Living beyond the Pain

 Despite my illness, I have triumphed over some impossible situations.

Reading aloud: I eventually learned to read and write extremely well and accomplished so much academically and literarily.

Acne: made me shy and introverted but there were girls who liked me and wanted to go out with me and one special one who I married. I now enjoy the company of women and I’m comfortable with myself.

My early years were quite difficult, but I came through them and now wish to address the demons that remain from that time.

We experienced an impossible time in 1971. I felt completely alone and unsupported, but I got my family through it. There were after-effects that came back to haunt us, but we survived and moved forward.

When I had my breakdown I lay in bed with anxiety crawling over me, but I got up and set about getting back to work. With my wife’s help, I succeeded and had twelve years doing a very difficult job that I loved. Throughout this time my wife was strong and took on the role of active support. She was pragmatic and practically minded. There were many days when I just didn't want to get out of bed.

I’ve never come to terms with or understood what is going on in my head, but I have never stopped trying to do so. This is the man I am. I despair of those hard moments in my life that I can’t change. The consequences to my mental well-being were enormous but here I am still battling to repair the damage of the past and find some peace.

 

 

 

 

 

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