Rhizo I am in a bad place both mentally & emotionally. My health is poor and am alone which isn't helping me. I've always held myself to the rule .....if you can't be nice and bring a smile, keep your mouth shut. As I am a real Debbie Downer right now I will be away for awhile. Love you all.

Friends are for bad times as well as good. Hope that your life gets happier soon, we are thinking of you.

Please feel free to contact me privately if you need an ear. I am worried about you ...You are such a sweetie. Audrey was the name I had for the daughter I never had. I am a good ear if you need it. XO

Yes, please know that your friends at The KitchenTable are always here for moral support. Hope you feel better soon.

Dear Audrey.....please let the many loving hands here lift you up as you have done so many times for us.

Don't carry the burden alone when we are so willing to share the weight with you.

It's possible for us to send you things that you need, we might be able to make your life easier if we put our heads together.

You are part of our community, Audrey....an important thread of the fabric from which we are made.

Feel better soon, Audrey. We are here for you.

Sorry that you are not feeling the best. Wish that we could do something to help.

I'm so sorry to read this. I've been worried, too. Sure wish I lived closer and could come visit Being alone and not well must be scary. I sure hope you're sharing your feelings with close friends. Stop worrying about being a downer. That's what friends are for. Not just for the good times.

AAA, I'm sorry you are not well. I wish you were here so I could take care of you. You don't need to stay away from us...we are friends who truly understand and love you.

Audrey I hope you peek in again to see the love going out to you. I hope you feel like your chipper self again soon!

Moni from Tulsa today

Please know that many of us have been where you are now. Friends can listen-that's important. A burden shared becomes half a burden. Life is sometimes hard, I think we all know that. The secret is to endure. Please let us help.

Take care and I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Hope you feel better soon.

I Hope you have someone to talk to/share this burden with. Please, please don't stay away from here because you are down. You have a lot of friends here that care about your well being, take advantage of that. I hope you stop in again soon, you never know who among us will say just the right thing to help get you through this. Take care.

I'm sorry you're not feeling well, AAA. It's hard being alone and being sick. ((((AAA))))

Am sending up prayers for you. Asking Him to send you just the right kind of help.

Audrey, we don't expect you to entertain us all the time. :-)

Seriously, we've all had down times. If you don't feel like talking about it, I hope you'll at least "speak" a line or two when you can. We worry when a place at the table is vacant too long.

I'm with Rhizo, is there anything we CAN do to assist you in ANY way. Please just tell us. We care.

((( AAA ))) I'm sending happy thought, hope for healing, and prayers your way.

I've said a prayer for you Audrey and will continue to keep you in my prayers. It has been many years since we first met in person when you were here in GA but I loved you then and still do.

At my age I know well how very difficult it is to suddenly be off beam in the health line and have to cope alone. But you are certainly not alone if you consider the KT and how many are interested and hopeful that you heal quickly. Prayers for you. Pink

I really hope you stay in touch.

My mom was going through some health issues in January and then she fell and had to live with me for 5 weeks, then there were some other issues with her as well. I'm her primary caregiver - anyway, I felt I wasn't fit for human company during that time.

When I finally resurfaced a couple of weeks ago I called a couple of longtime friends to reconnect and they were furious with me for having not called them during that time.. Just as others have mentioned, good friendships are not just for the fun and good times, they are also for the times when support or an ear is needed.

As both of these friends pointed out, I have been there for them and they wanted to be there for me. Actually, one of them said that they needed to be there for me.

That taught me a lesson. If you need an ear and are feeling lonely or alone - don't shut yourself off. People care and they want to help and they want to care.

I haven't been around here long & I don't post often, but I do read the posts almost everyday (sometimes ALL day long, (lol). I know one thing for certain, the folks here at the KT truly care about each other. I find that very heart warming (((HUGS)))

Don't stay away. Often, just unloading/venting, sharing the burden helps us. Everyone needs someone to talk to, and we're here.

Add my name to those who miss you and hope you will come back to share your difficulties. I like to read here when I'm down because I feel like I'm at a big ol' coffee klatch, and it makes me happier.

Please feel stronger and better.

Adding another wish for you to start feeling better soon. Keeping your seat at the table warm in the meantime! Hurry back!

Hugs, we care.

Believe me when I tell you that the support here is amazing. We have literally been through hell lately and I don't know where I would be or in what condition I would be in if not for the wonderful words of support and love from the people here at the kt. Open up to us let someone else help you carry the burden. I am praying for you to have much better days ahead.

Please let us be there for you, we all have had hard places and times visit us.

