So, how are you doing with all the bad news? Check in if you need to please

[irisblue]

This afternoon Ohio Gov DeWine(R) gave an update press conference, and the director of mental health/ drug&alcohol services spoke at length about self care. Seemed like a good idea to share the idea of self care in these days

[FirstLight]

1. Good idea, I will check in and keep this kicked ;)

I have only been isolating for a few days...felt like I should have dont it sooner, but guilt is guess is always part of being concerned for others.

Been home alot anyway this past year on & off disability and seasonal work, had a major car accident last summer that rocked my world and I think working from home will be my new normal anyway.
But I was kinda bummed that a project I was just starting to launch has to be postponed. (I teach classes at the community center on native american/indeginous spirituality and the medicine wheel. Have done is before at the CCollege, but this was going to be a new space for me, a new crowd to cultivate.)
So yeah, as much as I wasn't really "prepared"...life happens.

It snowed up here (Tahoe) this weekend too. That means more skiiers from the Bay Area in town, even more reason to stay home

Now I just can't allow myself to get lazy (which is SOOOOO easy to do)

[vlyons]

2. I'm doing OK. I'm 73 yrs old next week with underlying medical conditions

I'm retired and already stay at home a lot, because I really don't have much extra money for outside entertainments, etc.

I meditate every day. It's important for all of us to stay calm, follow the hygiene guidelines. What's also important is to adopt a healthy mindset, point of view. There will be some small sacrifices that each of us will need to make, regarding social interactions. But they are small in comparison to the larger scheme of things. I prefer to see postponing social interactions as performing enlightened activity for the benefit of others. Look at home-staying as doing a good deed and being a good citizen. This pandemic will not last forever, because nothing lasts forever. But it may stretch out thru the summer and on into Sept, Oct. Remind yourself often, "Better safe than sorry."

If you start feeling lonely, pick up the phone and call a friend, a neighbor.

[irisblue]

3. From DeWines presser

Source--https://radio.wosu.org/post/coronavirus-ohio-live-coverage


snip--"Lori Criss, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services director said the state is filing emergency rules to expand telehealth options for people struggling with mental health issues and substance use disorders. This includes allow ingprofessionals and their patients to use normal cell phones and video apps to talk to each other.
Criss recommended to not skip mental health appointments. "We want you to stay healthy & well in all ways...if you have a mental health need or an addiction services need, we're making sure that you have access to those services," Criss said."


Check and see if your state is doing similiar.

One thing she did mention was getting away from news& social media if you find you are getting more anxious. I have done this a couple of times, it helped.

[msongs]

4. no changes here. not into crowded places anytime. small but mighty social circle

[hlthe2b]

5. I highly recommend long walks if you are up to it. Nearby urban trails are surprisingly vacated

Probably because, we are having a cool snap (no spring yet in Colorado) but I'll take it.

[cwydro]

9. I'm out walking with my scruff muffins at least twice a day.

And they help me in the garden too.

No neighbors close by, so we enjoy the spring air.

[shenmue]

6. Not well.

Listening to music.

Going to take a nap soon.

[irisblue]

7. A nap with Chief Inspector Murphy sounds like an excellent idea.

[littlemissmartypants]

8. I'm high anxiety.

I'm having trouble eating. I feel sick to my stomach. I am worried for my adoptive/step dad (85) and my mom (83.)

My (unemployed) half-sister lives with them and told me on the phone 1) It's like a flu, 2) It’s going away soon, 3) It's blown out of proportion. Sound familiar?

They don't have a plan and she's still going to the gym every day, picking up who knows who's germs.

They don’t listen to me, never have, even though I am the most educated in the family and am a retired direct primary care medical professional with over 30 years of experience.

I do feel a little better writing this. Thanks for asking. I am very thankful for my DU family and especially this group.

Thanks so much, irisblue.

Good luck to everyone.

❤ lmsp

[47of74]

10. I think I'm going to take a break from DU for a while

I'm doing the fucking best I can but it's never good enough for too many people around here. I need to take a break from all this.

[irisblue]

11. I turned off the radio, limiting my exposure to news. I am feeling low key edgy

[hunter]

12. Shortly after my wife and I started dating I got the flu which turned into pneumonia.

The flu was almost inevitable since we were both teaching at the time.

I've always been a thin guy and I lost so much weight I was starting to look like a living skeleton.

When I got out of the hospital my parents cleared out my sisters old bedroom to recuperate, which was weird, but I wasn't really making any decisions at the time. To my parents I was still this extremely troubled kid who wouldn't talk to them and would sometimes disappear from their lives for many months at a time. I haven't told them or anyone else the lot of it.

This wasn't the first time pneumonia happened to me. As a kid I'd suffered the "Hong Kong" flu epidemic in a similar way.

My wife is a medical professional these days. This will rip through her patient population like a hurricane.

It reminds me too much of the years I worked in a blood bank and AIDS was killing our hemophilia patients. My wife and I both lost a few gay friends to AIDS as well.

Ronald Reagan was useless, just as Trump is useless now.

My anger so far exceeds my anxiety today but that's not a healthy or sustainable way to live.

We were in San Francisco yesterday for a family get-together we've been looking forward to since January. One of our children was flying in for a conference that was canceled just a few days ago, but decided to come anyways. We had dinner at an Asian restaurant and it was strange. All the restaurant staff were wearing face masks and gloves, and there were big bottles of hand sanitizer on various counters for customers to use.

Two of my siblings have owned restaurants at various times but got out of the business because it was too stressful. I can't imagine what small restaurant owners are going through now... I don't feel bad about eating out.

Nearly everyone in my family has, at one time or another, worked in restaurants and fast food.

One of my nieces is in college. This weekend they told her not to come back to class, and to finish out her term online. She works part time as a food server to pay for college and that's off too.

I went to our neighborhood grocery store today and it was insane. There's no bread, rice, pasta, milk, paper products, water, bleach, and curiously, no cheap beer.

But I don't feel insecure. I like most of my neighbors. We will deal with this as a community.

[ThingsGottaChange]

13. Ah, irisblue. Always checking in on us

Gonna run out of TP and pasta, which is all I can eat since my denture broke. Not too worried about getting sick since I haven't left my apt. in about 4 years. Wondering how long it will be before my beloved Past Roni is online again at it's normal price. Disgusted with the hoarders, gougers. Alone. Lonely. Sad. The usual....