Tag Archives: mental health

More Mobile, Losing Weight, Spring Storms, and New Books by Zach Foster

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Updates are in order. I can now transfer from my recliner to the bed to the wheelchair on a daily basis. I no longer have knee pain, but I do have some ankle pain. I have to stand up and sit down a few times over the span of several minutes before I can easily get rolling, especially if I have been laying down all night in bed.

In short, the knee pain that has been the bane of my existence for the past seven years is gone. Now I have to work on my ankle strength. To this end I’m starting an exercise routine I learned from a physical therapist to rebuild my ankles.

I haven’t weighed myself for a few months, but I think I’ve lost weight. I’m carrying less fat, especially around my stomach and thighs. My arms no longer jiggle. My shirts fit a lot better. The swelling in my crotch has gone down considerably. I know my apatite is smaller than it used to be.

One of the reasons for the fat loss in spite of the little physical activity, is for the strict diet I have. I limit when I eat and how much I eat. I still occasionally eat pizza, burgers, and friend fish. But I have cut back on portions. I large pizza can make at minimum two meals for me, more often three. I do like Long John Silver’s for their fish and corn balls. But it’s only a once-a-month tradition when my dad brings it home after he visits his doctor at the VA.

The weather is warming up and definitely feels like spring. We are having wildfires here in Oklahoma. Won’t be too long before we have thunderstorms and tornadoes every few days. The storms down here are really bad, especially the spring storms. Winter storms are more bearable even if they bring more ice than what I’m used to growing up in Nebraska. Whatever snow and ice we get in Oklahoma is gone within a couple of days. But 500 miles north in Nebraska, the snow can stay around all winter and it’s usually too cold for just rain turning to ice most of the times. Snowstorms dumping over a foot of snow are an annual occurrence back in Nebraska.

I recently uploaded an e-book to Amazon in addition to the Hillbilly Scholar one I already have. It’s called Blasting Mental Illness Myths by Zach Foster. It’s not up just yet as I loaded it only a few days ago.

This is the link to the Hillbilly Scholar e-book

https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Hillbilly-Scholar-Zach-Foster-ebook/dp/B005ESFWNI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BR1YVX065QOH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uACjiqLKg7iYywHEerIRWw.oEkfijpANSjGwxPnP5W80vUEWYv8vkD3FHYTL6VTGsg&dib_tag=se&keywords=wisdom+of+a+hillbilly+scholar&qid=1742162715&sprefix=%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-1

March 11 2025

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It’s been a few months since I last posted. Updates are in order. I spent my winter at home trying to regain my strength and mobility. I can easily transfer from the bed to the recliner and back.

I have been feeling kind of depressed. My health progress is going slow. I’m still losing weight, but my mobility is coming along slowly. My knee and ankle pains are more manageable. I still have to take Tylenol a couple times a day.

I sleep a great deal. Most nights I’m asleep by 11:30 pm and don’t wake until 8 am. And I will usually sleep two hours in the afternoon. I just feel my happiest when I sleep. I can still easily walk in my dreams.

My dreams aren’t very scary anymore. Most of my dreams are about my childhood hometown and I have the same looks and build I had in my early 20s. I guess I dream about my physical prime. Most of my dreams aren’t scary, but they don’t make much sense. And I can affect the outcome of these dreams and the dialog sometimes. Most of my dreams I play the role of the hero rather than the victim anymore. Far cry from 20 years ago.

I still have my investment and collecting hobby. I buy mostly old silver coins and bitcoin. Bitcoin is volatile enough that I don’t want to add to it, but I don’t want to cash out either.

My blood is under control. Some days it’s quite low. So the doctor is talking about reducing some of the doses. I recently took a cheek swab test to see how I was metabolizing my medications and to see which types of other meds would work well in the future. It’ll be weeks before I get the results of that test back.

The Future of Home Care: Robots and Independence

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My caseworker and my parents are trying to get me into a long-term care facility. I really don’t want to go back to one of those. I despise the idea of losing my freedom and finances. I just as well be sent to prison as far as I’m concerned.

I live in a house with no stairs. But the doors aren’t wide enough for a wheelchair. Any suggestions I make to widen the doors fall on deaf ears. It burns me that I still have all of my intelligence but might still have to go to a long-term care facility because of lack of handicap access.

