Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

[NatureLover]

Sorry you've been low, @Dimity . I expect your cold's not helping. How is your cold?

That's great you've been able to chip away despite feeling low. 2 boxes and a bag is excellent, well done. 

I woke up not coping today, so won't be at work. 

[Dimity]

Oh dear @NatureLover is it your asthma? Or feeling low? I hope you rally later today.

My cold is lingering a bit but not serious. 

Last night I sorted another box so I got 3 boxes and a bag to the opshop today. My helper suggested a break herself - she's going on holiday - so I'll ponder my next steps. 

Take care. Our progress isn't always linear, sometimes we need to rest and regroup.

[NatureLover]

Somehow I missed your message, @Dimity 😣

Sorry your cold is lingering. 

3 boxes and bag, well done!

I woke up not coping on Monday - I sometimes do. Hoping to wake up feeling I can cope with work on Thursday. I admit that all year I've had a sneaking feeling that I'm not up to the stress of work. I rallied after I missed a month, but it didn't last long. Oh well. 

I've just been notified that I have an Electical Safety Check next Tuesday. I'm treating it like an inspection although not quite as thorough. It's new company doing it, and they report to the landlord, so it has to be neat and clean. Am stressed. 

Is it good that your helper is going on holiday, if you're not sure whether to continue with her? 

Thanks for your kind words. I hope that you've been feeling stronger 🤞

[Dimity]

Your new shelving might make preparing for inspection a lot easier @NatureLover . But it's not much notice for you.

I'm sorry to hear that work stresses you - it's always sounded like a good use of your talents, and a safe way of getting out and seeing colleagues without too much agoraphobia. Retirement can be very isolating. 

My helper had been reducing sessions and hasn't helped with decluttering as such but I hadn't known that she was planning an interstate holiday, and to wind up forthwith unless I decide to contact her again in future. So I'm back to being completely cut off - I don't see anyone or speak to anyone. (I'm unsure of the new psychologist.) So I'm fairly miserable.

I'm stuck in clutter and noticing that things need repair and renovation but I don't seem to have the capacity to fix them. I can't even deal with some of my admin (including medical admin stuff) at the moment. 

Thursday tomorrow.  I hope you can face work. Or if not that you can get ready for the inspection.  Take care.

[NatureLover]

Sorry for the delay in replying, @Dimity  - 2 very busy full-on days on Thursday and Friday. I'm still missing my early-morning slot for the forums too 😣

So sorry you feel miserable and isolated. Will you contact that helper after she comes back from holiday, do you think?

And did you have a second psychologist appt this week?

Usually the Electrical Safety and Smoke Detector checks only give you a day's notice, so I was glad to receive a week's notice. 

Yes, am reluctant to leave work as I get a lot out of it. I would feel bereft without it. But I do find it a lot to cope with, and seem to be taking more mental health days off than ever before. 

I did manage work on Thursday and it was a good day till 4pm when one of the staff had a medical episode. So I stayed an hour extra till 5 to mind the phones. I'm still behind at work but slowly catching up. I was out all Friday from 8.15 till 5pm on errands and a long lunch with a friend. Came home exhausted. 

There seems to be so much medical paperwork for you, oh dear. Good luck facing it 🤞

[Dimity]

I hope you're feeling OK @NatureLover after that busy end to the week, straightening the house over the weekend and work again today. Are you over your asthma yet? Perhaps the wind has exacerbated it. 

My cold is lingering. It's been 4 weeks.

Yes I see the psychologist this week,  also my specialist. 

I haven't decided whether to chase up the helper.  I'd like help but not if she's reluctant. 

I hope the electrical safety check isn't too problematic for you. Do you feel ready for it?

[NatureLover]

Hi @Dimity , I'm sitting here sort-of ready for the Electrical Safety Check. I ran out of time for scrubbing the shower and cleaning the verandah, but I hid the dusty outside chair in the back garden. I'm exhausted and sore. But it was lucky as the power came back on in time for me to do the vacuuming! 

Yes, the wind exacerbates my asthma. (As does vacuuming.) I'm sorry your cold has lasted 4 weeks. Sounds unfortunately like mine. Maybe you caught mine! 😃

I agree, it's not nice if your helper is reluctant. 

I've stopped to eat something and rest, as I've been awake since 4.50am. Then I might sweep the verandah (the window is from 11 - 2 for the check). 

I hope both your psychologist appt and your specialist appt go well this week 🤞

[Dimity]

Hope the power outage didn't spoil your frozen food @NatureLover . 

Well done on preparing for the ESC, I hope it's all behind you now.

My cold & cough come & go. Maybe it's overlapping with seasonal rhinitis. Sorry to hear your asthma is still around. Years back someone told me in families with allergies people tend to get either asthma or dermatitis but you seem to have both. Are your hands any better?

[NatureLover]

Hi @Dimity , guess what - I'm up at the computer early - back in my normal routine at last! Well, today is only the first day...

I'm not sure what to do about my frozen food. 

My hands aren't dermatitis (I think). They're not good at the moment. It's too much handwashing plus my Excoriation Disorder. 

My house is nice and neat - I'm enjoying that. I still want to scrub the shower and clean up the verandah though. 

I'm interested to see what you decide to do about your new psychologist, after your second appt. 

How are you doing with walking now? 

[Dimity]

I'm so glad you're getting back to routines @NatureLover and enjoying a nice neat house.

I read somewhere to leave a coin on a beaker of ice in your freezer so you know if it's melted and refrozen or not. If the blackout wasn't too long a closed freezer should have been OK.

Your poor hands. 

I'm mostly walking but not today. Only doing my exercises sometimes. So there's considerable room for improvement. 

I'll see the therapist again. She gave me homework for my severe depression. I also saw the specialist today who held off on the expected surgery booking. 

I haven't done much housework for a few days but will make an effort tomorrow. 

I hope your work went well today and tomorrow isn't as busy as last week.