As others have said, the KT will be here, to offer whatever small comfort we can extend to you, during what must be a very fearful time. But I hope you do have some family or close friends in your life, who can be helpful and supportive to you right now. Do not assume you will be an imposition on anyone. Most people are upset to discover someone they love has been trying to deal with something alone, rather than asking for a helping hand or a listening ear. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Feel better soon, AAA. It's gotta be so hard to be alone and not feel well. Hugs to you.

Joining the others in wishing you better days.

I wanted to add please contact someone so should you be in the hospital or something we can know about it. I hate when good people just disappear and we never know what happened. Keep us informed because we care.

AAA, sending you hugs and healing prayers.

Amazing Aunt Audrey, I've enjoyed your cartoons and kindness. I hope you are feeling better soon.

Bump

Moving this up in the hopes Audrey will pop in again.

I am really missing her, too. Does anyone have her address? I'd love to write her a letter and send a little something. I think that she would love that.

If anyone who participated in the Christmas card exchange has kept the address lists you were sent, I think you should still have Audrey's address. I don't think it has changed. My computer crashed a month or so ago and for me to find it right now, will involve a lot of searching thru backed up files. I was lucky that I had backed it up not long before it crashed, and that my guru knew how to get in another way to get to a command prompt to back it up again.

Maybe someone will have her address and email me.

Rhizo, I have e-mailed her address.

Not sure how we could work it but a card "shower" might give AAA a little lift. Im not sure about just handing out her address but if someone knows a way to collect cards and then deliver all at once that might help us all feel like we are doing a little something to lift her spirits.

Someone sent me a message about that last week while I was on vacation. It is a good suggestion, just not something I am able to work out right now. And when I set up the Christmas card exchange, I promise that I won't give out anyone's address except for those participating. I have no problem with someone who has Audrey's address having cards sent to them, then posting the collected cards on to Audrey. I am sure it would help lift Audrey's spirits!

What I'm about to say isn't going to make me very popular....BUT...I really think y'all should give more thought to what you're contemplating. You're warm, loving, caring people...BUT...there are times in ones life when we all just want to be left alone for whatever reasons. I'm sure that Audrey does...or can...read this thread. She knows you care. Let her have her time alone. Don't flood her with cards. IMO that's an invasion of privacy and I'm rather put off by the fact that her address is being shared. It makes me glad I've never shared/joined the Christmas card club although I gave it some thought many years ago. Beyond that...I'm sure Audrey will return when she's ready. Her daughter's near by. She certainly isn't going to let anything happen to her. Until then...let her settle her own issues on her own. This time in her life is beyond stressful as I know some of you have experienced similar times. I know I have. And...quite frankly...with all this public attention...I'd have been so embarrassed that I doubt I ever would have returned. But that's me. I'm rather introverted to begin with.

Please give more thought to what you're doing. For her sake. Not yours.

Anne, I appreciate your opinion, because it was penned with AA in mind. But I see this differently than you do.

I think that when people are ill or unhappy, a show of support is appreciated. When we are down and out for whatever reason, knowing friends care helps. No one is trying to get into her business, we are all just trying to express our friendship, and sent uplifting messages that might brighten her day, as she has so many times tried to brighten ours.

I agree with Lucille completely. Sweet Betsy, Rhizo or anyone else, please be so kind as to email me Audrey's address. Maretich@Comcast.net is my email addy.

I understand, Lucille. I think this lovely, long, caring thread satisfies the support and uplifting attitude y'all want to convey. It would certainly convey warmth and caring to me if I were the subject at hand. But...I could visit it at will...at times when I was emotionally capable of receiving the messages.

My position was to differ with the decision to send snail mail her way...and to share her address. Sometimes it's just not received with the same love with which it is sent. Not because the person doesn't appreciate it in time but because it's just too much for a stressed soul to bear when just greeting each day is often too much. That's my concern. Let her make the first step back.

anne, you worded that perfectly, and I understand what you mean.

While receiving actual cards is a lovely way to express wishes for support and care, perhaps it might unintentionally cause AAA to feel she must return a note of thanks individually to all those from whom she has received a card. This is not what anyone here would want, but indeed should be considered. That alone might be reason to just continue expressing our heartfelt thoughts here, at least until we hear from her.

I understand both sides of this and would certainly never want to make someones situation worse. I for one didn't know AAA had a daughter nearby and I feel better just knowing that. Also I don't think anyone thought it was a good idea to just hand out her address but to have one person forward the cards. Hopefully she will be checking in here and know we are thinking of her. I guess because I am alone and I have had both physical and mental issues at time I am very aware of how knowing someone cares can make a real difference.