I would like to get a home health aide that comes in once a day to help with things. I had to fire my cleaning lady a few months because she wanted me to sign off on her billing her company for time she didn’t work. Can you say disability fraud? Glad I got rid of her.

I watch a lot of videos and news programs talking about the possibility of humanoid robot assistants becoming available to the public within a few years. Yet about the only people who don’t think I’m totally full of crap when I talk about this are some friends online and my older brother.

My thinking is that I hold on for a few more years and get a home health robot to help around the house since none seem to be available for me. Hell, it took a miracle for me to get onto a service where a doctor comes to see me in my house every six weeks. We found out about this, not through my case workers, but from a friend in my mom’s church.

I’m afraid that I will get sent off to a nursing home due to lack of mobility, lose my freedom, lose my money, and lose the family house just right before EVERYTHING changes with home robots, automation, AI, improved personalized healthcare, and possibly even Medicare for All.

One thing I despise about being on disability is that my earnings are limited before I’m totally thrown out of the system. And since the USA refuses to act like a civilized nation and institute Universal Healthcare, I’m stuck in poverty just so I can get my treatments. And I’m damn sick of it.

I lived in a long-term care facility once for eight months. Hated damn near every second of it. Had no freedom. Had no privacy. I was chastised for not socializing with the other residents even though most were senile and or nearly deaf. The only thing worse would have being in prison.

I don’t really tell my parents how much I despise the idea of going to a home. In the first damn place, I don’t think I would need one if the house was more wheelchair accessible. But they won’t entertain the thoughts of making the house more wheelchair accessible. All they would have to do is widen the doors to my bedroom, the bathroom, the front door, and the back door.

As far as transportation goes, that is being solved already in spite of the run around I get from social services. My brother bought a Tesla with self-driving capabilities back in the spring. Just the other day he and my niece had to go to Kansas City (which is about six hours from our town). During the trip up and trip back, the car did over 98 percent of the driving on autopilot. I was calling this almost ten years ago. Now it’s pretty well mainstream.

I had a car accident in late 2015 that really screwed up my back and knees. I was talking about how nice self-driving cars would be when they become available. I remember one of my Facebook “friends” said, and I quote, “It will be a cold day in Hell before self-driving becomes a thing.” That was less than 10 years ago. Bust out the parka and long johns, because it’s getting awful damn chilly these days.

I’m seeing the same attitude towards robotics that I saw against driverless cars about 7 to 9 years ago. I have given up on trying to convince people that humanoid robot assistants will be a bigger game changer than even smart phones, military drones, or even the internet itself. Most people don’t want to listen, let alone people of my parents’ generation.

Once during the pandemic, I joked in one of my futurists’ groups on Facebook about having a goal of riding in a self-driving electric car with a robot friend, smoking a marijuana cigar, while driving past a police station before June 14, 2030 (my 50th birthday). If I can hold out for long enough to get a home help robot and I don’t get sent to a home before then, I’m going to make that dream come true, so help me God.

Even if my parents go get too impatient and send me to a nursing home before I can make my dream of robot assisted independence come true, I’m going to do everything within my power to get well enough that I can leave. If my parents don’t want to make our house wheelchair accessible, well that’s their hangups. Sucks to be elderly and not see the possibilities that probably will come by the end of the decade.

Hell, I want them to fight me on this. I want people to tell me what can and can’t be done/ I want people to throw up roadblocks. I want to be told I’m a liar and I’m full of shit. I have made an entire life of coming back from setbacks and proving people wrong. Their hatred and nay saying will just make my story telling even more interesting than it already is.

After surviving 25 years of schizophrenia, 16 years of Section 8 Housing, 3 years of congestive heart failure and being wheelchair bound, I’ve lost most of my fears. I don’t want things to be fair or easy for me. Life isn’t fair. I figured that out when that I was six years old. I figured out that life isn’t fair before I figured out Santa Claus was fake. I’ve been fighting my entire life. Why should the next few years before some major breakthroughs be any different? I have nowhere to go but up. And I’ll be damned to let even family stand in the way of my freedom and independence.

The Impact of Change: Christmas Musings on Life and Health

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I’m having a good Christmas season so far. Got to talk with some old friends over the phone for over an hour today. She found a new job a few weeks ago that pays more than any job she ever had. Her husband (also a friend of mine) is still working 60+ hours a week as a delivery driver. They think he will try to find something in academics soon now that they aren’t living paycheck to paycheck anymore.

