Hurricane and Tsunami Relief 2018

I apologize for the delay in regards to the recent natural disasters. I've had a turbulent time in my head lately. I did some mild prep for Hurricane Michael, but it missed me completely, and I do not take that for granted whatsoever. I'm devastated for the Florida gulf coast and parts of Georgia in their immense loss and suffering. All of the memories of Hurricane Katrina came back, and I'm sad to know that others are now living the nightmare that my neighbors and I once did.

While my site was offline, a tsunami occurred in Indonesia, and Hurricane Florence caused terrible flooding in the Carolinas. All of these folks still need a lot of help. I can tell you first-hand that disaster recovery is a terribly long and stressful process.

I felt like the best thing to do was consult Charity Navigator for a list of organizations aiding the areas in need. Following are the links to those lists:

Hurricane Michael: https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=6806

Hurricane Florence: https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=6709

Indonesian Tsunami: https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=6781

As always, Operation BBQ Relief has deployed to both hurricane-affected areas in the U.S. to cook and serve free hot meals. I've followed them for years, and they are as legitimate as it gets. Strictly volunteer-driven, these folks have served over two million BBQ dinners since their launch in 2011. They often need volunteers and always need monetary donations.

Let's keep everyone in our thoughts.

Since I haven't mentioned it yet - Hurricane Michael

The barometric pressure is trying its best to wipe me out, and it's not even here yet. The lower the pressure, the worse the symptoms, and Michael is a catastrophic category 4 storm. As you can see in this boring, short video, I'll be on the far west side, so I'm ok. I think my biggest challenge will be my muscles and my head (which is screaming...my ears are killing me) while the storm is doing its thing on the coastline. Once it passes, I'll recover and share information on helping our neighbors to the east who will undoubtedly see their lives change.

The best place for hurricane updates is of course the NHC. They're also on FB and Twitter.

Talk to you soon.

Health Assessment 10/7/18

I took a health assessment on one of those blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index machines in August of last year, and I remember being pretty upset over the results.

Today, I went to the same machine and did it again. The results are better now.

My weight and BMI were lower, my blood pressure was great, and my heart rate was a little better than usual. I still need improvement, obviously, but I'll never be "normal". Anyone who expects that of me is not living in reality. I frequently have to remind myself of that fact, and I will remind others if necessary. My doctors haven't really brought up my weight other than general documentation stating that I'm "slightly overweight". That's fine. The assessment's #1 tip on the right side of the screen is the same as it was last time - mental health should be addressed. Since I'm honest in answering their questions, that was no surprise. I have PTSD, anxiety, sleep disorders galore, and dealing with my failed physical health has been no easy task. Nor has being forced to exist for the rest of my life in gov't housing on SSI.

I found a low-income counseling center, and I plan to apply for financial aid next year. I don't have any money whatsoever to invest in it right now, and probably won't for a while. I know I need to take care of my mental health, and I will do what I can when I can.

As for my wrecked body, I'm at a loss at this point. I'm battling systemic disease every day, but I'm weak, exhausted, and in terrible pain. I feel like I'm losing the war, so I guess I'm going to fight until I drop dead. I don't know. What's the alternative?

"Keep Calm and Carry On" is a lot easier said than done, but I'm trying.