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Journaling - The Write Stuff For You?

Posted by Ginger, Volunteer Mentor @gingerw, Jun 19, 2020

Long ago –okay, for me, it was long ago!- it was common for a young person to keep a diary, a place to write down the heartaches and giggles of growing up, the trials and tribulations of school, friendships, sports and activities. Sometimes it was a locked book, so that we felt secure knowing our secret thought remained a secret.

How times have changed! While I no longer keep a classic diary, it is no less important for me to write down thoughts, ideas, and heaven-knows-what, on a regular basis. Nowadays, the common name is a “journal”, and seems to appeal to every segment of society. There are an abundance of ways to do this, and so many reasons why. Although I prefer longhand, many people use a computer, and there are any number of prompts/styles/methods.

Let’s explore this together!

Do you journal? What prompted you to start? What would you tell someone who wants to start?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

pvctom2021 | @pvctom2021 | Jul 23 3:33pm
In reply to @gingerw "@pvctom2021 Hoping to hear your wife's Telemed appointment goes well. How do they check her healing..." + (show)
@gingerw

@pvctom2021 Hoping to hear your wife's Telemed appointment goes well. How do they check her healing by distance, is what I want to know!

Write a letter to the peaches of summer, for their refreshing taste and the memories it springs in you!
Ginger

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@gingerw

Yes, the doctor is asking how her pain level is I think 💭 in order to give her the ok on the tramadol … and checking on adjusting her dose of BP medication….yes I will write a letter to the sweet peaches 🍑 of summer… it’s definitely a lovely way to eat yogurt…thanks for your reply and the
Support reactions….👍

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healthytoday | @healthytoday | Jul 29 10:49am

Yes, started journaling around 1982. Added lot's of drawings and cards. Really great method of self expression, almost seemed therapeutic.
Email took over and then texting and facebook. But, not to long ago I got a notebook and started writing, mostly taking notes from my Bible Studies (Christian Science) and MasterClass topics. At my age, I don't have much going on to write about, life is rather simple at 76 for which I am grateful. Brain exercise is a must and this is a good way to keep those neurons happy.

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pvctom2021 | @pvctom2021 | Jul 30 11:17am

Hello to all

Tuesday morning I awoke with the same fear and the familiar urge to get to a bathroom and I’m thinking 🤔 this has been going on since June 14….I finally get to see my GI doctor on Friday 2 August…
I am certain that my ongoing anxiety and worry to fear don’t help the nerves and the lower GI track… I must try harder to control my wild imaginings and dreadful scenarios for myself and my wife who is in week 11/12 of her broken humerus painful recovery ❤️‍🩹….it just seems like a few weeks ago we were planning two nice possible vacations with this nice travel agency.. one was a trip to Bermuda 🇧🇲 and the other a 10 day trip with a senior group to Ireland in September…now, it’s all postponed…I don’t mean to dredge this post out but I have to include that my next door neighbor Larry, who planned all winter, purchased boots clothing for a summer cruise to Alaska….last week…well, the airlines (delta) couldn’t get going after the IT foul up and after 3 days of being stranded at various airports got him no further west than Richmond , where he started from…he missed his cruise, they lost his luggage with expensive camera lenses, boots, hiking 🥾 clothes etc…and well…you can get the rest….so we all get to stay tuned for this political intrigue, I guess.. I think 🧐 I’m going to concentrate on escaping into a different time through my guitar tracks books like Curious George the monkey 🐵 all of the original 7 books with those wonderful illustrations and tender simple stories… now that’s therapy….and then there’s my countless collection of fantastic sci-fi horror and schlocky classics mostly from the 1950’s and early 60’s….just writing this is comforting and I feel safe, because I’m in a safe place…I am grateful to all here who have made me feel better for your replies and reactions…that’s living in the world today for me…and my dear wife, she escapes by watching wonderful Smithsonian channels and watching precious animal videos..May all who come here have a wonderful day and safe week ahead 🙏pvctom

