Good Morning, Thank you both for your kind remarks. I am a very lucky woman. I can't imagine handling the health issues that come with age, along with my husband's dementia and colostomy, without writing as a creative outlet and a release valve. And I don't have to leave home to do it. That is a perk. -- We are not completely on our own. My husband's son and wife, who live nearby, are a safety net if needed. So far, we have been able to live independently, with the exception of a few emergency situations. What social life we have is with them: high school football and basketball for my husband, and school plays for us both. I tease them that when the kids graduate, we will probably become hermits. -- However loneliness for me has been an issue. So, I write and get loving support at my Writers Group when I can. Facing an inevitable erosion of my abilities to keep this ship afloat, I have a lovely mother & daughter duo who do basic cleaning. And recently, the daughter has agreed to give me 4 additional hours twice a month. She is tackling all the things I have had to ignore. Also, she was once a caregiver to a young friend. The plan is for her to eventually become a caregiver to an old friend. -- When I read the situation others are in, I feel like a bit of a crybaby, but I have been where they are, and what peace I have has been hard won. I was spiraling into depression and scared when I joined Mayo Connect. Every like, hug, and response helped me to not let the depression get out of hand. This forum is a godsend since getting out with a walker with waning energy is a challenge. I am not complaining; it is just the price some of us pay as we are given more years than many. So, I think ahead of what the pitfalls maybe, not to prevent them but to make them easier to handle. Thinking ahead may be what brought on the depression, but not thinking about what is ahead and planning how to ameliorate it strikes me as being passive in the face of danger. -- I have gone on. It must be as obvious to you as it is to me that I appreciate and need this forum. -- GloRo P.S. I think publishing is on a bucket list. Hopefully, some day.