Hiatuses or Hiati?? . . . Reasons for Optimism . . . Or Not

Mental Mealth Monday

Hiatus Is Over

After multiple hiati * over the past couple months, my blog is back--I think--with some degree of reliability. ***
* Plural form of hiatus, according to my crack team of Latin root consultants, who shall remain anonymous. **
** Ruthie Timm & Rev. Al Wollenburg. Sorry--it's my OCD that drives my need to document.
*** "Reliability" in the sense of "somewhat regularly scheduled." I cannot confirm the "reliability" of the content or commentary contained herein, other than to point out that my documentation from other sources is always found within quotation marks. **** As far as you know.

Reasons for Optimism

I've been blogging fairly consistently about the "slump" that I've experienced since April. Over the past couple weeks there are signs that I may be slowly climbing out of this slump. Reasons?

• At my last appt w/my psychiatrist, "we" decided to add another psychotropic medication to my list. CAVEAT:  Relying on medications to the exclusion of lifestyle changes can be a crutch, but mood disorders definitely have a basis in organic, brain chemistry, so this was worth a shot. 
• Time spent with family: {1} Two weekends ago we joined with members of the Leckband family as my brother Mark's dual parishes in Garrison & Shellsburg, IA, celebrated his 20th anniversary of ministry. I enjoyed two pieces of rhubarb-custard pie, one at dinner & one at the reception. {2} Last week Lois & I took our grand-daughters Brianna & Hadley "camping" at Mahoney State Park. Highlights included the water park, a hike to the top of the observation tower. {3} Excursion to Wildlife Safari; & {4} "Shoot-Out at Sadie's Saloon, the WED night melodrama.
• From Omaha World Herald (7/11):  "Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo marked its millionth visitor July 3, hitting the target earlier in the year than in any previous year." [OUR zoo can--figuratively speaking--run rings around YOUR zoo.]
• Also from OWH (4/28):  "Dog walking linked to better health for senior citizens. Walking is the most common form of physical activity for people over age 60, & it's good for them. It's linked to a lower risk of heart disease, & it can improve leg strength & increased endurance." [Two weeks ago I began joining Lois for nightly walks w/Sammy . . . something I'd been reluctant to do since my hip replacement last March. I worried that I would be unable to control him if we had a "dog encounter", putting too much strain on my hip joint, * but it was time to "take the plunge." ** ] Last night {7/31} Lois, Sammy & I walked TWO long blocks . . . my longest walk w/the dog on the leash since before my hip replacement.
• During our recent trip, which included travels in Iowa & Nebraska, we added two license plates to our roster:  Rhode Island--a perennial obstacle--& West Virginia. That leaves us with Connecticut, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Vermont. These present significant challenges, but we have five more months to go, & at least two, maybe three more significant road trips.

* Dept. of Flimsy Excuses

** Dept. of Trite Metaphors

Reasons to be Pessimistic, Anxious, Depressed

1. Could anything have been more depressing than the RNC & DNC? Seriously, if you are a Republican, can you be happy with your nominee? Seriously, if you are a Democrat, unless you are delusional or a sheep, can you be happy with your nominee? I had promised myself before my last hiatus that besides avoiding my blog I was also going to avoid any other posts on FB, but after WED night * of the DNC I posted about it anyway, calling it a "gagfest" & labeling Philadelphia the "City of Brotherly Love except for Cops."  I apologize IF I offended anyone.
2. Today (MON 8/1) is the first day of faculty mtgs at both LHNE & CLS. As you know--unless you're a first time reader of my blog, ** I went on an indefinite medical leave from LHNE in November 2014. In March 2015 I was informed by my Board that I was no longer in their future administrative plans. *** Despite being allowed to write devotionals for the LHNE Daily Announcements from Lent through the end of the '14-15 school year, plus one last edition of Prayer Partners, & being told that I would be able to keep writing devotionals, I was informed in August 2015 that the Board had decided that it was in both the school's & my best interests to "cut ties" with me. That really hurt.
3. I share this for several reasons. {a} I continue to solicit your prayers on my behalf, because I continue to struggle to make peace with this turn of events. {b} As per a mental health issue, there are times when this weighs heavy on me to the point of spiraling me into a depressive state. I think this is what happened to me back in April. Now that I seem to be climbing back out of one, I worry that the beginning of the school year may send me into another depressive cycle. ****
4. From Norfolk Daily News (7/26): "Traveling wake. A woman who drove her husband's body on a days-long traveling wake in Alaska & used ice from canneries to keep him cold is not accused of breaking any laws . . . " [I technically couldn't use this for a future "Criminal Minds" feature, because this woman was not "accused of breaking any laws." However, I could obsess re:  how my long-suffering spouse may choose to treat my corpse after I am no longer of this world.]

* If memory serves me correctly . . . always an adventure, as you well know.

** For which you have my sympathy.

*** Which decision could have been handled better, although it was probably for the best.

**** "O ye of little faith." When I read that particular scripture, I know that Jesus was/is speaking directly to Paul Leckband.