Our conversation covered mostly history and geopolitics. I don’t have many friends I can talk about those things with anymore. Most of my friends are having tough times with mid life crisis kind of things. I miss those conversations about history and current events. It was like being back in college, if just for only one hour.

I sleep most of the daylight hours anymore. I think part of it is depression and part of it is anemia. I’m not looking forward to probably having to go back to a long term care facility. But my mobility isn’t coming back and my house isn’t handicap accessible. My parents aren’t in good health and probably have only a few years, at best, left. Part of me all three of us won’t make it to see 2030.

It really breaks my heart to be in decline just right as things are really changing science and tech wise. I am convinced that we as a society will make more scientific progress in the next 20 years than we made in the previous 300. That is, if the politicians and voters quit screwing up.

Adapting to Change: Mental Health and the Future of Work

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Even though I don’t go out or socialize in person much anymore, I still keep busy. I was recently demonetized on Medium. No explanation and no way to appeal. Really irritated me as I was making some decent money.

In some ways, they did me a favor forcing me back into Word Press on a regular basis. Even though I haven’t been posting much over the past year or so, I was still getting a decent amount of audience. Some days I would check, and I would have 40 or so views on a single day even though I hadn’t posted in weeks. Maybe the word is getting out there.

Sure, I made more money on Medium. But I got better audiences on Word Press. But I guess nothing lasts forever. There were also a lot of complainers and whiners on Medium. I don’t miss them. First World problems in most cases. I swear people like that never had to deal with bullies and setbacks as kids.

I was bullied a lot as a kid. Ended up in several fights, most of which I lost. But I’m glad I went through it. Made me confident in my ability to survive and adapt, especially as I got older. No I didn’t enjoy it at the time. But I thank God every day I dealt with some hardship as a kid during prosperous times.

I was born in 1980 and spent most of my formative years in the 1990s. We still had the latch key kind of things. I had my freedom, like most small-town kids. And the grownups usually let the kids solve their own problems unless we got too destructive or violent. Much of that behavior would be considered child abuse these days.

Personally, I think real abuse is sheltering kids from the consequences of their actions, not teaching them how to cook or do basic repairs to household items or never letting them solve their own problems. Hitting your kids isn’t the only form of child abuse out there. I think not preparing them for adulthood and its ups and downs is every bit as abusive as punching them in the face.

In some ways I’m glad I didn’t have kids or get married. But that is mostly because of the schizophrenia. While I don’t particularly enjoy living with my elderly parents, I know I would enjoy living in a nursing home (been there, done that) or being homeless would be even worse. It’s a blow to my pride that I live with my parents after being on my own for seventeen years. But I try not to complain, at least publicly, because I know it could a lot worse.

I’ve always taken mental health seriously. Even more so now with everything changing so rapidly. I’m under no delusion that I’ll ever make enough money to support myself off writing. Vast majority of even paid writers don’t make above poverty level wages off writing alone.

I’m kind of burned out on computer games. And almost every time I try to socialize with anyone outside of immediate family, these people are in awful moods all the time. Nothing can make most people happy.

These people are going to be really unhappy in a few years when AI and automation take more and more jobs, especially since we have almost nothing for social safety nets. Rest assured; it will happen. A lot of people will eventually lose their jobs to AI and automation. I’ve been trying to tell people this for over a dozen years. About the only people who listened are my retired elderly parents and my best friend. She’s always grumpy and grouchy now, it’ll only get worse when she loses her good paying job she’s complains about almost daily.

I know it sounds like I don’t sympathize with these people whose jobs are on the robot chopping block. But you would be wrong. I lost my career and everything I worked for many years ago due to my mental illness. I did everything right; worked hard in school, stayed away from drugs, stayed away from credit cards, stayed out of trouble, etc. And I still lost everything.

Millions of people will find themselves in the same boat within several years. Not their fault a machine can probably do their jobs better than they ever could. Soon they will be cheaper too. In my case I lost my career in my twenties rather than my forties when I would have had a mortgage, a couple kids to send to college, and a retirement to save for.

In spite being surrounded by grouches, I’m looking forward to Christmas. I didn’t ask for any special gifts. I think a large dinner of spiral ham, stuffing, green bean casserole, etc. is enough of a gift. Don’t know how many Christmases I have left, but I intend to really enjoy this one. It’s just too bad that it doesn’t snow much down here in Oklahoma City.

