Contrary to the desires of some people, I am still alive and annoying.

First, I can't believe I haven't written here since March. I feel kinda guilty about that. I am irritated that I missed Camp NaNoWriMo. It's the middle of the Tour de Fleece and I haven't worked on a single spinning project. It is also the middle of July for Loki and I haven't produced any poetry, art, or writings for him. It's been really hard to get myself moving on anything, to be honest.

I'm not depressed, though I am disappointed. If anything, I am cranky and mildly ill tempered because my back hurts since I slept on it funny last night and frustrated that I can't have food I'm craving because of my diabetes and medications. I suppose I should summarize what the last several months have been like.

In a word, exhausting. April was just a challenge to get things done because I was trying so hard to help the kids with school stuff. May saw my doctor's check in for the diabetes resulting in mixed news. My A1C is down to 6.2 from 6.5 but my heart rate jumped up to 130. I am now on a beta-blocker and feeling exhausted, spaced out, and struggling to focus on anything for an extended period of time. Some time in May, I got my denial of disability from Social Security. I am now working with LawNY to challenge that denial. 

That came with a pile of paperwork that ratcheted up my anxiety. As did the piles of paperwork that I am still slogging through for the kids to get Medicaid so they can work with OPWDD. Fortunately, everyone involved in this process has been very patient and helpful.

June brought Cuddle Bear's graduation and a heap of anxiety over that just for fun. It also brought news that my heart rate is back in a much more tolerable range. The kids had physicals and for the most part they're doing well. Snuggle Bug has lost weight again, so now we're adding protein powder to his milk at dinner time. We'll see how it goes.

July, thus far, has been my struggling to get paperwork done for the kids. Snuggle Bug is doing extended school year and will be retaking exams in August. The classes that he bombed, he was being bullied in. I am pretty sure that contributed to him failing them. I've been prodding Cuddle Bear to act on his desire to get his learner's permit and his desire to get his working papers. No progress yet on that front. I suspect that August will roll around and the working papers will no longer be necessary.

Here's a picture of Cuddle Bear from his graduation. (Yes, all that curl is real. My hair used to be that curly when I was a small child.)