One Step at a Time - August 2016

[Rusty]

Happy Friday, Everyone!!

Pauly-I am reaching out to you because I know Fridays are your day off and I think it makes you vulnerable. Please have your day busy and loaded with healthy and happy things and don't let the anxiety get the best of you.

Glassy!! I LOVE the blankie fort and I am SO glad you only have a cyst...a benign blueberry. Pancakes....Hahahahahahh!!!

Mama-so sorry for all the turmoil at work and I am delighted you are getting your new van. YAY!!!!!

Nora-I am sure Casey knows that you love him...I think MOST adopted kids wonder why their birth parents gave them up. He is wise to get some type of medical history, though. He also could not have asked for a finer mother than you. A friend of a friend of mine is adopted and she has a very strained relationship with her adoptive mother, so she went looking for her birth mother and wanted desperately to connect, and then was devastated because her birth mother told her NEVER to contact her again. This woman has always felt her parents favored their natural son over her. In this case, she is right. He's the "Golden Boy." He is a TV sports celebrity here. It's sad. She's been haunted by insecurity her whole life.

Big hellos to everyone else! Gotta get to work!

Happy POETS DAY!!!!

[paulywogg]

Hey all, Rusty, big fat hug to you! I'll be ok today, I've got stuff to keep me busy,I've been walking a lot!40,000 steps in 2 days!!see what I can pull today AG,I love what your therapist said,see that's a great therapist,I hated mine cuz he would ask a question, stare,take notes,meh also couldn't remember me unless his computer was on,I miss my old one who was so helpful in so many ways but he retired I think this new guy they have is maybe too close to my age so I don't feel secure or something? I don't know, just thinking today about how this site rocks! We really couldn't be surrounded by better people to talk to and lean on,this thread, the nest, Army, daily thread, monthly thread etc,just the topmost cream of the crop and I'm not taking ANY of them or you for granted again I love you ALL! Hope we all have a wonderful day

[actiongirl46]

Quick post here as I REALLY AM back to work!

Pauly, my therapist does rock. I love her. She sees things I do not think about and helps me problem-solve. HOWEVER, while she brought out onto the table the negative self-talk pattern, I was ready for it as we have talked about it here and on other threads. What is really cool about MWO is that people who have stronger stretches of sobriety are modeling this and I can "see" it (hello NORA RUSTY SK GLASSIE MAMA PAULY LIZ and so so many more). It gives me hope and is so inspiring. It is also comforting to know that I'm not alone as this seems to be a common theme for some (most) of us on here.

One thing she said which I never thought about was that the negative voice is somewhat helpful . . . just as in it is trying to keep us safe. She said it may be a bigger problem if you really didn't care about your health. If you had no voice saying, what the heck are you doing?? I'm still going to try to shape it but now I can see it as more of an "internal alarm", not necessarily a set in stone internal track that I have to listen to.

Whew! Enough! Lighten up AG!! :egad:

Hi G!! I hope you are well!

More later -AG

[Rusty]

Hi All, I am back since I am done with my work and my client and I are just waiting for lunch from Panera.

AG-Wow, what a powerful post from your therapist...sounds like you have a winner. Thank you for sharing your pearls of wisdom on here. Oh yes, I felt so alone with my struggles with AL...which is why I love this place. I have had two really good therapists, too, but I was paying cash because I didn't want it to be seen on my medical records and it got so expensive...$146 for 50 minutes, and it was an hour from my house.

Pauly-I was thinking about why you suffer from such anxiety.. Maybe it's because you don't get two days off IN A ROW. You probably never get the chance to REALLY unwind.

Red67-how are you doing? Has the guy who was living at your house left you alone? Please check in.

Ok, gotta hit the road. I hope everyone is enjoying their Friday.

[ToMyHealth]

Hi everyone. Struggling today. Is depression part of this? Tried my run this morning but gave up just after a mile. This afternoon I did get it done. Outdoors. Checked phone after for temp. 90 deg. Felt better though.
Pauly, WOW, that's 10 miles/day. Assume Las Vegas is hot. Do you use TM? You make me feel like a slug! LOL

AG, you sound great! So happy to hear you are doing well.

Hope everyone has a super weekend!

