Life Changes & Transformations

Hi Y'all!

Just a quick note to update all of you on

what's been happening in my life

over the past 6-8 weeks.

Things are going well for me.

I've recently returned to

Fountain House (http://www.fountainhouse.org/)

on a daily basis for the past two months

and am really getting into it.

I've been working on the weekly TV show

and the daily radio show,

along with special projects.

The biggest one is filming Board Members

who have a long history with FH,

an Oral History going back to 1951!

This is a long-term project,

probably going through to the end of the year.

We will be archiving the interviews

(done by Kenn Dudek, the Director of FH),

transcribing them and adding biographies

to get a "complete" historical record.

Once that is done,

I will begin editing the interviews

for a possible future project,

a documentary perhaps, still in its infancy.

Additionally, I became involved with the 

Photography Club which has now

morphed into the Multimedia Club.

Much more interesting and a lot more fun!

It will give me the opportunity

to use my brand-new camera,

a Nikon D3000 dSLR,

along with my barely used

website design skills.

I also took part in a short 20-minute film entitled

"Paranormal Activity at High Point Farm,"

a horror flick tinged with a good dose of humor.

You wouldn't believe how many FH members

come up to me to talk about my performance,

as well as my long and flowing beard. It's really grown out.

(Sadly, I trimmed it down to a more elegant-looking beard

- still lots of compliments though!)

Also, I recently started a TE,

a transitional employment position

at Baker & Mackenzie,one of the most prestigious

international law firms in the world.

It's a simple job

(I'm the Scanning Clerk for the company)

but it will allow me to make extra cash to

supplement my SS Disability check.

It provides a daily challenge in that I

must keep focused and mentally alert

to keep things running smoothly.

Challenging, to say the least!

Lastly, I recently started with a new psychiatrist

at the clinic at the now defunct St. Vincent's Hospital.

I told him that I was still suffering

from a low-grade depression,

feeling lethargic, unmotivated,

having difficulty with cognitive functions -

pretty much stuck in place.

He said he could fix that and prescribed Ritalin,

a drug that I never even considered taking.

Let me tell you that I never expected the

positive results from this drug that I've experienced.

Since I've been on it, I have had renewed energy,

am able to function better throughout the day

and am engaged in life.

In fact, by the third day I had a day

that was the best one that I've had since

my depression starting taking hold of me

two years ago this month.

It's not a miracle, but damn close enough for

 me to notice the changes that have

 taken place over the past month.

Speaking of clinics and hospitals,

St. Vincent's HIV/AIDS Clinic officially closes

at the end of this week, Friday, May 28th, 2010.

What happens after that is unclear.

What I do know is that two hospitals

are taking over the functioning of the clinic,

though they will be run as two separate entities.

The Mt. Sinai Hospital Clinic

will be located on the first floor,

the location of the current clinic,

and the other one will be run by

St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital,

and will be located on the second floor.

 In addition,

half of the current staff of doctors, nurses, etc.

will be going to one hospital,

and the other half to the other one.

Crazy insane is what it is!

No one has any idea how this is supposed to work,

especially for the patients,

most of whom are poor, homeless,

living in shelters or other similar situations,

 though many do work and have their own places, too.

 Anyway, the clinic is now going to be two clinics

and I must choose between keeping my

long-standing relationship with my HIV/AIDS doctor of 9 years

(affiliated with St. Luke's/Roosevelt),

and between keeping my social worker,

psychologist, and psychiatrist (affiliated with Mt. Sinai).

Right now I'm looking at keeping the latter.

In addition, my new psychiatrist is very

pleased with my progress on the Ritalin and has

recommended getting a Life Coach.

He is a founding member of a non-profit organization

that provides Life Coaches to

people who have limited income,

and suffer from a mental illness.

The great thing about it is the LCs are doing it pro bono,

which means at no cost to me for up to one year!

So many changes over the course of 6-8 weeks!

And this feels like the start of something very good and positive

in my life after two years of depression and suicidality.

Well, that's all for now.

Please feel free to email me or call me.

I miss talking with y'all.