Introductions

 Hello readers, welcome to my blog! I’m not even sure how many people even read blogs any more, but decided to go ahead and start a new one. First off, my name is Jo and my pronouns are She/Her. I live in a small city in northern Saskatchewan with my rescue dog Charlie. I recently came out publicly as bisexual in June of 2020, and was more recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder in December. I’ve been off work since the end of November to let the medication do its job and for time to rest while figuring out what this diagnoses means for my life going forward. 

Since then, I’ve rediscovered my joy of painting. The unknown image being revealed with every brush stroke and splatter of paint calms my racing thoughts and gives my hands something productive to do. I emptied a spare room and set up a craft room where I can paint, make wreaths, cross stitch, write and just create whatever I need to in order to keep my brain healthy. 

I am on medication as prescribed by my psychiatrist. It’s taken a few different medication combinations to find the best fit for me, and I’m so glad that we’ve reached a combination that is covered by health insurance and keeps me balanced. Having a creative outlet is to give me any extra boost of light and “warm fuzzies” that I might need during a low or mixed episode. Also to help me look back and see the times where I may have experienced a manic episode. It is my hope that I can recognize these shifts in mood & accompanying behaviours more often so that I can do what needs to be done to keep me safe, and to keep my relationships with others healthy. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey, I hope you’ll find encouragement, humour and honesty in my writings. I’m going to try my best to write on a regular schedule, but am not going to put too strict of expectations on myself. 

Be kind to yourself and others!