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1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Aug 2 2:03pm
In reply to @pvctom2021 "Hello to all Tuesday morning I awoke with the same fear and the familiar urge to..." + (show)
@pvctom2021

Hello to all

Tuesday morning I awoke with the same fear and the familiar urge to get to a bathroom and I’m thinking 🤔 this has been going on since June 14….I finally get to see my GI doctor on Friday 2 August…
I am certain that my ongoing anxiety and worry to fear don’t help the nerves and the lower GI track… I must try harder to control my wild imaginings and dreadful scenarios for myself and my wife who is in week 11/12 of her broken humerus painful recovery ❤️‍🩹….it just seems like a few weeks ago we were planning two nice possible vacations with this nice travel agency.. one was a trip to Bermuda 🇧🇲 and the other a 10 day trip with a senior group to Ireland in September…now, it’s all postponed…I don’t mean to dredge this post out but I have to include that my next door neighbor Larry, who planned all winter, purchased boots clothing for a summer cruise to Alaska….last week…well, the airlines (delta) couldn’t get going after the IT foul up and after 3 days of being stranded at various airports got him no further west than Richmond , where he started from…he missed his cruise, they lost his luggage with expensive camera lenses, boots, hiking 🥾 clothes etc…and well…you can get the rest….so we all get to stay tuned for this political intrigue, I guess.. I think 🧐 I’m going to concentrate on escaping into a different time through my guitar tracks books like Curious George the monkey 🐵 all of the original 7 books with those wonderful illustrations and tender simple stories… now that’s therapy….and then there’s my countless collection of fantastic sci-fi horror and schlocky classics mostly from the 1950’s and early 60’s….just writing this is comforting and I feel safe, because I’m in a safe place…I am grateful to all here who have made me feel better for your replies and reactions…that’s living in the world today for me…and my dear wife, she escapes by watching wonderful Smithsonian channels and watching precious animal videos..May all who come here have a wonderful day and safe week ahead 🙏pvctom

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@pvctom2021 I hope you are able to do the cruise and trips you and your wife were hoping for!

Escape as you need to do, but please come back to let us know how you are doing, if that escape helped you!
Ginger

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1 reply
pvctom2021 | @pvctom2021 | Aug 3 8:49am
In reply to @gingerw "@pvctom2021 I hope you are able to do the cruise and trips you and your wife..." + (show)
@gingerw

@pvctom2021 I hope you are able to do the cruise and trips you and your wife were hoping for!

Escape as you need to do, but please come back to let us know how you are doing, if that escape helped you!
Ginger

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Thanks Ginger for your nice reply…My escape into a nice Curious George Book is almost like a story out of the Twilight Zone…I can imagine those illustrations and almost find myself in those sweet tender stories as a character… it’s so comforting…. This book and it’s illustrations were written for children back in the fifties…yet as a senior adult I find myself going there for comfort and at least a temporary escape to a sweet place and time…a much simpler time…I wish all who come here, a safe and healthy weekend.🙏pvctom

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pvctom2021 | @pvctom2021 | Aug 5 5:04pm

Hello to all

Today I went to the Mary Washington labs with the orders from my GI…it went very nicely..no wait, the technician hit my small vein with barely a sting…they took 3 tubes and gave me all of the stool testing tubes, hat etc…3 days of samples and then, my GI specialist will order a colonoscopy if there is no infection….meanwhile I took the Levsin that he prescribed, just 1 a day for the weekend and today I had the first normal void in weeks since this first started….back in June…then came home with the stool testing kit…then told my wife how it went and proceeded to do the mall walk…tomorrow I start the stool sample day 1 kit…so I’m grateful for the way this gone so far…thanks for everyone’s reactions and support…we’re still in the grip of this terrible heat…I wish all that come here a safe healthy week…🙏pvctom

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1 reply
pvctom2021 | @pvctom2021 | Aug 5 7:37pm

