Crash and Burn

When you don't have to keep it all together anymore, your body really screams for attention.

First of all, I apologize for the long break in my writing. I do have more to write but life got crazy and then I crashed and burned, physically and mentally.

At the end of August, my kids and I moved out of our “Grieving House.” She held a lot of emotional turmoil in those walls. Aster is staying with a friend while they look for a new job and apartment in Portland. Gabe is renting a room in the Bethany area while he attends PCC. Since I need to save up money for my own place and figure out what the hell I want to be when I grow up, I started housesitting and petsitting in the Portland area at the end of August.

Ruby and I had many adventures at the seven housesits we went to. I loved staying in a variety of unique homes and taking care of the owner’s pets. Ruby really loved getting to know other dogs, including a tiny Pomeranian, a playful black lab and a total of three Bernese Mountain dogs. Oh, and two flocks of chickens.

I started feeling sick mid-September, but I thought it would eventually go away, so I pushed through. But in late October I still wasn’t better. I was struggling to function. I just couldn’t keep up with everything, so I canceled all my future housesits, resigned from my board position with Bridging Voices, called my doctor and went to my mom’s house.

Turns out I have mono, aka Epstein-Barr virus, aka “the kissing disease.” And I ain’t been kissing no one. =) All the stress of the past few months, and the past few years, really, took its toll and I crashed and burned. What I need now is rest and time to heal.

I stayed with my mom for about 10 days and really enjoyed that time with her. She was working through her own physical setbacks so we made an interesting pair. =) We ate simple meals, snacked on M&M’s and watched her shows: Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, NCIS, and of course, Y&R.

I’m now living with my oldest sister and her husband in the Medford, Oregon area. They have a lovely empty-nest home out in the countryside so I am getting lots of quiet time and rest here. I am so grateful to them for sharing their space with me so I can get better. I’m communicating with my doctors, eating well, taking a load of supplements, drinking potions and meditating with crystals. =)

My next chapter is almost ready, so stay tuned for that at the end of this week. Thanks for your patience.

Rachel

My sister’s peaceful countryside property