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Omi Strong – Loss, Support, and Schizoaffective Disorder
I keep seeing cats out of the corner of my eye. I enter a room and there’s a grey striped cat on the lowest stair. As I bring a box into the kitchen, a long haired feline awaits around the corner. They don’t stay long, but they’ve appeared four times in the last three hours. They’ve been here since shortly after I heard the news about Omi. Let’s back up. This morning, I received a call from my cousin. He asked if I had heard and I instantly knew what he was going to say. Our grandmother, who we call Omi, passed away peacefully early this morning. It wasn’t unexpected…
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The Ghosts – An Inside Look at One of My Hallucinations
I call them the ghosts. They aren’t really spirits, but I can only catch a glimpse of them before they’re gone. Dressed in soft-looking shirts in shades of white and ivory, they carry out everyday tasks. Their presence is neutral – neither threatening nor overly hopeful. Calm and content, they go about their business with only a passing glance thrown my way. I know they are not real, but I feel like I am seeing them for a reason. And I am dying to know what that is. After seeing the third one, I began to notice the pattern. She stood indoors near the side door of our apartment building.…
- A Day in the Life, Hallucinations, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Schizoaffective Disorder, Schizophrenia
A Day in My Life with Schizoaffective disorder – Moving Day
It’s moving day – well, day 2. We spent the night in our new apartment. It’s still skeletal when it comes to furnishings. Bags and boxes litter the rooms, stacked on the furniture and the floor. Despite all of that, I already feel at home. I lean towards the mirror as I put on my makeup. It might seem strange to some that I would wear makeup when I’ll be spending my day lifting and carting around boxes, but, for me, makeup is a form of self-care. I don’t think I look awful without it, but I feel more secure when I’ve spent time taking care of myself. It’s not…