Category: Writing
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Verbal Non-Verbal
Sometimes, I’m verbal The words rush They press They insist on getting out of my head They keep me awake at night Unless I shut them up Turn them off with meds Sometimes, though, I’m simply not Sometimes, I’m non-verbal The words are not there I do jigsaw puzzles Watch TV Play with numbers Rather than…
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Am I Still a Mental Health Blogger?
What defines being a blogger, specifically a mental health blogger? Must I write regularly or frequently? Must I always write about mental health? What if that is not my focus ALL the time? What if I’m so busy that living with bipolar disorder is not in the forefront of my mind? What if I’m overwhelmed…
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Featured Blogger: Kitt O’Malley – Art by Rob Goldstein
Thank you, Robert Goldstein, for featuring me on Art by Rob Goldstein as his November featured blogger. The original interview is posted at: robertmgoldstein.com/2016/11/06/featured-blogger-kitt-omalley/. Here I reprint it. This month’s featured blogger is writer and Mental Health Advocate Kitt O’Malley. In this interview we talk about internalized stigma, learning to accept and taking up the challenge of…
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Wave the White Flag
Need to write out the pain and exhaustion in my heart Pain and grieving my parents’ dementias Pain and exhaustion caring for my son Must back off both Must take care of myself Must Must Must Must take care of myself Ready to throw in the towel To admit defeat To wave a white flag…
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Cocooning
Cocooning Recovering from social demands From social interaction From caring for others My son My husband My parents From caring about too many From caring too much You may not hear from me You may not read much from me I’m depleted I need to refill Not to care so much about others But to…
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Happy Anniversary to KittOMalley.com
I’ve been blogging for three years! Yay! Hope to do more writing. Hands full this week caring for my son. He’s going through a rough patch. His migraine medication (anti-seizure medication topiramate aka Topamax) interferes with his memory and cognition (why it’s nicknamed “Dopamax”), making it challenging for him to read, complete his homework, or…
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Toast
I remember when I was seven years old – the day I turned seven. We, my sister and I, were staying at the Hans Brinker Inn in the Netherlands as our parents enjoyed two weeks in Paris. I was furious with my parents for having abandoned us for those two weeks. At Hans Brinker every…
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The Rebel and His Mother
The Rebel When my son was a preschooler in daycare His class had a field trip to the local In ‘N Out As we walked back to the daycare center My son held my hand We walked in pairs down the sidewalk His daycare teacher said Everyone stay on sidewalk Do not step into the…
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NAMIWalks, Conferences, and Fatigue
This summer I’ve been recuperating from caring for my parents, going to the BlogHer16 women’s blogging conference, and training for NAMI In Our Own Voice. This upcoming weekend, I’m attending the Southern California Writers’ Conference, about which I’m understandably worried for I find conferences exhausting and am a bit anxious that I will be out of my…
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Fingers Moving, Fingers Typing
Fingers need to move nervous energy prompts them to keep busy Just as my thoughts my mind will not be silent My fingers will not be still so I play Solitaire or now type I imagine myself crocheting as I did long ago as a young girl Used to crochet needlepoint embroider and sew Used…