Still alive.

[baratron]

I am alive. Coping with the hiatus hernia. Perhaps in a one damned thing after another sort of way. Still, the symptoms have all improved dramatically since I started eating much smaller meals and stopping before I feel full.

Now if my chronic fatigue and pain would kindly sod off, I'd be a lot happier. My legs have been useless for weeks now and I need to talk to my doctor about medication. My left knee in particular hurts if I rest, hurts if I walk, hurts if I stretch, hurts if I sit. Frankly, I can't figure out what doesn't aggravate the bloody thing.

It has been a dreadful year all round. Not least of all politically - as Richard pointed out today, when did the language of the far right become the ordinary way to describe things? And that's even without all the normal stresses of being a queer disabled woman that were already present before politics veered horrendously over to Farageland and Trumpsville.

Most of the good things that have happened this year have involved music, travel, or my partners. Sometimes at the same time. I haven't been well enough to travel much, but Grant came here in February, all 3 of us went to Boston in May to see Freezepop, Richard & I went to the Download Festival in June (and got thoroughly rained on), and I went to see Grant at his new home in Rochester, NY in September. We also saw ext_890197 and veryfineredwine, for the first time since I went to Boston to pick up wedding rings. I haven't written anything in livejournal about visiting Grant because it was quite honestly the only week in the past six months that I was not completely exhausted and ill. (Also, it was a 12-day trip including travel, so that gives you some idea of the health).

Richard is now in several bands, including one called Amps at Eleven. (There is a heavy metal umlaut on one of the Es, but I can't remember which one). They have actually done gigs recently, which is more than his other two bands are likely to ever accomplish. I sent text messages to everyone who I thought might like a classic rock covers band and be conceivably able to get to Raynes Park on a Tuesday night, but in the end only pilot_moondog came. Still, it was good to see Shaun.

I need to make a list of all the gigs I have been to this year. It seems like the only time I ever leave the house is for (a) a medical appointment, (b) to buy cake, (c) to see a band. It's crazy how many people who live in London I haven't seen in 3+ years. I miss having a fuller life. Doing something other than sitting up at night playing Elder Scrolls Online.

Don't get me wrong. I love my ESO Guild and my friends from our Teamspeak. But I'd like it to be A thing that I do rather than THE thing that I do. One of several ways that I hang out with friends, rather than the only one.

Who's still on livejournal? Am I going to be forced to start a Facebook account just so that I can still talk to people?

Comments

[emperor]

I am still on LJ :) 2016 has been pretty crappy, hasn't it?

[36.livejournal.com]

I've recently returned. Sorry to hear that you're strugglong with chronic illness, glad some good things happened too.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Still reading, although not posting much.

[stellarwind.livejournal.com]

For some reason I still regularily check this place even though you're basically the only person on my LJ list who still exists. But then, the definitions of science and madness alike are trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It is a little known fact that Sheogorath, in fact, rocks a lab coat, but chooses not to as it's not nearly purple enough and never made with quite the eright amount of cheese!

[tiger-spot.livejournal.com]

::waves::

[erik]

I'm still here.

[nitoda]

Sorry - I have a reminder set to check LJ weekly but apparently I haven't checked since the November postings you made as I hadn't seen them. Mea culpa. Yours is one of two journals I have the intention of keeping up with. Clearly my intentions are inadequate.
I was so sorry to hear about the health, but not surprised as I had expected that the reason you stopped posting in the summer was health related. Would it have helped if I had emailed to enquire about how you were doing or would that just have been caused workload to reply?
We've been in Devon for a year now. Mike has his own flat and his support workers can come and go through his front door without me even knowing they are there. Independence is looming ... but we're awaiting the result of a care needs assessment and keeping our fingers crossed for continuing funded support.
Starting a Facebook account may not be the answer - I find it hard to keep up with everyone I know that way, even though they post - the volume of stuff is incredible and the way it's organised is shambolic.
Hugs.

[baratron.livejournal.com]

A year already? Well, no wonder I'm missing you so badly!

Grant arrives on 17th December and will be here until 1st January. It would be awesome if I could introduce you to him. However, we have a ton of plans already (which have become overcomplicated and are themselves eating spoons, more to follow in a post). Also I understand you have a visiting Shaun between Christmas and New Year. So I'm not sure that anything will be possible, unless we hire a car for another day and drive to Devon (is that even do-able in a day? I am bad at geography).

[nitoda]

Driving to Devon from Kingston according to Google maps would be 3.5 hours - 151 miles. Each way. So a long drive time. Shaun, Nye and Linda are all staying between 28th and 30th; Linda arrives on 27th, leaving on 31st. We have enough room for them but couldn't provide a bed for you while they are all here. Outside those times we could accommodate three of you. We are away from 7-14 Jan. There are trains if that makes travelling easier and we can pick up from Teignmouth station or Newton Abbot station - dunno about getting the wheelchair into the car though. Have no experience with local taxis.
Big hugs!

[nitoda]

Oops - meant to add that Shaun and Nye don't leave until 2nd!

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Yeah... It's just too frickin' far. Apparently it would be almost 2 hours drive from Richard's dad's house. I do not have spoons in those kind of quantities. Especially not considering all the other things we are supposed to be doing.

[nitoda]

I suspected as much. Never mind - if/when you have the spoons we'll still be here. Big hugs

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

I am still here and still writing, although not as consistently as I used to.

Yay for a visiting Grant!