Writing On Medium and Making My Peace with Declining Health

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I’ve now been a member of Medium for ten months. Even though my earnings haven’t been very high, I still like that forum. I enjoy being able to connect with fellow writers and pursuers of knowledge. It gets lonely not having people in person I can bounce ideas off or talk about things like history, philosophy, spirituality, science, tech, etc. without fear of a possible argument or fight in person.

I know it’s not healthy to get most of my socializing over the computer. Then again, neither was the community I spent much of my life in. Since I signed up with Medium, it’s the first time since I graduated college that I met a large group of people who don’t hate knowledge or smart people. It’s actually comforting getting to talk to people with more knowledge than I have.

My best days usually involve a lot of back and forth with fellow writers on Medium. Sure, we don’t always agree on many things. But isn’t being able to take part in a community even while disagreeing part of being a grown up?

Summers are always a rough time for me. I usually sleep in the days to avoid the heat and crowds as much as possible. I know my sleep pattern isn’t conducive to having an active social life. Well, neither is being schizophrenic or wheelchair bound. I just do the best I can and complain as seldom as possible.

I’m losing weight again. I almost never snack, and I usually eat only twice a day. Even though I’m losing weight, my mobility isn’t really coming back.

While I continue to put in work every day to strengthen my bad heart and bad knees, I have come to the acceptance that it’s possible I may never regain my mobility. It is possible I may experience an earlier than expected death with my illnesses. I’ve made my peace with that.

In my country, talking about death and dying is taboo. I never understood why. I mean, death is part of living. I’ve seen too many people try desperately to cling to life in their elderly years even when it was obvious to even themselves that death would be a welcome relief from the chronic pain and mental decline. In many ways, it’s comforting and freeing in that I’ve made my peace with my inevitable death even before I got gray hair.

Granted, I don’t talk about making my peace with death in public or to any doctors. I fear I would be committed if I did. I have zero intention of harming myself or anyone else. It is a good feeling knowing that if I don’t want to get out to meet people I don’t like, I don’t have too. It is a good feeling knowing that, because I was helpful to people when I was still healthy, that many people are more than happy to help me out now that I’m disabled. And I don’t feel a shred of guilt for being interdependent on others. I never should have been convinced to feel this.

Possible Uses for AI and Mental Illness Treatments

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing numerous fields, and mental health care is no exception. The application of AI in mental health treatment is an emerging frontier that holds promise for significantly enhancing the way mental illnesses are diagnosed, treated, and managed. AI-driven approaches offer innovative solutions that can lead to personalized, efficient, and accessible mental health care. This essay explores the potential treatments for mental illness made possible by AI research, focusing on diagnostic tools, personalized treatment plans, therapeutic interventions, and ongoing monitoring and support.

Diagnostic Tools

One of the most promising applications of AI in mental health is in the realm of diagnosis. Traditionally, diagnosing mental illnesses relies heavily on subjective assessments and self-reported symptoms, which can be influenced by various biases and may not always be accurate. AI can enhance diagnostic accuracy by analyzing vast amounts of data from various sources, including electronic health records, genetic information, and even social media activity.

Machine learning algorithms can identify patterns and correlations that may not be evident to human clinicians. For example, AI can analyze speech patterns, facial expressions, and other behavioral indicators to detect signs of depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions. Natural language processing (NLP) techniques can be used to assess the content and sentiment of patients’ spoken or written communication, providing additional insights into their mental state. These AI-driven diagnostic tools can serve as early warning systems, flagging potential issues before they become severe and facilitating timely intervention.

Personalized Treatment Plans

AI has the potential to revolutionize the development of personalized treatment plans for individuals with mental health conditions. By leveraging data from diverse sources, including patient history, genetic information, and real-time monitoring data, AI can help tailor treatments to the specific needs and characteristics of each patient.

Machine learning models can predict how patients might respond to different treatments based on their unique profiles. This can include pharmacological treatments, such as selecting the most effective medication with the fewest side effects, as well as non-pharmacological interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or mindfulness practices. AI can also optimize treatment plans by continuously learning from patient outcomes and adjusting recommendations accordingly. This dynamic, data-driven approach can enhance the efficacy of treatments and reduce the trial-and-error process often associated with mental health care.

