Okay

Serious question: with the job loss and everything else happening lately, I've had a lot of stress, which I thought I was dealing with, but I tend to 'deal' with stress by pushing it down and having somatic issues where I express it as bodily pain, plus I get anxiety that just builds and I want to just curl up in a ball and shut out the world. I need to learn better coping skills. How do you deal with releasing your stress in a healthy way? Exercise helps some, and I'm working towards being able to do that better. Meditation sounds great, but I find that to be difficult. What other activities would you suggest?

I am up way too early post-election night

And feel a bit like I suspect a hangover might feel like (I've never had one, actually). Apparently the big ball in sky came up and even though it's cloudy it woke me up at my normal time, even then I didn't get to bed till after 3 am, after all the speeches and with some discomfort with the transition to normal acetaminophen for my pain.

I'm still very happy about the election last night. And I am SO happy all the e-mails asking for support will finally abate. I am so glad it's over. $6 billion for this whole thing, giving us basically the status quo just seems a bit over the top. And I'm sure a lot of people are NOT happy, as about half the country voted the other way, but I know libertarians and progressives alike who were so unhappy with either candidate. One of my friends was one of the 6,000 or so who voted for the Green candidate in Kentucky, for example. But I think most people chose between the two candidates.

I'm actually watching politics on TV, something I almost never do. It's basically a bunch of hung-over pundits interviewing hung-over candidates, as I think everyone today is tired, too. :) The amount of work that goes into these campaigns is mind-boggling. It's got to be a great elation to win, a horrible disappointment to lose, when you've worked so hard, and then there's the inevitable crash everyone goes through as things regroup and focus returns to the work at hand.

Well, I think it's time to eat breakfast. I have PT today and a friend may come over to visit. Another may go pick up a package for me and take my library books in, as those were the two things I didn't get done yesterday (in truth, I totally forgot about the books, but I'm afraid they were minor compared to the appointment and bank). Tomorrow one of my co-workers is going to pick up my laundry and do it for me. I really appreciate how helpful and supportive everyone has been. I get down sometimes, and they cheer me up. There are certain things I just can't do for myself, and they help me out. On the other hand, I've been fairly good at things. I dropped half a bottle of vitamins yesterday and picked up every single one of them with my good foot. Thank goodness I use children's multivitamins in animal shapes, as that was much easier than if they'd been smooth megacapsules. :) It's little frustrations, like the day the toilet paper went flying out of my hands across the room, that I've been having to deal with, but I've managed so far. I do need someone to get the paper towel roll out from under the table. I forgot to get Brenda to do that, and she'd done so much yesterday, even taking my trash out for me. I have good friends. Thank you so much.

I was at the doctor's for 2 1/2 hours today

but I was running behind by about 15 minutes, so we were both having issues. I spent the majority of it in one of the exam rooms on an uncomfortable chair; I really would have rather waited in the lobby. But Dr Nesbitt was apologetic, they were apparently having one of 'those days'. He's the only one in the practice and I like him too much (among other things, I like that he's Canadian--I don't know why) to really be annoyed. Anyway, I brought in my Excel chart of my blood sugar readings and he put me on Avandia in addition to the Glucophage (metformin) and Januvia. My evening readings are pretty good (tonight's was 127) but my morning ones are still high, although not as high as they were.

I had an appointment with my new therapist for the first time yesterday. I gave him the high (or low, depending on how you look at it) points of my life with my family, with my ex-husband and his partner, and life since that. It was a little overwhelming, although I asked if if I'd scared him and he said no. He said he thought it was very interesting and would continue to be so. I got the impression of an explorer coming upon a mountain to climb or a new continent. Somehow that should bother me, but it doesn't. I guess because I get to be a part of it. I see him again on Tuesday. This is the the fifth social worker I've tried, but the first man. He seems to have good professional boundaries and doesn't seem likely to jump to conclusions like the others. If it doesn't work out the practice also has a couple of psychologists, although they're harder to get in to see. I already have homework, to come up with a list (it doesn't have to be long) of coping mechanisms I'd like to work on and make more functional, like eating when stressed, or sleeping when stressed. I do both of those. I also forget anything unpleasant, hoard, and pick at myself. Sounds a little crazy, hmm?

Well, it's off to do laundry and notes. Cerys is lapping up the last of the remains of my fish, potatoes, and vegetables. Good night.