Update After Inpatient Treatment and Holiday Reflections

Hi everyone. I guess the whole manic thing got the better of me, as I am just out of 12 days in inpatient treatment. On new meds now, so hoping for the best. I missed family Thanksgiving, so we are having our Thanksgiving this Friday. I am still mad about that ex-friend thing. But there isn't a lot I can do about it, so I am just going to let it go. Really, it is just sad for her that she feels she doesn't have enough trauma of her own that she has to borrow mine. While I was in the hospital, my mom put up the Xmas tree without me. That bugged me a little too, but it's done and that is that. I am trying to learn to just let things go. When I was in the hospital, I had a bag leak and that was really embarrassing. They didn't really know what to do to help me. Not even how to go about putting a fresh bag on. So it is a good thing I know how to do that for myself. They didn't even know what supplies I needed to make a bag change. My mom had dropped off some of my supplies and they all stood around watching me change the bag and then getting me some clean clothes to wear. Just shows that apparently where I live, ostomies must not be something people run into. So I taught them a lot. However, my stoma must have been feeling really shy while I was in there because it hardly produced anything at all for the whole time I was in there. Granted, I had a lot of trouble trying to eat anything, so much so that they started giving me a high-protein Ensure every day I was there. I prefer Glucerna because it is more diabetic-friendly, but I made do with what they gave me. How was everyone else's Thanksgiving? Looking forward to Christmas? I already know what I am getting for Christmas, so it is a little anti-climactic. But no one knows what I am giving people but me. So that will be my excitement.

Lee

Hi, I am glad that you're feeling better and back on the site. I hope you can continue to let things go. I celebrated my birthday and Thanksgiving Sunday with my family. Have a happy celebration. Take care of yourself.

Hello Lee.
Thank you so much for your update and I'm pleased that you are now feeling better.

Thank you also for the concept of 'learning to let things go'. I am always on the lookout for new concepts for my rhymes, and this one sounds ideal.
I don't know exactly when it will get written, as I am quite busy at present, but when completed I will try to remember to post it on here.

PS: Writing is my method of 'letting go'.

Best wishes

Bill

{{{Hugs}}}

Welcome back - sounds like you have been through a lot. Hopefully, your stay was helpful and YAY on you for educating those around you on life as an ostomate - and a “hands-on demonstration.” It is such a “hush hush” deal we are seemingly forced to live with, isn't it? The good news is I think this too shall pass just like many stigmas of the past.

Anyway, hugs to you as you move forward. Hopefully, everyone on this site will give you a boost from time to time….

Remember, music and laughter are the best medicine - give it a try today - just sing 🎼 You've got a friend in me by the world-famous Kermit the Frog…. a favorite feel-good song of mine…. hugs to you, jb

Hello,

What a powerful thing "letting it go" that should bring some peace in the mind. I'm glad you are doing better.

Wish you well!

Just wanted to say hello and wish you well. 😊 Since you asked about Xmas… I am definitely looking for Christmas to be a pick-me-up this year, so I'm trying to get into the spirit. Glad you're looking forward to gift-giving too, I'm sure it will be a blast 🎅

Hi. I'm glad that you are feeling better. Take care of yourself, and one day at a time.

Hey Lee,

Welcome back. Now in the future, folks at the inpatient center will know how to handle a stoma since you taught them.

It's never good to hold "stuff" inside. Best to let it go. After 37 years of marriage, I've learned this:

Better to agree than always be right.

Take care

Welcome back, Lee. Glad to hear you are doing better.

We had a nice Thanksgiving here. Our middle son joined us from Seattle, and that helped make things even better. I was planning on skipping Christmas this year, but he is coming back for it. So, I guess I will gladly endure another one. He is also going to London with us at the end of January. So, we will get to spend a lot more time with him. Why are we going to London in January? For some reason unbeknownst to me, one of my wife's nieces decided that the first week of February would be a good time to get married in London. Who knows. At least there shouldn't be crowds at the British Museum, which is high on my list of places to see before it's all over. :-)

Daniel

Thanks. I am glad to be back. I love it here. Did you have a good meal and company for your bday and tday? Did you get any cool presents?

Lee

Writing is my way of communicating. I find it hard to verbally say things when I am not so well, but I can write a river.

I would love to see your poem on letting go. I am sure it will be brilliant!

Lee

Thanks, can always use hugs!

Lee

The only Kermit the Frog song I know is "Rainbow Connection." Lol

Lee

I would like to have some peace in my mind. I do need to try to let go of more things without letting go of my mind.

