one of those days

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nona

Senior member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
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555
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
02/2015
Country
US
State
NH
City
New London
What do you tell yourself on those days of extreme frustration and anxiety and just...grrrr... When you want to just throw in the towel?
 
I TRY to tell myself each day is different, that if today is a bad day, tomorrow may be better. So far, that seems to be working for me. If I start having bad ones more often than not, then I’ve agreed to tell myself it’s time to look into hospice or palliative care.

Other immediate strategies— put on some good music or a TV series or movie, or communicate with a friend. If there’s a particular thing that can be fixed or implemented to improve a specific problem, then that should be explored.

I hope this thread gets a lot of input because I know we all have those days.
 
Sometimes I have very dark days. I try to push myself to do something that will distract. Today I was stressed out because my housemate brought a sore throat back from Denver. My niece and brother (who needs constant supervision with dementia) are supposed to come over tomorrow. It will be my niece's last full day here and she wants to get some pool time. One thing led to another and I felt closed in and sort of in a fight or flight mode. I called a friend and we met for a game of cards. I suppose if I were confined to the house I would have gone to my room and watched a movie.

I was never a big TV person but I watch a ton of now. I also have a subscription to Apple Music and it has over 50 million songs. I just say a song and it plays on my wireless headphones so not to disturb anyone.

I always feel better if I get some sun on my eyes. It doesn't matter if it's in the pool, at poolside, on the balcony or even through the big window. The sun makes me feel better.

I also meditate, do guided imagery, and pray or listen to inspirational readings.

And to be perfectly honest, I've been known to take a Valium, some CBD oil, and slip into a peaceful nap.
 
Good question Nona! I wish I knew what to tell myself when I start crying too much. But, like Karen & Kim I try distractions. I tell myself how lucky I am to have such a good health care system and such a supportive ALS Association nearby. How glad I am to have moved to my one story house so close to my daughter and her family about 3 years before this all started. But, that doesn’t always work so I pick a great Netflix or Amazon series to binge watch all day. And rest time helps with fatigue which I think that is a major cause of my low moods. Latest fun series is Borgia!
 
Earlier this year I binge-watched all 52 episodes (6 seasons-worth) of Downton Abbey, which is available on Amazon Prime. Can’t wait for the movie.
And then I rewatched the first two seasons of Stranger Things on Netflix. Season three will be released on July 4 — can’t wait!

I never would have done that sort of thing back when I was working. But hey, we’ve earned it.
 
I have a 14 year old golden retriever Chance who suffers from severe hip and elbow dysplasia and is blind! Yet he still gets up for treats, greets people at the door with a wagging tail, will wait patiently with his head on the couch until someone comes along and helps him up. And I remember the saying "I never saw a wild thing feel sorry for itself" and I suck it up and get on with life
 
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Karen, Fred and I watched stranger things and got addicted. Can't wait.

My brother and I watched The Borgias (awkward) but we laughed through most of it. We also watched Game of Thrones for the first four seasons. He now has dementia and it's hard to really get him to keep his interest but he loves music and musicals. I plan on taking him and his wife to Rocket Man......as soon as I get rid of this horrible cold Fred gave me. I thought I had escaped it but this morning I woke at 4 and my throat was on fire. Then my nose started running and I was dizzy. Oh well, I'm now binge-watching 3% on Netflix.

I also watched some romantic comedies for the past three nights. I find that watching something positive before I go to bed helps me. I watch the bloody or scary ones during the day. I'm looking forward to Anne with an E (Netflix version of Anne of Green Gables.) First two seasons were so good and it made me feel nice to see goodness in the world.)

Brad, Chance sounds like a great dog. I wish people were more like dogs.
 
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With our other golden Angie
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Angie pilots the rv
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Oh man. That’s so beautiful, Brad. I have a similar pic of our late, beloved Sheltie JJ looking out our Monaco. Just sold the RV yesterday because of my recent diagnosis. I cried like a baby. So many good times with that coach and the dogs (and of course the loving wife!) Kevin
 
I know that feeling! Our last golden before these two died and I walked around crying for two weeks. I don't know what it is...
 
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