Where to start? The past few weeks have been awful. Child support dried up. Trying to make up for that is daunting. Then my new used SUV was rear ended. By a great big truck. The same day I found out I needed a root canal. Then my Primary Biliary Cholangitis decided to join the party. Yes, I know autoimmune disorders thrive on stress. But having my body jump into attacking itself when I am already overwhelmed? Sucks.

I did learn one useful thing. Somewhere along the line I had been told not to use ibuprofen because of potential liver damage. But when I took Tylenol, it made me vomit. So I contacted my doctor, and he said no, Tylenol is hard on the liver, not ibuprofen. Just in time for the root canal. Before the numbing wore off, I rooted through the medicine cabinet for the ibuprofen.

My doctor did add that ibuprofen can be hard on the kidneys. Uh huh. I have two of those, and one sad liver. The autoimmune disorder attacks the bile ducts in my liver. So the bile goes all over the place. The medicine I’m on is supposed to slow the progression of the disease. But it is no match for extreme stress.

Thankfully, James and I were not hurt in the accident. He did have a little redness where the seat belt did its job. But that has faded, and we are OK.

If you noticed the School News missing one week, that is because my editor very kindly offered me a week off after the accident, because I was too stressed to think clearly for a while, much less to be able to write. I am very thankful for that little break. I am also happy to be back to writing.

I first started writing back in fourth grade, but really picked it up in fifth grade, when a very good teacher actually set time aside for me to write. She would also check what I wrote. I guess you could call her my first editor. Her name was Mrs. Webb. And to her I am forever grateful.

My high school reunion is coming up. I probably won’t go. I have too much to deal with right now. I am still working on this new reality. But somehow it will all work out. My mother used to say I could always make things work. She was not entirely right. But I am trying my hardest.