Thursday, January 29, 2009

Prayers for JohnieB (but don't worry)

Dear all,

I've wanted to post this for a while but did not want to do so without JohnieB's permission, which I just received along with a nice catch-up letter.

JohnieB, friend to many of us in this corner of the blogosphere, is, as you know, a Vietnam War veteran who lives with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). He also gets depressed in the winter, which happens to many of us (SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder) and happens even more to people who already suffer from depression.

So he hasn't been blogging and I've been checking in to make sure he was okay. He is, more or less, but is in slowdown mode, something those of you who have lived with depression will recognize. He's taking care of himself, he's surviving the nasty New England winter up there, Miz Scarlett the Cat (see below) is at her post, and JohnieB has some support and is not dealing with this entirely alone. But it's still hard. Depression is a nasty beast. I have known it myself, as have some of you.


Please send prayers to JohnieB, for healing and lively spirit, and also please don't take it amiss if he does not respond to you. Energy is low in depressed times. Also, JohnieB fears "being a downer to friends." He sends greetings and says not to worry if he isn't responsive either on his blog or in private e-mails.

Do your thing, Prayer Posse! Thank you.

Photo of sleeping Miz Scarlett by JohnieB.

10 comments:

pj said...

Thanks, Jane. I have been concerned.

Anonymous said...

Me too. Glad he's ok - and he's on the prayer list.

Wormwood's Doxy said...

I am relieved to know he's hanging in there. And boy do I know the slowdown thingy...

Hugs to him if he's reading and prayers too. Thanks for letting us know, Jane. You are--as I have good reason to know--an excellent friend.

Love,
Doxy

Fran said...

I am just delighted to hear that he is hanging in there. Many prayers and a hug for such a good man!

David@Montreal said...

Prayers for Johnnie B ascending from Montreal too
and one for Dr. Jane who cared enough to share

this is probably the internet at its very best, when we are able to connect and uphold each other in the royal feast of prayers and practice

thanks Jane

David@Montreal

Anonymous said...

Hang in there, JohnieB. Spring is coming and prayers continue.

Ken said...

Hang in, JB. SAD is a shitty thing to deal with. You prayed for me during the summer when my flavor of SAD sets in, and I am doing the same for you.

Anonymous said...

Sending a bit o' Florida sunshine his way. God love him.

Brother David said...

Prayers for JohnieB.

I bet Miz Scarlett has some serious hair balls!

johnieb said...

Thanks, everyone, especially Jane, for your prayers, vibes, and help.

I donno how long this is gonna take; bear with me, 'K?

Truth told, Dah-veed, I'm dreading the first one.