the spare room.

Today I have craft group. Perhaps I'll get some weeding done later.

Have a good day.

You're up early, @Dimity ! Is that because of your craft group? I hope you enjoy it 🙂

Well done on your work on the boxes!

Thanks.

Yes I had to set an "early" alarm to be ready for craft @NatureLover .

Hope your work day goes smoothly.

Well done on your work on the boxes! @Dimity

Hello @NatureLover , @scruffypuffball , @Appleblossom , @tyme

@Shaz51 @scruffypuffball heyho

@NatureLover I am glad your difficult conversation may have been heard. Good luck with your work and decisions about it.

@Dimity

I had a talk in the chemist with a customer today about some issues and found out she was a nurse. She kept repeating “Doctors are not God”. We agreed. I am sorry you are experiencing medical gaslighting due to mental health stigma. I know what that is like and stepped back from engaging with them, only doing the very minimum for responsible self care. This nurse customer suggested I get the pharmacy to check my blood pressure, which I did and it was good. She heard me about why I stopped going to the gp, and said they will check my blood pressure anytime I need.

I did have a good session with my psychiatrist today. He tries in his way. Then I chatted again with his secretary. She admitted she was feisty today, and 8 years ago in the beginning of attending that clinic I found her dreadfully bolshie and bossy. I had very little choice back then and simply had to submit and put up with stuff. Anyway now she is “coaching” me about dealing with bullies as we organise payments. She knows I have been a good reliable patient. I know I have been too sensitive and submissive but I am learning late in life.

Take care all of you

apple wishes you the best

🙏💙🦋🌿🌴☀️🍎