Part Two – Plagued by Worry: An Historical Look at Pandemics in Four Parts

Part One can be read here. Part Two The Little Towns that Could (Quarantine) The bubonic plague made a large resurgence in Europe in the mid-1600s.  Venice was one of the first ports of entry.  Knowing their history, however, once it showed up, all boats were quarantined for a time outside of the harbor.  If […]

Plagued by Worry: An Historical Look at Pandemics in Four Parts

I asked historian and chronicler of social justice history Anne E Lynch to help us understand the social justice implications of the COVID-19 pandemic – Sue. Part One Some of you may be seeing memes posted around social media of people in strange bird masks, wearing dark clothes and/or cloaks and carrying canes, and you […]

Pandemic Depression

Content Note: depression, suicide, racial injustice I’m depressed. Yes, in the existential dread of a pandemic sort of way. Duh. But my three week bout of hypomania turned the corner into depression. I am grateful to be moving through my symptoms toward a stable mood, but depression ain’t fun. The transition was bumpy. I bounce […]

When Should I Wear a Mask? YES.

Social media is filled with questions around the do’s and don’ts of face masks and social distancing in general. Do I need to wear a mask when I walk the dog? Do I need to wear a mask when I go hiking? Do I need a mask around family? Yes, you should wear a mask. […]

Welcoming Depression

Content Note: depression, mania, These past few days of hypomania have been brutal. I had an appointment with my psychiatrist and two appointments with my therapist. We decided to increase one of my current meds, understanding it won’t kickin for a week. I just could not relax or feel anything but tension. For three weeks. […]

Saturday hypomania during pandemic

Content note: bipolar disorder, hypomania, alcohol, pandemic Saturday, I woke up very early again, struggling to breathe. Lots of fire pits roaring these nights so the air is heavy near our homes. I grab my inhaler and sore throat spray to quiet the coughing. I fall back asleep after lots of breathing exercises to keep […]

More pandemic, more hypomania

Content Note: bipolar disorder, trauma I woke up this morning around 9 AM with a start, as if I had been ripped from another time and place. I felt the blood coursing through my veins. It was almost thumping. My chest hurt, a fusion of despair and desperation to get going on some unspecified goal. […]

Bipolar hypomania during a pandemic

I’ve been hypomanic for nearly two weeks. My therapist knows, my psychiatrist knows, my partner knows. Most importantly of all, I know. I know why I feel this bad, I’m not in denial. I’m not enjoying the creative edge. I’m not resisting treatment. But I’m already in treatment and on medication. They may be able […]

A mother’s love

Content Note: sexual violence, mental illness, family violence I was born on October 22, 1970. By mid-July 1971, my mother was pregnant again with my brother. Somewhere during that time, she was hospitalized in a psychiatric unit. I was left with my paternal grandparents. By my third birthday, we were all reunited under the same […]

Pittsburgh Trans and Queer Face Mask Project Receives Donation of 3000 Masks

Lots of big news from the Pittsburgh MasQUe ProjecT Donation of 1,000 masks from City of Pittsburgh Donation of 2,000 masks through Global Links Partnering with Pittsburgh Equality Center as our fiscal sponsor Partnering with Center for Creative Reuse as fabric sponsor Working with Garden of Peace, SisTers PGH, Shepherd Wellness Community, True T PGH […]