Health~ma would be appreciated. My body isn't very good at fighting infections. I've picked one up and I've helpfully been ignoring it since Friday. Yesterday it got really bad and now I'm being sent to a walk-in centre at the hospital, because out-of-hours doctors only make house calls "in extreme circumstances", and being disabled and too unwell to move apparently doesn't count. So now I have to go and sit in a cold waiting room full of sick people who could infect me further. Nice. No-more-pain~ma particularly appreciated!

Ginger, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's brother. Many good thoughts for his family. How wonderful of his sister to take his children into her home. There are good people in this world.

Zenkitty, thinking of you. Depression spirals are hell. Do you have a good doctor? They should be able to make suggestions. You may need a different anti-depressant, rather than a higher dose. There are also options that aren't antidepressants - my miracle drug was a bipolar med that they also sometimes give to unipolar types. You could get your doc to explore the more unusual options with you. Much ~ma for you.

Curing depression with pain. You could probably sell that idea on the talk show circuit!

Heh. It sometimes works for me!

Another good day. Wallybee's uncle (her father's younger brother) and his wife is in town. Their son, Wallybee's cousin, lives in Melbourne too. He and his wife had a little girl a couple of months after Ryan was born, so the grandparents are visiting.

We had them all over for lunch today, serving steak diane. The two babies played together, or at least adjacent. Wallybee's parents were especially happy to talk with family from home. (I understood almost nothing, especially since they spoke Shanghainese a lot of the time, but I believe exchange rates came up at one time. Wallybee's uncle runs an export business, so they're of interest to him.)

so now I have a very happy family. Even Ryan seemed in better spirits than usual after having so much attention lavished on him (and he's normally a very good-natured baby). A happy family makes for a happy billytea.

None of this explains why I was watching Scrubs - Medical School, but it serves as a corrective at least.

Much ~ma to the many Buffistas in need thereof.

I'm glad you had a good family day, BT.

I just got up, and I'm eating breakfast. Did you know that if you slice open a stale scone, slather it with butter, and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds, the result is reminiscent of shortbread? That's the sort of discovery I like to have at the beginning of the day.

I have antibiotics. And an ongoing kidney stone problem, apparently. Another EDS hazard, I'm told. Hurrah. We're ordering curry and I'm doped up on dihydrocodeine.

Yay for a happy Ryan and family!

Did you know that if you slice open a stale scone, slather it with butter, and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds, the result is reminiscent of shortbread?

I'm going to try this.

Fuck cancer. Much ~ma to your BFF, those kids, and all who loved the man, Ginger.

Zenkitty, if there is any possibility that there is a seasonal component to your depression, it may simply get worse in the later part of winter or spring. It takes some people that way. In which case, getting out more in whatever sun is available may help. Another thing to ponder is your vitamin D levels, especially if you have aches and pains. Also, if at all possible, please do talk to your doctor - that weight gain does not sound like the typical "not as young as you used to be" spread. I'm thinking thyroid issues, but there are other possibilities as well. If your regular physical includes the run of the mill TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), you might want to ask the doctor to test specifically for T3 and T4 (actual amounts of thyroid hormones).

ETA: a sentence fragment, to make it actually coherent.

Seska, I'm glad they could help you. Boo on the kidney stone - and lots of ~ma to you in passing it.

RIght -- it could be infection-related or post-infectious asthma.

I once had what they were referring to as "virally induced asthma." We did the steamy lookin' thing in the ER, put me on 'roids for a week, used inhalers for a while and eventually, thankfully, blessedly, it went away. My month of active asthma several years ago still makes me boggle at how people live with that hanging over (and crashing on) their heads all the time. Go to the doctor.

Zen, its really easy to get zero exercise when its cold out and that is no help. Even bundling up and just walking around the block two or three times a day can help your poor bwain start humming again.

~ma for Ginger's friend and Fuck Cancer! New Boy's dad just got diagnosed this week with prostate cancer.

Zen, Deplin is a vit D derivative, yes? Maybe you need more due to the winter. I was doing some SAD research and it was often mentioned that getting outside for a 15 min walk daily without sunscreen can really help. That said, I am right with you on the spiral. Going through another med taper and goodness only knows what the doc will try next.

Seska, I hope you feel better soon.

It's a lovely balmy day. The cats are basking on the porch. New Boy is coming over for brunch and hanging out, and then tonight I'm going to see a funny Romanian vampire movie.

Much love to Ginger's friend Seska too.

(I almost typed that Sexsa.)

(I almost typed that Sexsa.)

An typo that is often a source of amusement.

Edited because I noticed I wrote 'an typo'. Which is a bit funny so I shall leave it in.