Besty, I am glad to see your pixels around here, but I hate you're update. Fuck migraines indeed. I really hope modern medicine figures that shit out and can make people feel better soon.

Hey, Betsy. The level of professional assbuttery you've had to go through is phenomenal, and when you layer that on top of the chronic pain--yours and your family's, well...words abandon me.

Too many of my loved ones suffer from migraines. I can't even imagine trying to function with that level of pain. All the ~ma in the world that some brilliant minds find solutions to what is clearly a complex problem.

Betsy, nice to see you. So sorry for all the pain in your family, and the bs bureaucracy on top of it. Good thoughts for some relief and resolution.

BETSY!

Oh its good to see your pixels, even if they're weary pixels.

That's awful, Betsy. I am so sorry. But I, too, am very happy to see you.

The only thing that has changed for me since last October is that I got married in April. I still haven't found a FT job, despite having had a couple of PT teaching gigs, neither of which stuck or I liked, really. I am still unemployed.

I like all the de-lurking, by everyone - high-fives to those with good news to share, brackets and good thoughts to those going through hard times.

Not much has changed since my post from last year. link

We're all a year older. My two sons are still in college, my oldest daughter is in Israel for the year at a women's seminary, I haven't killed my teenage daughter yet (despite severe provocation at times), and I'm helping with 6th grade and 3rd grade homework for the two youngest girls.

Last spring, I survived being thought a troll in Buffista-land (because of my political views) and have tried to be a better neighbor (if unrepentant Republican) since.

I can generally be found (lurking, if not posting) in Literary, Natter, and Bitches.

I hope when we check in like this next year, there will a year of good news to share - or as we say in my neighborhood, "May we share only simchas."

Best wishes to Betsy and family.

I'm without permanent housing at the moment, couch surfing and spending most of my time in north Oakland, CA. Looking for work and expecting some stimulus money toward finding a permanent place.

Otherwise, I'm in good health. I've started playing music again, joining a band and making a concerted effort to get better on the guitar. Don't ask me when we're playing, though.

Betsy, that is crazy. Best of luck dealing with the paperwork bs. And hopefully something can be done to relieve the pain. I can't help but think with three of you having the problem, I wonder if it's an environmental trigger or something. I seem to recall something in the news about bad wallboard from China that outgasses and causes health problems. Or something like that?

I`m sure Betsy has investigated environmental stuff. And iirc, they did still suffer, particularly son, while on international travels. So although it would be nice if it were something simple like a sick house, I don`t think it is.