Peter's Place

I'm sick. I've been sick since Wednesday evening. I think it's my annual bout of bronchitis. Or it could be COVID. But I doubt it. But with all the anxiety over COVID, IDK anymore. I think all the anxiety they have given us over COVID has left us unable to determine when we have a simple cold or the flu, or something like bronchitis, or something worse--like COVID--or some other sort of infection.  More likely than not this either is my annual bronchitis or a URI (upper respiratory infection). But I'm sick and miserable. Oh. I'm being redundant. But I'm sick so I'm allowed a bit of redundancy. I'm certain I'm not the only one who feels this way. That is, that one little sniffle--or in my case, a single cough--sends off alarm bells and trips to CVS buying out every single possible home COVID test there is on the shelves. Because I've already had COVID-19. And not the trimmed-down Delta or Omicron variants but the OG one that first came out, when ...

Wow, so it's been a while since I've posted a personal update. Let me fill you in. First of all, to all of you who have given to me in the past, a huge thank you and much gratitude for your generosity and assistance. I could not have gotten through these past few months without your support and kindness.  I know that I've asked for assistance in the past. My GoFundMe page  states I've raised some money but the vast majority of that money was from last year. As explained below, the shelter either "lost" or threw out my summer clothes (and denies all responsibility). As such, I have very little to wear for the coming months. Additionally, I have other needs as I lay out below. Since the last time I've posted an update, I wound up back on the funny farm. That is, my depression sunk to a level that led me to "bad thoughts," i.e., I became despondent and suicidal. Essentially, I went to City Hall in Hartford, CT seeking help with my housing situati...

Hello Everyone, [UPDATE 16 August 2019: Mom has been moved to inpatient hospice. She is unable to move any of her limbs or her head. She can barely speak and sleeps for most of the day. She's not going to last very long. I would very much appreciate your help. Instructions are below in the bold-faced paragraph, further down in this post. Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and support.] As I write this, my mother is on her deathbed. She is only expected to remain with us a day or two longer, if that. Many of you may have noticed that for the past 1.5 years my online and social media activities have been quite diminished as compared to my norm. There are numerous reasons for this but the primary reason is that I have been caring for my mother, who has been fighting #breastcancer for the fourth time and the battle took a turn for the worse about 1.5 years ago. Mom, 3 August 2019 on her way to my sister's. During her third round of breast cancer, mom und...

February is American Heart Month , a federally designated event designed to remind Americans to focus on their hearts and encourage them to get their families, friends. and communities involved. As anyone who has supported or followed US Senator Bernie Sanders knows, the costs associated with healthcare in the United States continue to skyrocket , while the outcomes of that care continue to decline . It's gotten so bad that major corporations are forming their own healthcare networks to help keep costs down. The American Heart Association (AHA) provides the following facts that confirm our nation's declining health and broken healthcare system: Graphic from the Go Red for Women campaign of the American Heart Association showcasing fact that heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the USA Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.9 million deaths each year. This amounts to 2,300 Amer...

I feel as though I've just given birth but, as I'm 100% biological male, I know that's an impossibility in our reality. I've had this feeling on a near-daily basis for the past twelve months. I feel as though my normal life has become amplified, like how a headache amplifies into a migraine. That is to say, I've been taking care of my mother, who on top of her ongoing health issues was diagnosed with her fourth round of breast cancer at the beginning of last November, supporting my sister with her four daughters (the eldest of whom I've  previously written about is very special needs), helping my father (who's recently moved back to the area) launch a new business, and once in a while squeeze in an appointment or two for my own health needs that are ever-growing in this cosmic journey we're all in together as we swirl around through space on a water-covered rock orbiting around a giant blob of hydrogen and helium entwined in a fusion reaction we call ...