The "I'm not doing so well" thread

[retrobikeguy]

The dog keeps me happy, she's a 3 year old cocker, but she has just been diagnosed with epilepsy and is costing a fortune in vet fees, I'd pay it as she is my little baby but it's so upsetting when she has an episode.

Were int pub now, taking a break!

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

View attachment 580158Life could be worse. You could be me. Dog sitting a 5 month old pedigree spaniel that is mental. Really. Arthur is very confused by this little lunatic. Think TAZ from the cartoons. Only time she was vaguely quiet was between 3 and 5 am this morning and for 30 mins after being walked for two hours.

She goes home tomorrow. It’s going to be a long 24 hours. Can you give a dog Ritalin?

*YOUR* life could be worse... you get to send her home tomorrow... Dearest THM, meet Dugg!

Dugg is a spaniel. Dugg is 13 weeks old. Dugg requires no sleep. Dugg loves you. Dugg moved in 5 weeks ago.

Dugg requires no sleep....

 

[retrobikeguy]

I like dugg, dugg won't let you get bored, depressed or unloved

What's your problem @My_Teenage_Self

 

[Gtpulse]

Well done to the folk who have summoned up the courage or dug deep to get something down in words on this thread. Anything we do to raise awareness and reduce stigma of mental well-being is a step (or a pedal!) in the right direction. Talking and checking in are the first best things we can do for each other in this format.
Some of the stuff I’ve picked up over the years and have in my armoury *none of this is professional stuff it’s just my thoughts and what worked for me, sharing ideas not giving advice, we’re all unique!
- take time for yourself regularly no matter what form that takes, whether it’s pedal and a coffee, a walk and a pint or just listening to music/reading a book - that time is not selfish, its not weird, it’s just what gives you the mind space you need to be your best self.
- don’t take on the burden of others if you aren’t in the best place yourself - it’s not selfish it’s self preservation - you can’t help them if you aren’t in the best place yourself
- nothing wrong with medication - if you were diagnosed with diabetes you’d think nothing of taking medication as prescribed for life if necessary - it should be the same for mental well-being - granted it can take time for this to settle down or the right meds found but stick at it
- find someone who is happy to listen, really listen without judging or trying to fix you
- I find that dealing with the endless variables of people all day at work that going out in the garage and playing with bits of bikes is the perfect medication. For me metal stuff either works or it doesn’t, then there’s usually a way of fixing it. If that’s not possible a lump hammer makes it much less of an issue

 

[widowmaker]

Wise words Gtpulse !

 

[The History Man]

@My_Teenage_Self loving dug. He walks on water. This is favour for a friend. The real whirlwind arrives Friday. Three quarters springer one quarter Labrador. Meet Olive.

 

[The History Man]

Our friend likes photoshop. But which is olive? These are all her family.

Answers on a postcard……..

 

[KermitGKona88]

The one near Cruellas foot would be my guess...

I wave at cats...

 

[2manyoranges]

Oh boy I can only send my best wishes to you all. I'm not having a great time myself. I spent most of 2020 shielding due to being on the extremely clinically vulnerable list. Then my cancer also decided to return, it's not curable but treatable.
I was lucky I am able to work from home and my work place is very supportive. Treatment was going well and I was able to get out when lockdown was eased.
Then in June my father in law died suddenly. So we've been travelling Somerset regularly to support mother in law.
My employer organised a BBQ in September as a welcome back for the staff (most of us have been working from home) This included some team sports, during one I did my ankle in. I had to pick my wife up from Somerset so I strapped my ankle up and went to get her. When I got back I had to go for a blood test, while I was at the hospital I though I'd go into A&E about my ankle. Turns out I'd ruptured my achilles tendon and was immediately put in plaster. I'm going to be in plaster for months.
Just so fed up and frustrated it seems to be one thing after the other. I'm now stuck at home again. I haven't been on a bike for over a year. Turns out the cancer treatment my have weakened my tendons and muscles. Finding it hard to stay positive.

That’s a grim series of things, SLL. One of those alone is enough to turn down the enjoyment of life a couple of notches and turn the stress knob up by the same amount. Achilles’ tendon injuries are best diagnosed quickly and if they get onto to it fast, that’s a very good thing. A skier friend fo mine really mangled his, and although he was six months in plaster it repaired really well. Really sorry that the treatment for cancer has been so debilitating...but I wonder if the way that cycling works could make good times still a possibility: I had a ‘big one’ where someone hit me and broke my spine. A stable fracture fortunately. But they also had separated my shoulder. I was a long time in recovery. I got back on the bike and it just depressed me deeply. No strength. No balance. No way was I anywhere near my previous level of performance or fitness. I didn’t go out for weeks. But then I realised I had the wrong mindset. I just needed to do as much as I could. If that was a flat gravel cycleway for 15 minutes and then a rest, then that would be it. And that became satisfying. That’s the great thing about cycling, you can just sit there and put in a tiny pedal input, and you are away. It doesn’t need to be up an impossible climb. After a while my body responded and that did my mind and mental space so much good. I realised that I needed to think of my previous cycling as the past. I could have died that day I got hit. So I began to think that this was not the same life - I was leading a new one, and it was getting better in small, small steps.

 

[2manyoranges]

View attachment 580230@My_Teenage_Self loving dug. He walks on water. This is favour for a friend. The real whirlwind arrives Friday. Three quarters springer one quarter Labrador. Meet Olive.

THM you do realise that the worldwide Conspiracy of Dogs has been going brilliantly since it was conceived by the canine species in pre-History. Don’t t let those Doe Eyes fool you - she is thinking: ‘….this is going perfectly…I need to report back to Dog Central…I have reeled them in and have them caught…human 0011556666ABg* is now hooked please record this in the new database. From now on all I need to do is eat, sleep and enjoy the central heating. Perfect. I will make sure I chase a stick to please them, and try not to get too muddy…just enough to make them really care….’