Therapeutic Interventions

AI-driven therapeutic interventions are another exciting development in the treatment of mental illnesses. Chatbots and virtual therapists, powered by AI, can provide immediate support and therapeutic guidance to individuals in need. These AI-based systems can engage in conversations with patients, offering cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques, stress reduction strategies, and other therapeutic interventions.

For instance, AI chatbots like Woebot and Wysa use NLP to interact with users, providing them with evidence-based techniques to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety. These tools can be especially beneficial for individuals who may not have easy access to traditional therapy due to geographic, financial, or time constraints. While AI-driven interventions are not a replacement for human therapists, they can serve as a valuable supplement, providing support between sessions and reaching underserved populations.

Ongoing Monitoring and Support

AI can also play a crucial role in the ongoing monitoring and support of individuals with mental health conditions. Wearable devices and mobile applications equipped with AI algorithms can continuously track physiological and behavioral data, such as sleep patterns, physical activity, heart rate, and social interactions. By analyzing this data, AI can detect early signs of relapse or deterioration in mental health and alert patients and their caregivers to take proactive measures.

Moreover, AI can facilitate continuous communication between patients and healthcare providers. For example, digital platforms can enable patients to log their symptoms, medication adherence, and mood changes, providing clinicians with real-time data to make informed decisions about treatment adjustments. This continuous feedback loop can enhance patient engagement, improve treatment adherence, and ultimately lead to better mental health outcomes.

Ethical and Practical Considerations

While the potential of AI in mental health care is immense, it is essential to address ethical and practical considerations. Privacy and data security are paramount, given the sensitive nature of mental health information. Ensuring that AI systems are transparent, explainable, and free from biases is also crucial to maintain trust and efficacy.

Furthermore, the integration of AI into mental health care should be done in a way that complements, rather than replaces, human clinicians. The human touch remains indispensable in providing empathy, understanding, and personalized care that AI cannot fully replicate.

Conclusion

AI research holds the promise of transforming the treatment of mental illnesses, offering innovative solutions for diagnosis, personalized treatment, therapeutic interventions, and ongoing monitoring. By harnessing the power of AI, mental health care can become more accurate, efficient, and accessible, ultimately improving the lives of individuals struggling with mental health conditions. However, careful consideration of ethical and practical issues is necessary to ensure that these advancements are implemented in a responsible and beneficial manner. As AI continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see how it can further contribute to the field of mental health, providing hope and healing to millions around the world.

Mental Stability and Power Dynamics

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Another day of being mentally stable. Haven’t had any kind of breakdown in over three months. It helps that I avoid stressful people and conflict as much as possible. Do most of my socializing online these days. It’s just easier to type what I’m thinking than just verbalize it. My illness makes me pick up on subtle cues very easily. I often pick up conflicting cues. Makes it really tough to read people, especially in person. 

Since many of my in-person experiences have been quite negative over the years, the default is that when someone goes out of their way to see me, I assume I’m in trouble. My family thinks it’s tragic that I always assume the worst when people come to see me in person. It’s even worse when I am summoned into an authority figure’s office on their terms. I’m keenly aware of power dynamics to the point it’s crippling.

August 15 2023

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I have an appointment with my new psych doctor this morning. Means I have to venture into the downtown area. Pretty much just a get to know each other kind of deal. My mental health has been pretty stable. I’m actually excited about going into the city at large today. I normally keep to my suburb as my town is big enough it has everything I need within a few minutes of my house. First time I’ll be in the city in a few months.

The summer has been real hot for the most part. One the days it’s cooler than normal, it rains. We haven’t had the problems with fires this summer like we did this spring. I’m looking forward to autumn.

Was turned down for an apartment complex I applied for. Turns out the place is for mostly senior citizens age 62 and up. Since I’m only 43 I don’t qualify. It seems like most places that are easily handicap accessible are mainly for elderly. Looks like the wait is going to continue for the foreseeable future. I just don’t understand why, in a nation that have obvious affordable housing shortages, we don’t just build more places. Sounds almost like a lack of a supply to meet the increased demand. But, it’s not like young people don’t want to have their own houses and apartments. It’s that we can’t afford most of what is available.