Lee

I need to have a good Xmas this year because straight away after I am facing 2 surgeries. 

I love shopping, so I am all about Christmas. 

Lee

Yep, one day, sometimes one hour, and occasionally one minute at a time.

Plus, also one med dose at a time.

Lee

Yes, I think that I helped them learn about stoma care, but they were a bit odd. They chose to throw away the washcloths that I used to clean up the stoma and the area around it instead of washing them and using them again. They made me put everything in a biohazard trash bag, and they just threw it all away. I wonder, next time someone is there who has a stoma, will they remember everything I taught them? The process varies for each person and how they do changes, but I think they got the rough basics. I was just glad they let me keep the belt that holds the bag on and the wrap that I wear for support since I have three hernias. The general rules on a psych unit are no belts, no shoelaces, nothing of that matter. But they let me keep both. I would have had a cow if they had taken the belt away.

Lee

Wow, that is great, traveling. I wish you luck with security at the airports. Glad you will get to do something special while in London. Weddings are cool. I have only ever been to one, but the bride had a beautiful dress, like a fairytale. Do tell us about your trip when you come back. I would love to hear about all the things you get to see there. Museums are great. You can learn a lot there.

Lee

Just family, I did enjoy my time with them. I had ribs, salad, and baked potato. I had dessert but was too full, so I gave it to my son. I brought plenty back for my meal the next day. I got some nice gifts. Merry Christmas 🤶.

Glad you're back. Always remember you're not alone. We're all here with you.

Hello Lee.
I'm not sure about being 'brilliant', as I don't think any of my work can be described in such terms. I tend to just write whatever's on my mind and hope that it captures the concept reasonably well.
Anyway, your concept of 'learning to let things go' is perfect for my present book with the title of 'WHEXT'(volume2), which is a shortened version of WHat nEXT.
I will post it separately as well as here because Admin has asked me to post all my rhymes in 'social talk', so that they automatically get copied into my 'collection'. That helps me to recall what I have posted and what I've forgotten to post.

I do hope you enjoy this one.
Best wishes

Bill

LEARN TO LET THINGS GO.

I’ve been reminded just today
by a post that’s come my way,
something that I already know
that I should learn to let things go.

This is a good piece of advice 
for, it is never very nice
to bottle bad things up inside
as they cause stress, we cannot hide.

The more we think about bad things
the more we get emotional swings,
and focussing on what is grot
rarely ever improves our lot.

It’s not easy to let things go
and we don’t let our feelings show,
especially when things bother us
and we would like to make a fuss.

But going down that path can be 
a route  towards more misery,
for following what turns you on
doesn’t make the problems gone.

It’s likely to exaggerate
those things we cannot tolerate,
so, it will not eliminate
and bad things will then dominate.

This ‘letting go’, is a learned skill,
which when learned, quite often will
help us to move along in life
and leave behind some of our strife. 

So every time we feel depressed
or we feel we’re getting stressed,
we should practice ‘letting go’
and let some better feelings grow.
  
                                                B.Withers 2023

Awe, I am so glad to hear that you had a good time and got nice presents. It's great when you can celebrate and the focus is not on your ostomy. It sounds like you ate a lot of good foods. I can only eat peeled potatoes. I really miss potato skins with cheese and bacon and sour cream and chives.

Lee

Well, as it turns out, I am feeling manic again, so I am not sure exactly what is going on in my brain. I am hoping I don't have to go back in the hospital. Managing an ostomy on a psych ward is stressful.

Lee

That is so well put, Bill. You have a way with words. I am still trying to let some stuff go, but it is very hard, especially with worrying about medical issues. I think I am over my mom putting up the tree without me, even though in the past that has been a family activity. But even though I know that what is going to happen with my medical stuff is going to happen, I still can't give up the worry. I can't let go of that. But you have given me something to think about.

Thank you

Lee

I hope your surgeries go well. I'm sure you'll have a great Christmas. I love shopping too, just a little too addicted to online, lol.

They still haven't scheduled either surgery. Someone told me that people are booked up a lot because it is the end of the year and that has something to do with insurance. So a lot of people want to get their surgeries in before the first of next year rolls around. I guess it's no emergency or they would be seeing to my surgery. Only me being miserable.

Lee

Hi Mysteri Mose

I've been to the British Museum twice, you are in for a treat 😀

Hope the wedding goes well and it's not too inclement... enjoy it

Roz