Update…

Hi guys,

First off, let me apologize for the long silence since my last update. I really don't like posting about my troubles. It feels (to me) like I'm trying to throw a pity party for myself and, believe me, that's the last thing I want. But you guys have given me your support, so I feel I owe you guys an explanation for my long absence.

If memory serves me, I made my last post the Friday before last. The weekend that followed was particularly nasty as I was left bedridden from worsening symptoms. I was weak, running a bad fever, and could barely keep anything down. Had to keep drinking water to keep from dry heaving. When Monday came around things were still bad, but the worst of the sickness had passed. I could feel myself back on the upswing. I was sure that by Thursday or so I'd be back in tip top shape. And while I was indeed proven right, little did I know that the worst was yet to come.

For reasons that elude me even now, my younger sister who was in boarding school, had a mental breakdown. My mother was called to school because she had stopped talking and was unresponsive when others tried to speak to her. She'd just sit in one position, looking intently at the ground and not do much else. In her more lucid moments, if you ask her what she's looking at, she'd say that she's looking at and listening to her teachers, when there is no one there. I described her odd behaviors to ChatGPT and it listed the symptoms exhibited as Mutism, Catatonia, visual and auditory hallucinations.

I don't think that, even in the worst moments of my life, I've ever felt this helpless. To look in the eyes of someone I've known my whole life and not see them there has to be the worst thing I've ever experienced. I'd take being sick a hundred times over compared to this feeling. We took her to see a psychiatrist and they prescribed her medications to help alleviate the hallucinations. According to them, we first have to deal with that symptom before we can conduct any further tests on her mental state. I feel there is something more I should be able to do for her, but I'm completely powerless.

Unsurprisingly, I haven't been able to do much writing in this time. Not to worry though, despite my personal troubles, I plan to start the next chapter this Monday. Again, I'm sorry for my long absence. It's not something I wanted, life just came at me sideways.

Regards,
BlaQQuill.