Social contacts

[Teacher Terry]

Jane, I am so very sorry. So sad.

[herbgeek]

I'm sorry Jane. Like others I was unaware of your loss. Wish I could have been more timely with the condolences.

[pinkytoe]

My condolences, Jane - that is a huge loss for you. I have been reading various books on aging and it has been proven that online forum friends can be very beneficial to one's social circle, ie they should be counted in some way. I really miss my two friends back in Austin as we used to meet for lunch weekly. Now just occasional emails to catch up. It is hard to find female friends at this age in a new place. Seems that most of my neighbors stay inside a lot and aren't very friendly when they do come out.

[iris lilies]

Jane, I am sorry to hear this. Be well, as well as you can be.

[Teacher Terry]

I do worry about this happening and being alone. I love having a partner I enjoy. I am savoring every moment of this 5 week car trip.

[bae]

In my ofttimes roles as caregiver to my clinically depressed wife, I find a robust social network is essential to maintaining my sanity. And as others have said, I count you folks here amongst my support system.

[razz]

Savour all the good things about your partner that you shared, talk about them, remind yourself of how you molded each other just like stones in a bubbling brook that shape each other in day to day living. Those you love become part of you as you are today. My condolences for your loss but I celebrate that you had this positive partner that you treasure.

I do worry about this happening and being alone. I love having a partner I enjoy. I am savoring every moment of this 5 week car trip.

[JaneV2.0]

Thank you all for your kind thoughts. I'll be OK.
I believe in an eternal soul (Catholicism dies hard), so I'm convinced we'll meet again.

My relative who survived a stroke (delightful year so far...) spent some time in a mental facility afterwards, and was impressed by the kindness and efficacy of the help they received--a far cry, I imagine, from the treatment our g-grandmother got at the asylum she died in. We've made some progress.

[Float On]

Jane, I'm so sorry for your loss.

Bae, I'm sorry your wife (and you) have to deal with depression. Depression seems to run in families. I've seen it in my own in great grandfather, grandmother, uncles, myself, and one of my sons. Have you noticed any in your daughter? I recently learned my son attempted suicide while he was in college in NM. I knew he'd seen a school counselor and psych in town, I knew he struggled but didn't know he was flunking out his 2nd semester and I also didn't know that a hall mate found him trying to hang himself in his room and forced him to get help. A real suicide attempt several states away and the school told him it was his choice if they contacted us or not. No one did. He hid the severity of it from us all and talks about that time being a definite disconnect - that it wasn't him. I'm trying to wrangle with all the what if's 2 years later. He's in a better place mentally, living at home and just working for now but we've agreed more counseling is needed before/during attempting college again - something to keep him on the level and balanced.


I have many acquaintances but no close friends.

[Lainey]

Float On,
That's very good to know that your son is doing better now. I'm glad he has good family support. It does make me wonder if there can't be a way to get beyond the adult student/privacy thing to alert parents of serious events like that.

I've often thought if I had to choose between having a mental health issue and a physical health issue that I'd choose to have physical issues every time. (although thank goodness that, in my 60s, I'm still doing well on both!)