[paulywogg]

TMH,I think a depression feeling is part of quitting, the brain getting back to normal, I don't mind the heat at all,humidity is another story Rusty, I'm jealous of your Panera! One of my favorite places and you're right I really don't get a chance to relax, hmm, I'm either working, watching Louie, cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, I dunno I guess I need to look after myself better

[NoraC]

Hello all - I wanted to check in just in case I don't get a chance later. We are taking off in the morning.

Really enjoying the discussion here. Thank you. Yes - we definitely do/did not treat ourselves well. I believe that because I have been working on that aspect of myself, it helped with the no alcohol.

Got to go pack. :yay:

[Lizann]

TMH, I definitely think depression is part of this. It certainly is for me. I find the longer I don't drink, the better I feel. I am sorry you are struggling hopefully tomorrow will be better.

AG, your therapist sounds wonderful. Thanks for the pearls of wisdom. Gives me stuff to think about too. Thanks for sharing. I like rusty had a therapist that I liked as well, but sadly couldn't afford him.

Nora, have a wonderful time! I think it's a wonderful thing for you to get away a bit. Nice of the kids to watch your mom.

Nothing new here except that I worked my little butt off today. A lot of really sick patients today and sometimes I need that good swift kick in the butt to make me realize how blessed I am.

[NoraC]

TMH - I agree with Liz. I do think depression goes with it. And the depression eased up the longer I was away from alcohol. Back to I started feeling better about myself.

Liz - you are right. We are blessed. I took my Mom to the DMV today to get her a California ID. I was scared that there could be issues because my address is on all of her insurance documents. I went up to the desk while hubby sat with mom. The woman helping me looked down at the Oregon identification card. Saw her picture and said, she is just the cutest thing. I smiled and said yes she's my cutie or something like that. She said you are very lucky. I said, yes I am very blessed. She continued with the paperwork and when she was done, she asked me where mom was and looked over. She couldn't see her from where she was and she looked sort of sad. Obviously she was missing hers.....

AG - you are bringing wonderful energy here. Thank you. We are all learning from your therapy appointments!

Pauly - I don't know why I bothered putting a battery in my fitbit. Look at you go!

Hugs to all. I've got to finish packing before we go to bed. xx

[paulywogg]

Hey all, very tired! Freaking Winslow decided to bark at air at 3 am and I couldn't get back to sleep! It'll take a miracle to get through work, Kells doctor doesn't seem concerned at all about the pain meds so hopefully it all works out, hope everyone has a nice day

[mama bear]

Nora - have a fabulous weekend!!
We are off to the lake in a bit
Therapy was very good for me when I went years ago.
Love you all, gotta run

[actiongirl46]

Nora - I'm so glad you have a chance to get away!! Have fun!

Pauly, I hate that tired feeling . . . hang in there.

TMH - YOU are doing so well. I'm proud of you.

Its a rainy Saturday here which is kind of relaxing . . . except I will have to do something later to get in my measly (compared to Pauly) 10,000 or less steps!!

Take care all - AG

[ToMyHealth]

Hey, AG, I'm having a lazy day too. Watching Olympics. Had Facetime with son and grandsons this a.m. 61 deg in Mpls area. Bbbbrrrrr.

Good thing I'm on NN Roll Call because I have to go back a page and see what day I'm on. That was never the case in any other quit. I KNEW what day I was on.

Nora, hope you are having a great time!

[Lizann]

Hey guys. Enjoyable Saturday. Went to a flea market in the town where Erin lives. Found some really neat treasures. Found a small roasting pan with lid and rack for $3! I'm probably the only one that could get excited about that! Hung out in the pool for a bit and headed over to my sisters house. Erin and Mark and my niece made pasta from scratch. It's quite a long process but they had fun. I brought over fresh tomatoes and basil and we had it all for dinner, I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it tasted!

Pauly, you are sounding more at ease with Kelly's pregnancy. Does she have to stop the pain meds now? I'm sure sweet Winslow was not barking at air! How did you manage getting through work?

AG, TMH I watched the soccer game tonight and it ended up being a nail biter. We were hoping Germany would win. Oh well.

Mama enjoy the lake.

I know Nora's too busy to check in tonight. Her picture on Facebook was so cute.

Well off to finish my book. Have a good night.

[Glass Half Empty]

So...
My father is 82 and in the last ten years he's gained 3 Masters degrees (he got bored).

And we've just come back from celebrating the publication of his new book.