Dear Wendy

I’m reading a book right now about cPTSD called “what my bones know” by Stephanie foo. I recommend it if you haven’t read it yet, anon.

Also count me as a plus one for sleep edibles. They’ve made such a difference for me.

Thanks, KT! It looks like your post was published. Are you still having issues logging in? Anyone else?

Thanks, you guys. It’s a work in progress! Basically, I had a new frame built and now I have to build out and continue designing. Expect many tweaks and changes in coming weeks as I learn how to use this new website theme. Thank you so much for your patience and support! This tech stuff is way out of my wheel house and the learning curve is always steeper than I’d like. But I’ll get there, and get the site how I want it to look and feel eventually.

Ange, can/is your husband taking medication for the blood pressure and cholesterol? I had high blood pressure beginning eight years ago when I was pregnant with Joanie. I put off medication for about four years even though it was really unsafe. My dr finally convinced me to go on it and that helped bring my stroke-level numbers BP down. But then I developed high-ish cholesterol last year and knew I needed to change my lifestyle.

For me, my stressor was parenting, and now that my kids are older, it’s way less stressful, and that’s been huge for my health. But in addition to that, I’ve made lifestyle changes that I have control over: I walk a super ton (14k+ steps a day); do 4-5 days of stength-training; limit alcohol to 4 drinks a week (um, except last week when I was on vacation and had two drinks a day…). Anyway, these changes helped lower my blood pressure so much that over a month ago, I went off my blood pressure medication. I still need to monitor it regularly and if it goes up and stays up consistently, I’ll need to consider medication again. but for now, I’m doing really well.

All this to say, it’s not a lost cause! getting health and managing stress is a commitment, but it’s super doable. And really worth it. I hope your husband is able to find the peace he needs to manage his health.

It’s really bananas how awful our healthcare system is and how quickly people can be financially devastated at a time when all their energy should be going to fighting their illness or supporting their loved one or making the most of the time they have left. It makes me sick.

That sounds fun, Leslie!
Last weekend I went to Hyde Park with a friend who is obsessed with the Roosevelts. I watched the Ed Burns 14-hour documentary before we went (well, I managed to watch 11 hours before we left and I finished the final three after I returned). In Hyde park, we visited the Roosevelt homes (well, the main home and Eleanor’s cottage; we didn’t make it to FDR’s getaway house; it’s it funny that each had a home that they went to to get away from each other/ FDR’s mom?).