Making most of my own meals now. I can now navigate my wheelchair through everywhere in the house. The doors are too narrow for a wheelchair to get through. But I can hobble thru until I can find a place to sit. I’m up quite late most nights. But I usually get more done at nights than during the day.

August 2 2023

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Updates are in order. I’m still on the waiting list for low-income housing in Oklahoma City. The housing authority is actively seeking a place that is wheelchair accessible. I should be moving up the list as the waiting lists were updated and many people who are no longer looking for places are being removed from the list. I have no idea how long this wait will be. My friend in Denver who works for a large landlord said that out there, she’s heard of horror stories about low income people waiting over five years to get into a place. In my case I am doing alright here in the suburbs. I can run a wheelchair well enough now that I can navigate my parents’ entire house except for doorways. I have to fold up the wheelchair and walk though for the doors. Haven’t been outside since the current heat wave started. We’ve had many days of 100-degree Fahrenheit heat since mid-July. Not exactly sure what that translates to in Celsius, I’m thinking 40 something degree Celsius.

Made some new friends since I moved to Oklahoma. Staying in contact with old friends from back in Nebraska. One friend was someone who lived in the same complex I did. We are both homebodies but share several similar interests. I regret not visiting her in person more when I still lived there. But the last two years I lived in Kearney were during the height of the pandemic. I didn’t visit many people in person those two years. Did a lot of reading and writing though. Moved out of Kearney in June 2022 and went to physical rehab for eight months. Moved in with my parent in February 2023. Lost over 180 pounds between February 2020 and February 2023. Sadly, gained about 20 pounds back in the last six months. Too much sugar and carbs. I was easily losing weight when I was eating mostly grilled, roasted, and baked meats (mostly chicken, turkey, and pork) and vegetables. I gave up most carbs, most sugars, most fast food, etc.

Saw my physicians’ assistant yesterday via teleconference. It was for my sleep apnea. I needed to renew my prescription so I can get replacement parts for my CPAP machine. As my machine is only three years old, it should last at least another three to four years. But it works so much better when I replace worn out parts regularly. Since I don’t use distilled water or oxygen, it’s easier to keep clean. And I just use the nasal units rather than the full-face mask. My doctor thinks if I get back to losing weight again, I could possibly be off the CPAP entirely. I think I should be able to get back to losing weight now that I’ve adopted my pandemic diet again.

My blood pressure is stable. Has been for weeks. I have to see my general practice doctor again by the end of August for general checkup. He wants to see his heart patients every three months. I see my new psych doctor this month too. Since my psychiatric health has been stable for the last few years, I should be doing just routine maintenance. I do have occasional psych flare ups, but they usually don’t last long. I have found if I limit stress the flare ups are fewer and further between.

Making most of my own meals now. While my parents are thrilled with my ever-increasing independence, I think my mom is kind of sad that she doesn’t cook for me very often anymore. I think my dad is kind of sad that I don’t watch Westerns with him much, certainly not like what I did in the first few weeks I moved here. I buy most of my own groceries, pay some in utilities, and order my own home supplies via Amazon. As there is a huge Amazon facility in our metroplex, almost everything is next day delivery. I’m still not washing my own laundry just yet. Our washing machine is in a tight closet that is impossible to navigate with a wheelchair. My knees are chronically hurting due to bad arthritis. If I take Tylenol every day, it seems to negate it some but not enough to restore my ability to walk without serious knee pain.

Even though I don’t eat most of my meals with my parents anymore, I still talk to them in person some every day. During the pandemic I made a point to call them at least once a day. In some ways I am not in a real rush to get my own place. The big reason I need my own place it that I can’t afford their house on my social security disability pension. Sure, the house is paid off entirely, but I still couldn’t afford property taxes and maintenance.

Shortly after I moved to Oklahoma, my new social security case worker told me that since I was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 20, I should have been able to qualify for social security payouts based on my parents’ income and not mine. Since both of my parents were medical professionals, that alone would significantly increase my benefits. So we applied for benefits increases. Naturally we were denied. But denials are standard in disability cases, at least here in the USA. I plan on hiring a lawyer to appeal this case. I had to lawyer up when I first applied for social security in the mid 2000s. Even with a lawyer my case took over two years to resolve. Since I no longer was covered by my parents’ insurance, I needed a high-risk emergency health insurance. It was a rugged two years waiting for that verdict.

I’m hanging in there overall. I’m just ready for some fall again.