Not that I think you should get a therapist you can't afford, but I think a good therapist doesn't just validate that it's hard (we can do that!), but helps you come up with strategies to manage the hardness, and protect your own sanity while coping with the hardness. You do seem to know yourself and your needs really well, so maybe you can do some of that on your own. I just would love to see you having some more support.

I think a good therapist doesn't just validate that it's hard (we can do that!), but helps you come up with strategies to manage the hardness, and protect your own sanity while coping with the hardness.

flea is me in this. I couldn't have said it better.

My clients need, and can work with, so much more than 'how does that make you feel?' God save us from that cultural cliche.

mac's therapist does that with me. and I hope I did not come off as dissing therapists. I had a very helpful and wonderful therapist for PTSD, and I value both the safeplace to talk and the support/guidance I got from it. But with this, I have books that discuss behaviors EXACTLY like mac's and the therapist reinforces those books.

The babysitter/mother's helper was gone for all of June and she is back now, so there will be someone in the house twice a week to ease the work and the presense is really a huge difference. It is very possible that we will move in the next twelve months to be closer to my parents. I would only move soemwhere with in 15-20 of their house and since neither of them work, on most days I would then have someone almost immediately over in the house with us.

But before I get to far down that path, we are probably going to try mac on some medications that are low-dose, easy on/easy off anti-anxiety type meds. I have called the Dr. we saw for a follow-up and to get all the specifics he recommends as options for mac.

100 Essential Skills for Geeks

I disagree with a lot of these, but... read and discuss/argue, if you want....

I got some nice support from the doctor this morning. My blood sugars have been whacked for a while, due to stress eating and food being one of the few sources of pleasure currently. Doc frowned at the records and started talking about insulin. He asked if I could do the injections, and I said I didn't have much choice, did I? I was starting to tear up from frustration and general life-sucksness, and I said "I'm tired of this. I don't want to play anymore." Hubby and I share doctor appointments (an inadvisable idea, but necessary for logistics), and he starts babbling reassurances, getting panicky the way he always does when my aplomb and coping abilities start to crack.

Doc gives me a long look and says, "We're not going to worry about the blood sugar just yet, you've got enough to deal with. Let's see if we can get you willing to play the game again."

I've said similar to Hubby, but he just looks a little panicked and says "I love you," which is sweet but not useful. It was nice to have someone actually hear how close I am to the edge and to realize that adding to the load takes second place to making the load easier to carry.

Hee. I'm hopeless with all the tech stuff. Conversely, I can not only solve, but at the age of 11 won $50 for solving, the Rubik's cube. I note with disapproval, however, that there is absolutely nothing on that list to encourage geeking out about the life sciences.

I am now looking at the Fluevog site. I just bought new shoes. I don't need more. And yet...

I can't even imagine how hard it is some days, msbelle. Even when the rewards are really worth it, I know it's a lot of stress. I think you're doing a great job.

What Amy said, msbelle.

and this mad me think

I need a live-in who does not want sex or money

with the economy what it is,I bet there are a lot of young people who want to live in NY and don't have the money. Do you have the space to take someone in in exchange for cleaning, errands, and babysitting?

And connie- that was a great reaction from your doctor. I love good doctors.

msbelle I've got no wisdom to add but can I just tell you that I admire the hell out of you for what you're doing for Mac?

Happy Birthday to SOX! And Dillo too!