Couch 209: The Kummer Couch

I am extremely allergic to cats. Like, take me to the ER kind of allergic. I don’t think they should be allowed on airplanes.

I'm going to work today even though I feel like I can't.

Bully for me.

Eff behavioural activation.

Ah, the first weather-related school closure of the season. Sigh... Hoping T will still be in the office. There's very little actual snow, and it didn't even stick to the streets in our parking lot, but it could snow a bit more later. I feel bad for H, because he'd taken today off (had some use or lose leave) to get stuff done around the house, mainly going through stuff in D's room. Which isn't going to happen with her here...

ETA: T session still on (he confirmed).

And I'm done with classes for this semester. It might have been rude of me but the professor has already said we were done, but I just got up and was the first to leave and didn't stay to hear another girl (I don't like) ask him even more questions.

Someone I know is organizing presents for kids/ adults staying over Christmas for our teaching hospital.

I've already bought some random books, (illustrated Alice in wonderland and Sherlock holmes versions), 1984, a complete collection of fairy tales, three musketeers) but was wondering what other small things would be nice?

I can go out again in the evening.

Lots of experience with living out of a hospital here. A bit lighter reading might be in order. There is honestly no way I could have had the attention, focus, or even cognitive ability because of exhaustion and stress for reading most of the books on that list, and I have a degree in English. Families and patients who are stuck in the hospital have a hard time focusing, so some higher interest reading might be nice. Puzzle books are always welcome because they keep the mind busy but are easy to put down frequently as needed. Maybe even just a decent journal for writing or sketch book or coloring books for kids (and adults) to draw in with some colored pencils to work with. There are some fantastic coloring books for adults; that would have been really nice to have as a family member or adult patient even.

Christmas concert run is completed! Woohoo! Now I can think about Christmas. Wait. What? LOL. So nice to know I can just go home in the evenings and relax now. The concerts were fantastic as always, but we were all ready to have them over with after eleven of them.

Now it's time to get my husband moving. Today marks three weeks post surgery. Time to get him out and about a bit. He is going to have to start building up his strength and stamina. I'll start taking him out for short trips to the store, etc. He's had at home PT so far, but this week he goes to out-patient. They'll push him too.

Thank you for the reply and ideas.



They also have a free library so I could dump the heavier texts there!

Awww this was lovely to read.

Sorry this was supposed to say:

"well done for putting your son first"

I agree but I'm surprised they don't give notice to other passengers.

I've never seen a support animal though.

I'm sorry you're struggling so much right now.

Did your friend stay for the afternoon to keep an eye on you?

When do you see T next? Can you get an earlier session?

Do ittttt!

How are you feeling NP?

Have you decided where you're going to stay over Christmas?

In researching this (because this is a true concern for me on the rare occasions that I fly), everything I've seen seems to prioritize the animals over the customers with allergies (which I think is backwards). It's been the customers with allergies that have been booted off of flights. Just wrong as far as I'm concerned, particularly since many of these claimed emotional support animal claims are bogus.

I've never specified my medical condition when scheduling because I never think about it at the time. And so far I've never seen a cat; it's usually small dogs which don't bother my allergies in the least. I'd probably be okayish with a cat on a plane if it was on the other end of the plane from me. I carry a rescue inhaler at all times for weird things like this, but if they can ban peanuts on a plane due to allergy concerns, I don't know why animals should be any different unless they are truly certified service animals (emotional support animals are not service animals and there is no true certification for them -- and emotional support animals are not the same thing as certified therapy animals either). Yeah, pet peeve of mine; pardon the pun.

It's ok I got it. Thank you. he had a blast. Only 1 kid commented to his friend about it and my wife was ready to kick some 8 year old butt haha but son didnt notice so all was good.

We are having snow and the entire city is going insane

I think we flew through some of that storm. Impressive at 30k feet.

New cat was a trooper throughout the flight—better than a lot of passengers I’ve seen. It was the ideal flight, half full, a whole row to ourselves. I’m glad I brought her, my mother is so happy to see her (her cat died recently on top of her physical struggles).

I am always in awe of snow panics. People are perfectly capable of dealing but don’t. They’d rather freak out.

