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Our stories
Thanks, @CheerBear. Hugs back to you. 
So good to hear you had a better day, and were able to enjoy flowers so much. Great to hear the rehab move is happening today.
I don't have another psychologist appointment until 17 December, last one for the year. I've spaced them out a bit further apart as the year is coming to a close due to only had a couple left of the ten in a year. Next year I think I will do them every five weeks, so that they last better over the whole year. I did think of calling her to use up the one that is left sooner rather than later. But I think I will be okay until I see her as planned. I have a psychiatrist appointment earlier, on 27 November, but I'm not sure I'll talk to him much about the resurfaced memory. Seems like there will be a lot to cover in that one short session, as I cancelled last appointment and won't have seen him for 7 weeks by the time I get there. Also, I'd prefer to talk about that particular memory with a woman.
Have a fairly big day planned for today. I want to get to the local shopping village today to pick up clothing alterations, check my blood pressure at the chemist and get a prescription filled, and also collect my art from the mental health centre, as they need to clear the large pile of our art they have there. Hoping to continue on by bus to the bigger shopping mall, to collect post that is there waiting. Might also visit my friend from there.
The next three days are pretty big ones actually. Have the cardio stress test at the hospital on Friday. Then on Saturday C and I are visiting a friend who is one of my video collaborators to film him performing some of his work. He lives in a country town about an hour from here and we will be staying for dinner too. Looking forward to that, and need to familiarise myself with C's new camera before I get there.
So hoping that this all works out well over the next few days, and helps me out of the difficult aftermath of the weekend.
Phew, that was a long rave for this time of the day! 
Fantastic that your psychologist has agreed to see you pro bono, @CheerBear. For me, I don't mind about once a month usually, as I also see my psychiatrist once a month too, and my GP regularly as well. But the events of the weekend did have me thinking it could be good to have an extra session this year. On the other hand, I also don't want to give that memory too much power by repeating myself about it unnecessarily, and making the memory bigger than it needs to be. When I look back on it, I think I handled well a potentially much worse situation. Without going into too many details, and another long rave, the situation was complex, and I internally empowered myself as much as I could with what was happening.
I totally get with your situation why you might want more psychology sessions though. There are a lot more day to day stresses on you, and more trauma to deal with. You are amazing the way you deal with it all.
Yes, I think it's been good to have these days of quiet in the leadup to these next few days. 
You inspire me too, @CheerBear. I do think you handle things well, given all the circumstances, and despite whatever moments of 'fall down' you might experience at times. I really think I would be a total basket case with what you are managing. My mental health is very prone to collapse under stress. I'm doing so much better overall than I did when I was younger, to a big extent because my life is so much less troubled by external stressors these days.
I'm hoping for you that the NDIS will give you more than extra psychology sessions. Feeling like you are doing more than survive would be so great. The services @eth has finally been able to access seem to be helping a lot now. Hoping there is a wave of forward motion once the extra support comes through for you too.
Yes, in a practical sense, the DSP is the biggest factor that has made my life livable and my mental illness more managable, @CheerBear. Prior to getting it, my mental health was pretty much always in chaos, excacerbated to a major extent by huge financial stress. As you know, it in no way makes us rich, and the practical realities of life still involve some struggle and sacrifice, but for me it is enough to live on. That's huge after a whole life of severe financial insecurity. So pleased for you that you have this too now. It's a good grounding for better mental health.
A few birds cheeping here and there, but hardly any really, even though the sky is quite bright. Windless here. Maybe the trees being so still is allowing the birds to sleep in!
I too feel so much for people who need the DSP and are refused it, @CheerBear. I think that an occupation of some kind is key to better mental health, though in my view it doesn't have to be paid employment. I think for some people suffering mental illness, volunteering in any way, whether formally or informally, can be more helpful. Over the years I have been on the forum, I have tried to do this in an informal way through supporting others through their struggles, as well as receiving support for my struggles too. You do this in your community guide role, so worthwhile. For me there is also the creative life, a career of sorts, though I make almost no money from it. Getting people with mental illness into just any kind of work is often detrimental in my view.
Anyway, enough of my soapboxing!
Great to chat again. Hope your day goes very well, and that your loved one feels happier in their rehab place.
