I congratulate you on your wonderful experience. It is actually rather rare to have someone sweep into your life and support you as you get better. You are quite fortunate . Friends can be as powerful as lovers. Love is love regardless of the source. You see this in the dog you have adopted. For some people even friendship is hard to find and not everyone has a supportive family. For some this forum is the support group and I think it is very powerful. There is no pettiness or comparisons. Only kindness.
Creativity is a great release. It can be accessed from many different sources-- journaling is accessible even for those who aren't naturally artistic.
Thank you for sharing your story. Every success is heartening and gives hope.
I look forward to hearing from you as you continue your journey.