Hi everyone. I need to vent about a few problems and don't know where to begin. For one thing I've been staying up all night til like 4am and finding it hard to get out of bed after noon or even 2pm some days. My boyfriend has been working far away from here, and I haven't seen him for over 2 weeks. Loneliness and isolation seem to be taking over and it's hard for me to get on with things.

My sister and her fiance found out that he has advanced liver disease and he can't get a liver transplant at this time. I feel extremely bad for my sister, and I have gotten out of the house to go visit them. Visiting them is stressful because I love my sister and her fiance. They have been together for 5 years. I hate to see him suffer and I feel helpless, in trying to help them. I sometimes feel useless and helpless when I talk to my sister and when I see her fiance suffering from such a disease.
Anyway, it is hard for me to explain, but I just don't have anyone to lean on, and I wish I was strong enough for my sister to lean on me.

Hey, yea, definitely, HOW STRESSFUL!! I think that can be very difficult for anyone, to watch someone be so sick, and feel like they need to be strong all the time for someone else. It's probably especially really good for you to vent right now. so do it! Either vent here, or find a trusted friend or therapist, because it sounds like you are having a pretty hard time dealing with all this stuff (who wouldn't??). So, I dont know. I don't think i have been of much help. I guess i dont really know what to say. But, i DO hope that you are feeling less-stressed soon, and that things with your sister's fiance get better too!!! Take care!

One of my (few) friends called my last night. Her husband has a brain tumor and it has started to grow. They're doing brain surgery this Thursday at Duke Unversity, the tumor is very close to his speech center.
They've been married less than a year.

You, your sister & her fiancee are in my prayers :angel: and I believe that is the strongest and yet least stressful thing one can do when you're Bipolar.

It's hard to stay level when someone we care about is in a hazardous place.
Other than a prayer, I'm wondering if you have any thoughts about what we can do when there isn't alot we can do..

Thanks for sharing when you did - I was going to worry away in silence here...
:angel:

Thanks for the good advice curls22 and Hoosier. Venting does help. Talking with my sister, and visiting is about all I can do for her, right now. Her Fiance went in a hospital today and he is in good hands. Prayer brings strength and it isn't stressful, thanks for bringing that up Hoosier :angel:
I'll be venting agian soon :)

You are right, it's totally natural to be stressed out. Anybody would. Just make sure you take care of yourself--especially your sleep/wake cycle--so that you don't add one more stressor.
It's tough when there's nothing you can really do about a situation. It makes you feel so helpless. Just do what you can for your sister, I know she'll appreciate any time you can be there for her.

fran and hoosier, my prayers are with you and yours also...too down to type much more, but always strength to pray for those in need...
PPP~~~

GREAT point, Wobbly!! Staying on a regular sleeping, eating pattern during the stressful times can make a LOT of difference.
I actually gave myself a bedtime of 10:00 and until the time changed here I just got up and marched myself off to bed like a kid!

Sometimes doing something for someone else can get you through a rough time when you're not sure what you can do.
Fran, I'm really nervous for my friend, and know that you're just as worried about your sister's fiancee. I know having someone to listen is a real imprtant thing for your sister. Especially if it's truly just listening.
When my Dad had cancer I was pouring out my feelings and fears to a friend and during a pause she jumped right into her relationship issues. I never spoke of my Dad again to her. All I wanted was someone to listen. I knew she couldn't fix it, I knew she had no concept of what I was going thru, but if she would have only just listened and said a few compassionate things...

So that's what is right here. Support for you. Not for me, my Dad, my friend & her husband. Support for you so that you can help out as best you can with your sister...
So, eat - sleep - send up prayers - listen...
And don't forget that you have a community of friends here who care.
:angel: