Hello. I am Lu Anne. I was brought to Steemit by my FB friend Wren. I am grateful for him and for listening to what he had to say about Steemit. I am excited!
I titled my intro Give Me Shelter because it is something that is taken for granted so much in our society today, and that more and more are going without. I'm borderline homeless. ....but then I changed the title cause it seems I am off subject. Oh well. Gotta be me!
It all started in October of 2016. I had been working for a nonprofit in Cortez Colorado, advocating for ppl with disabilities. It was a job I was passionate about, and I felt suited me well. I was disabled myself, but was classified as working disabled.
As what usually happens with so many jobs and me, a little over a year into the position I wind up being dismissed and given no reason.
I have always been different all my life, but being a survivor of 3 head injuries, one of them a traumatic brain injury, left me with mild deficits that make my "difference" even more so.
Pretty disheartening when you work for a place that gives preference to those who are disabled and working, and one still can't things work properly.
Aww well. I am me. This time tho, my sis Birdy, short for Roberta, stepped in and saved the day. She felt I should try something different, because the job thing just wasn't working. So I packed up stuff, with her help, and relocated to Montrose Co.
To be succint, if that's proper usage of the word, upon arrival I was a mess both physically and mentally. It got to where I wound up at the ER basically having a breakdown, and then having to advocate for my needs because the stupid teenage ER Dr. had no clue when it came to identifying and getting the proper help for someone like me. My shared thoughts on how I could overdose on my medication apparently did the trick tho, and finally she took me seriously enough to get me the help I needed.
In Colorado, the state where I live, the supports for mental health are dismal. We have one if the highest suicide rates, and one of the worst mental health systems. If you can call it a system. It's almost like they take the attitude "our state's so pretty we don't need to worry about suicide." Or "such beauty! Who would want to kill themselves??!
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Ahh but beauty is limited. It cannot feed you, shelter you, clothe you, or pay the bills (which are particularly pricey in this state). And so ppl get stressed out and do things like resort to drugs and partying to try and cope. Or they find it's all too much and choose suicide as a way out.
Beauty can be a curse! And it can fool even the smartest!! And yet soooooo many keep falling for it. Particularly men. There are like 7 men for every woman in this state. But yet the quality of men it attracts is questionable and well...if you're looking for a serious relationship, you gotta import!! And then you gotta make sure what ya import is good quality, or you're right back where ya started.
@ 51, and with 52 just round the corner, I have no interest in dating. Been there and done all that drama.
And so here I am, in the process of trying to get disability, which is not an efficient process in the states as the fed dun wanna pay it despite the fact it's our own money that we paid into.
Poorest I've ever been, and waiting for a check to come in.
Despite all this, I do find joy. Maybe it's the fact I consider myself Buddhist and love the writings.
I make handmade jewelry and enjoy photography amongst other things. One of my pieces.
I paint too, although not in some time. I'm pretty much obsessed with making jewelry these days. It helps with my anxiety and pain.
I could list all my issues but I won't bother you. It's boring.
Well I guesstimate this is long enough. More later.
-Lu Anne