Someone Left the Cake Out in the Rain. Birthday Edition

I always liked my birthday. It’s at the end of May, near Memorial Day weekend. The Spring is just turning to Summer. The temperature is perfect, the flowers are blooming, the Sun is showing off. But last weekend felt more like early March than late May. And that was just the topper to a small, private sadness that doesn’t mean much in the big scheme. But means something to me.

It’s not the number of trips around the sun (AKA aging) that gets me down. I look at my long-lived family, and feel encouraged that there’s at least as much in front of me as behind. But, the world is wily. No one knows how much time is left on the clock. So, best to make the most of it all.

But there was a lot of pain this year. And I need to acknowledge it, lest I grow a tumor. I was denied Social Security again, and when I read why, they listed “asthma” as one of my conditions. I have asthma, but that’s not why I applied. So, asthma, anxiety, and neurological issues. But missed that my neurological issues stem from repeated minor concussions due to Domestic Violence. And the CPTSD from my life in a war zone. Because when your life, your home, your body, your feelings and experience are violently abused, you live in a warzone, and there’s no VA for it.

Social Security didn’t look at any of my psychiatric and therapeutic notes for their decision. They didn’t wait for me to submit all my evidence. And the woman who dealt with my case always sounded like I caught her mid-nap. They’ve been working from home, so she may well have been napping. She certainly fell asleep on the job dealing with my case.

On my birthday, we were chatting with the neighbors when my Alpha female Border Collie, Abbey, decided to try to take on their Alpha female Rottweiler. No one was hurt. But the man kicked my dog, twice. And said that she had bitten someone’s face, which is a damn lie, and bit of whisper down the lane gossip. She chased off a dog that was going after my chickens. I got a leash on it, brought it back to the other neighbors. It was a friend’s dog. It’s lip bled a little. I gave them my number. They’re fine. Now I get to hear bullshit gossip about my dog from a man who just kicked her. It’s still really upsetting. Kicking a dog has to be one of the lowest forms of expressing anger.

And then there was the card “from” my two year old niece. It was adorable, and I cried. But I realized that my sister has, for some time, been using the same type of boundaries my therapist recommended for my more troubling relationships. Minimum contact. And it was my Mom’s birthday soon after mine, and that was hard. I did send her a card, but it’s not easy to 1) realize that your own sister doesn’t want to speak with you while 2) you love your mother, but don’t know how to engage without being hurt. And all of it was just sad. Not an epic tragedy, just a small, sad, private pain. One more heartache amid the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to.

Things were good with SO. And I got flowers, we ate oysters, and I got a few things. But Saturday I had to sleep because of a migraine. And my nightmare hollering had my dog waking me up through most of it.

I’m down. I have to appeal the Social Security decision, which can take months to a year. I need to find a new lawyer, and I didn’t click with the one my former attorney referred me to. In fact, she was an icy bitch for someone who handles Domestic and Sexual Violence cases. And I realized something I’ve suspected, that my own sister just can’t or doesn’t want to deal with me. Who knows what will happen with my Mom.

I did have a laugh, after a lot of ouchie, when a duck ripped my right thumb open. Yep, you read that right. I had to rescue one of my duckies who thought it could fly. And as I was putting it back, my dog jumped up, and the duck dug into my thumb to push off.  It’s funny. Go ahead and laugh. My doctor’s office sure did. But it’s all wrapped, and I get to sport a not-creepy-at-all latex glove on my right hand. Like if Steve Martin’s dentist also did the Moonwalk. Definitely hampers my guitar playing. And I waited a few days before attempting downward facing dog. Guitar and yoga are two big coping mechanisms for me though.

I also had a few perfect gardening days to sneak in the last bits of my gardens. Which was lovely.

But I’d like to thank two people, aside from aforementioned SO. My cousin & her hubby who stopped by on my actual birthday and who I was finally able to hug! And my friend in Detroit, who called me, and we had a good long chat. Even laughs.

So, chalk this up as a recipe for a birthday that can get lost. It wasn’t my loneliest or worst. Just another small, sad non-event. I am still owed a day at the lake though.

Hope everyone is well. Sorry, not sorry for the bummer post.

– JL ✌🏼💚💐🖖🏼

While you’re here: check out the wonderful work done by NAMI: The National Alliance on Mental Illness. Use their resources to find free help or donate.

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