Frustrated to the MAX!!!

Good morning, @mrshill

You are DEFINITELY not alone in this! The story I told yesterday about my Jepp and irrationally-possessive me was just a snapshot of what I'm experiencing these days. As I mentioned yesterday, my partner and I are in the midst of consolodating houses, so lots of noisy, chaotic moving going on. The sound of the unspooling of packing tape alone can be deafening. 🙂 This week, my partner has arranged for her sister and a duo of cousins to come to town to help with the moving. I have had to explain to my partner that when the noise and the yakkity-yak and the wheezing and the grunting get to be "too much," I will have to be elsewhere. She understands that my need to be elsewhere is not because I don't want to help; just the opposite: I WANT to help, but my PN prevents me––prevents me from doing anything but the most menial of things. That hurts. I wish it didn't, but––if I'm to be honest––it does. And thank goodness my partner understands. Thank goodness, too, I have an elsewhere (our other house) to which I'm able to retreat.

Cheers! (and I mean this most fervently)
Ray (@ray666)

Hello, @ray666! And hello to Debbie and John and all that are contributing to this thread and to all who may be reading and commiserating. I sure empathize and truly understand what you are sharing, and would add how isolating it can be when we have to resort to finding a place of quiet away from movement and noise. It feels like being punished -- like adding insult to injury.

I really liked the webinar that John made available. My faith in God and the way He encourages me through the exchanges contributed by this PN community on Connect are gifts I receive with much gratitude. The silver lining is definitely the support and friendship of all of you.
My word of advice tonight is "Don't overdo!" I say this coming off of two weeks of doctor, haircut, dog grooming, etc. appointments that I allowed to be made back-to-back. Just going to all of these put me over the top. We are all physically compromised and need to treat ourselves gently. That means emotionally, too 💕
Peace to you all,
Barb

Good morning!

I scribbled these words in my commonplace a few years ago. They're from Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse" (one of my favorite novels). Woolf is speaking of the young artist, Lily Briscoe:

"For now she need not think about anybody. She could be herself, by herself. And that was what now she often felt the need of. … "

I know how Lily felt.

Let's all have the best possible day today!

Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)

@ray666 ~ Oh, yes!!! I get that, as well. I'm an "only child" ~ are you, also, by any chance? So being by myself is not typically problematic. The situation I was reacting to was having declined an invitation to join a staff dinner. I knew I couldn't handle 19 of us together at a very popular Mexican restaurant. (I'm retired.) We're a talkative bunch! And there's no private room so add the noise from all those around us - 🤯! Anyway, I felt badly about having to choose sanity over a fun evening.

Love the excerpt from the book you cited. I'll share the final stanza from the piece named "Lament Upon the Finishing of a Beloved Book":
"May I return now
from the world of this book
to the daily details of my own life
with truer vision and fiercer hope,
trailing with me
remnants of that coming glory
I have glimpsed again
in story."
~~ from "Every Moment Holy" by Douglas McKelvey

Yes! to having the best possible day today!
Barb (@bjk3)

Hi, I have a similar issue and my neuropathy causes my body to vibrate inside. I was switched from gabapentin to pregabalin and I woke up with it gone I was so happy. One day I woke up and it came back , I literally broke down.so now I just live with it and stopped taking pregabalin because it was effecting my cognitive function and gaining a lot of weight.

Hi, Barb

I have to apologize in advance for a short reply. My partner and I areabout to have dinner. But to answer your question: No, I was not an only child––kinda. I had a brother who was 14 years older than me, so in many ways it was like having two fathers, especially since my "real" father, although kindly, was a retiring sort who never involved himself much in my life.

Large gatherings, even of the best of friends? I've been known to shun them, too––only to sit at home wondering why.

Did you have a good day?
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)

Living with chronic pain that NEVER goes away for a long period of time is draining, both emotionally and physically. No matter how much some one tries to empathize with us, they'll never really understand the toll that it takes.
I've been dealing with chronic pain from osteoarthritis and neuropathy for 10 years now. I know that I'm not going to get any better, at the age of 66 I feel like I'm 86. The only reason I'm still here is my wife of almost 43 years, our 2 kids, and our 4 grandkids. I'm living so I can see our grandkids get married, hopefully.
It's hard, I know, but you're not alone, so don't ever give in.

Good morning!

I scribbled these words in my commonplace a few years ago. They're from Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse" (one of my favorite novels). Woolf is speaking of the young artist, Lily Briscoe:

"For now she need not think about anybody. She could be herself, by herself. And that was what now she often felt the need of. … "

I know how Lily felt.

Let's all have the best possible day today!

Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)