Thank you. My friend was great, hung out with me and didn’t make me talk about it.

I’m not seeing T until Friday and he can’t see me any earlier—at the last session he said he wanted to see me twice this week but our schedules just didn’t match up.

I’m done with work now, going ice skating to kill some time.

Ugh, I feel so pathetically needy. Saw T today, session went well, was mostly talking about issues with D lately (Thursday and Friday were really rough), a little on stress about the holidays and the fact the he's away the beginning of Christmas week (I said I felt guilty saying I felt bad about that, but he said I didn't need to feel guilty), plus about how a friend who is one of my main supports lately is away indefinitely (without contact), and how I'm working to reduce drinking. He was really validating and supportive about all of it.


But then I cried the whole way home, because I just keep thinking I have Friday to see him, then am going through Christmas Eve (H's family) and Christmas (my family). So I contacted him to see if he also had anything the middle of this week. He has something Wednesday, so seeing him then, too, I think. I just feel myself starting to fall apart, and I need to try to stop that if possible (I wasn't specific in the session request, just said holiday stress). I felt like I should apologize for the extra session, but, I mean, I'm paying him (I should be apologizing to my H, which I already did, though I'm only seeing T once the week of Christmas, so it evens out). It's like I need to apologize for myself for not just being able to handle it on my own (and potentially without the support of this friend, plus T not being available for a stretch of time, plus trying to rely less on alcohol, which I'd been having success with).

If you were able to handle all this on your own, LT...you wouldn't be in therapy. It's OK to struggle, especially when family is a significant trigger for you.

Hi couch,

I`m supposed to be discharged today, just waiting for the doctor to talk to wound care and then hopefully I can leave. I`m hoping I can still see T tomorrow unless he gave away my appointment time. I talked to him for 15 minutes on the phone today and we scheduled to talk again tomorrow afternoon on the phone. That was before I knew they were going to discharge me. Supposed to see pdoc tomorrow morning too but that's already confirmed.

Today was interminable and I'm glad it's over. But the little needs a white shirt for a chorus concert tomorrow night so I have to go shopping again (insert crying tantrum emoji here) and somehow feed us too. I feel a very early bedtime is in order.

Thanks, Lost--that helps to hear.

Hi Couchies. Popping in to say Hi! I had a very busy weekend, but I did go to Disneyland! It was fun. I went solo which was fine but I ended up driving 6 hours (three there, three back) when it usually takes me four hours. UGH. I didn't stay in the park that long, only 7 hours. Then I work all this week, I see Pastor T tonight (didn't do the homework, but well, sue me) and Regular T tomorrow, and then I don't know when I am going to see either one. Regular T is moving her practice at the beginning of the year. I have the address, but she's only going to see clients two days a week at first. She has to get back onto all of the insurance panels. I don't know what her cash price is. Have to find all of this out tomorrow. I stressed out all weekend because I had sent some "upward feedback" to one of the owners of the company on Friday. She said she would read it over the weekend. Upward feedback is tricky. It's not always appreciated. I didn't want to mess anything up for myself but I was like, dang it, if no one brings it up, it's never going to get better, so I brought up the problem, suggested some solutions, and then said what I thought we were doing well at. Today I talked to the owner and she thanked me for the feedback and said she could tell I put a lot of thought and heart into it, and if it was okay with me could she share it with her husband (the other owner). I was like, yeah, that's fine. Trying to prepare for end of year. Mostly tired and want to sleep. Having to do shipping at work today too because the girl who does that is off. Holiday times so lots of people taking time off. Today is 35 days no SH. Proud of that. SO tired.....hugs all Kit

New cat and my mother are knitting together—or my mother is knitting, while new cat sits on her lap or the arm of her rocker supervising, occasionally running off with one of the balls of yarn.

I am a little disappointed because there is one paiting i painted a few years ago i think that is one of my bigger ones but its the one that everyone comments on i mean they like it. Its a deer in a snowy forest and i dont think its that good i havent even painted the deer properly as i got bored at that stage. I have much nicer work. I just dont understand what people see in it besides deer snow and lots off trees