Hello to all

I forgot to mention that I’ve been really grooving on my new Gibson Les Paul Special in retro translucent TV yellow…this model has just the right mojo…
Since I mentioned the horrible heatwave I think I’ll watch the Twilight Zone episode ‘the midnight sun’….🌞 and my heart 💜 goes out to those in the southeast with the rains and hurricane 🙏🙏🙏pvctom

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Aug 6 7:13pm
In reply to @pvctom2021 "Hello to all Today I went to the Mary Washington labs with the orders from my..." + (show)
@pvctom2021

Hello to all

Today I went to the Mary Washington labs with the orders from my GI…it went very nicely..no wait, the technician hit my small vein with barely a sting…they took 3 tubes and gave me all of the stool testing tubes, hat etc…3 days of samples and then, my GI specialist will order a colonoscopy if there is no infection….meanwhile I took the Levsin that he prescribed, just 1 a day for the weekend and today I had the first normal void in weeks since this first started….back in June…then came home with the stool testing kit…then told my wife how it went and proceeded to do the mall walk…tomorrow I start the stool sample day 1 kit…so I’m grateful for the way this gone so far…thanks for everyone’s reactions and support…we’re still in the grip of this terrible heat…I wish all that come here a safe healthy week…🙏pvctom

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@pvctom2021 I'm glad to read you are getting testing done to figure all this out, and eliminate [oops! pun intended, or not] other causes for your intestinal upset. I know you will feel better just getting the testing done, regardless of the outcome, right!?
Ginger

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1 reply
pvctom2021 | @pvctom2021 | Aug 6 7:45pm
In reply to @gingerw "@pvctom2021 I'm glad to read you are getting testing done to figure all this out, and..." + (show)
@gingerw

@pvctom2021 I'm glad to read you are getting testing done to figure all this out, and eliminate [oops! pun intended, or not] other causes for your intestinal upset. I know you will feel better just getting the testing done, regardless of the outcome, right!?
Ginger

Jump to this post

@gingerw

Thanks for your reply and I hope I do feel better after testing come back…stool samples the worst of it ….bloods already back… all normal except for sodium down 2 points….two more specimens and I turn them in…Thursday…Levsin seemed to really work with slowing gut spasms down and slowing things down…2 days off and I feel the spasms again…but yes I hope to feel better…and thanks again Ginger for your support and everyone else’s…🙏pvctom

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1 reply
pvctom2021 | @pvctom2021 | Aug 11 7:16pm
In reply to @pvctom2021 "@gingerw Thanks for your reply and I hope I do feel better after testing come back…stool..." + (show)
@pvctom2021

@gingerw

Thanks for your reply and I hope I do feel better after testing come back…stool samples the worst of it ….bloods already back… all normal except for sodium down 2 points….two more specimens and I turn them in…Thursday…Levsin seemed to really work with slowing gut spasms down and slowing things down…2 days off and I feel the spasms again…but yes I hope to feel better…and thanks again Ginger for your support and everyone else’s…🙏pvctom

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Hello to all

Well the weekend is coming to a close ..how fast it goes..my blood 🩸 work and all of the labs came back normal…the GI local doctor and his staff want to schedule me for a colonoscopy which they are requesting a cardiac clearance from my cardiologist.. I just saw her on the 28th of May…I am scheduled to follow up with her on the 29 October..I am supposed to follow up with this GI doctor on 4 October..
So that poses a problem.. I sent a note via Genesis patient portal to my
Cardiologist at Ft. Belvoir and spoke with her nice reception person who said he also sent her a note explaining my situation..I hope to get a callback tomorrow or a reply to my note so I can get back to the GI staff here and let them know so I can arrange a date for this procedure… meanwhile my wife has certain dates for follow ups.. I will have both e-fax numbers available to whoever calls back first.. I’m hoping it will be my cardiologist who has been a saint for me in the past clearing me for a THR….the question is whether she will issue a current approval based on my visit from 2 months ago or whether she will want me to be seen by her again…if so, they will have to squeeze me in….probably like everywhere, appointments are hard to get and rather long in the making…wishing all who come here a safe and healthy week 🙏pvctom

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