Dubious and misjudged?

Mental health is a fashionable topic, impact on stress, work related or otherwise.

In my last year at my last school I was told that some of my decisions were dubious and misguided.
Those actions, as far as I think they were referring to, were to be there for a friend who needed some unconditional love.

The accusation was thrown at me by someone who couldn't see the truth behind my actions. He saw them only as an attack on him. He's freely admitted he has trust issues. He told me he was angry with me. But hadn't sought out any facts just heard parts and jumped to conclusions.

This was months ago and it still makes me angry.

But a great sadness occurred, one of his closest friends committed suicide. I offered him my support, regardless of my feelings I knew he was in a bad place. He didn't take it. How could he. I know he'll have wondered if there was anything he could have done to change things. Perhaps given him the job we both went for. I know that crossed my mind. How he could have been a better friend. I wondered that too. Maybe if more people helped with stress at work, maybe, maybe. Change that culture? I bet he's thought of all those things.

What I hope is that all of these things mean the next time there is a chance of helping he does, the next time he listens well to the people who care.

The residue of pain

Term is over, and so to is my time at that school.
I left with a sadness and sense of defeat, I felt a bit lost and, although loved by so many, there were key staff who made me feel completely disposable.
While there I did so much, helped so many and because I didn't have quite the same vision, the same sense of urgency I was rejected. That's how I feel.
Three years.
I expected to be there so much longer, I felt part of their #family. Until I was clearly the black sheep.
Lessons I should try and learn, (but never seem to,)
1. don't rush back after surgery. For a while, people are impressed, but often, if your pain and disability aren't seen, then they don't exist for others.
2. Be careful who you trust
3. You're forgettable
4. Your leader needs to be morally aligned to you.

I'll grow from it.

Now I need to wash that away. Move on and be grateful that I could make the difference, I did.
Next adventure.

10 years of love

My little girl turns 10. She is my joy and my heart.
When people discover I have VHL and that it's genetic they often ask... And your daughter?
The relief I see in their face is sometimes overwhelming. 'I know' I say. 'I'm not sure if I'd be able to cope if she had it'
Or my other response 'we had her tested at 3 months, best day of my life knowing she didn't have it'
Which leaves me thinking how awful it must be to have children with it, and reminds me how awful it is to have it.

I'm bargaining with fate, asking for 2 years please, is that so much to ask. Two years of tumors control. I can't even ask for tumor free. That's not something I can ever hope for.
I'm a defect after all.
But if the universe could give me the next two years (four would be fabulous) to have an adventure, to treat myself and my family to a break from VHL, that would just smashing, thanks.
What will I give in return?

Forum or not to forum

To not feel alone, no one really is anymore but when you see others with the same disease with you share you know you're not alone.
But today (and others) it doesn't seem like a good plan.
I don't want to see the potential problems today. I'm fed up with the constant struggle I find myself in with the never ending fear of 'what next' what else can go wrong.
We're trying to escape...
I might silence those for a while to help me do a better job of pretending everything is fine.
All is fine.

A genetic defect

That's me
Flawed
At a cellular level
Moral too
Aren't we all
I fight an inner struggle that I imagine is familiar to all of us who have the privilege of wealth, comfort and time. I don't like myself. I don't like the way my body fucks me over.
I don't like how much I dwell on the negative things I do and say.
I'm struggling to forgive myself.