turkey love

Not going to make the blog private as no one reads it anyhow. Short update: I've moved in with a friend due to my inability to pay rent with the meager income I am making every month. She is awesome and a total lifesaver.

I've been keeping up with my therapy. And in one semblance of good news, I have managed to score an appointment with a psychiatric nurse practitioner on Wednesday. Hopefully this will help us pinpoint what exactly is the best course to take and what my actual diagnosis is. There are a few ideas being bounced around and while I am not overly thrilled by the idea that I have a psychiatric issue that needs diagnosis, I keep telling myself what my doctor says: this is an illness just like diabetes or asthma, we just need to find the best course of treatment. He also tells me all of the predictable things that you tell people with depression issues. Sometimes, it even helps.

Also, it has been decided that surgery is the way to go for the shoulder and although I am not looking forward to surgery, I am looking forward to being able to work again... Oh and not having my shoulder hurt near constantly would be great too :/ Apparently my surgeon sounds like Barry Kripke from The Big Bang Theory.  My friend pointed this out when she went with me to my appointment, and told me when I start panicking to picture my surgeon saying "Shewldon Cooopah" and I have to admit that it helps me relax at least a little bit, so I am running with it. As soon as OWCP approves the procedure I will be scheduled. I greatly dislike the fact that I don't know when this will be yet.

My turkey still loves me! She will still let me hold her and will even nap on my lap. I have to admit, even though she isn't technically mine, I do love her. Turkeys are not the smartest creatures, but they are way less crazy than the chickens, and they run like tiny dinosaurs. I have always been a way bigger fan of chickens than turkeys. Eric is surprised I like the turkeys at all, let alone hold one and let it sleep on me because my fear of wild turkeys is well known by people who have been around me when turkeys are near. True Story: I may like the turkeys better than the chickens. This is a crazy thought, but the chickens can be jerks and are very flighty. Only one of the chickens will even let me pet it, and only once or twice before she runs off. But the chickens will eat grass from my hand, which is always fun. The turkeys will too, but I don't think their eyesight is very good because they don't go for the blade of grass, they try to get my fingers and while getting pecked doesn't usually hurt, I have learned to use bigger pieces of grass so the turkeys can actually see what they are going for.

The coloring for stress relief recommended by my therapist seems to be helping. I have an awesome Day of the Dead coloring book that I have been working my way through, and a Mandala one that looks like it will be fun as well. When I come back home and am super tense one of the first things I do is color. If you are stressed, get a coloring book! I have found it helpful, you might too.