Matt moving out

Hi Graeme,

I just wanted to take the time to say a couple of things…

Firstly I’d like to thank you for being such a great house mate over the last couple of years. You really have been great and I can say you’ve become like a brother to me almost. Seriously you’ve been great to live with and while we’ve had interesting times it was great.

I’d like to apologise however for bringing conflict into the house. I’m sure it can’t have been easy to have Sharmista and I going at each other on such a regular basis. You and I are the same in that we need peace in our lives and not endless drama so I’m sorry for that. You were extremely patient and accommodating and I appreciate it.

I hope we stay in contact very much and you and Mack are always welcome to come up for dinner and hang out any time.

I don’t know how things are going to go with Sharmista and I and therefore Millie and I. It’s pretty upsetting for us all so I just need to accept that the way it turns out is the way it turns out.

Anyway, thank you again for having me in your home for the last two years. I will remember this time with fondness.

Your friend

Matt

Hi there Matt

Wow, what a wonderful email. I'm touched by your kind, affirming words.

I've loved having you as a housemate too.  As I may have mentioned before, you've been a huge source of inspiration to me ...

- your seeing the potential in the house, inspiring me to renovate.

- your innate sense of style that I could call on

- your love for the simple but good things in life (good wine, food, travel, chilling with friends)

- your "minimalism", yet belief in quality in what you do own

- your hunger to learn and enormous knowledge on so many topics

- your sense of humour and great conversation

- your heartwarming love for Millie

- your friendship

No worries re the conflict. It didn't effect me that much.  And I created enough drama of my own with DIY chaos and psychotic episodes :)  You too were very patient. And supportive.

Yes, lets definitely keep in contact, and share more great laughs and conversations.

All the best with your new place. May it be privy to many happy and fun times. And may Millie hopefully be part of it, if life allows.

Kindest,

G

Millie's 1st birthday party

A fun doggie birthday party at the park.  Matt and Sharmista put on a great splash.  There were lots of doggies and Mack loved it as much as we did.  Lovely to share it with Sharon and Yogi.

Xmas barbecue at King Street

Email sent after a week in hospital

Hello beautiful family and friends

I want to express my deepest gratitude for all your amazing support during the last two weeks: all your well wishes, phone calls and visits, prayers and positive vibes, words of encouragement. To Matt for ensuring I came home to such an immaculate room. For listening to my strange ramblings before I went in; especially Liza, Matt & Sharmista, Shushann, Nic and Srini!

In a nutshell, for all the love and caring you all showed in so many ways. It was yet another beautiful reminder to me of how absolutely priceless friendship and human connection is.  I appreciate your love and care and support  more than I can express.

I want to express a particularly deep public thank you to Craig.  Oh my goodness, where do I start, Craig?  I can't tell you how extraordinary your support was.  You were literally my rock during this often uncertain and scary experience.  Thank you for looking out for me when I was showing warning signs, for getting in touch with the hospital, for all your immense wisdom, for the perspective you gave me, the advice you brought, for your numerous visits, for bringing all my stuff to me, for the nuts and priceless letters from home, for taking me out on walks.  And for your constant peace and calmness which was like a soothing balm.

But most of all, thank you for keeping everyone in the loop the way you did. For reassuring my mum and sister who felt so helpless and far away.  For hunting down hard to get info from the doctors and sharing that, for all your emails and all the calls you made.  You were a priceless gift to my family especially.  Without you, they would have been absolutely frantic with worry.

As you all know, I'm home now.  Apart from the worry it's caused all of you, I'm grateful for the experience.  It's given me some priceless insights into a condition I've had since I was a child. It's brought home powerfully the importance of looking after myself: living life slowly, getting lots of sleep, nourishing food, exercise, walks, connection.  It's given me a renewed appreciation of the immense freedom I enjoy in my life and all the little things that I realise aren't little.  It's given me the incentive to do some therapy to sort out some fears I woke up to. Allowed me to get off medication I've been wanting to get off for ages. And brought home the realisation I don't need to feel shame or pretend to be "well" if I'm experiencing emotional difficulties from time to time.  That is such a relief, such a freedom.

I look forward to catching up with all of you. And embracing and sharing the adventure of life that I feel so privileged to share with all of you.  

Sending you love

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What a beautiful letter which I am sure will mean as much to your friends as it does to me.  I hope you will re read it many times when things get tough and remind yourself of the amazing support you have in Australia and you will ask for help immediately if you ever need it in the future.  I know the next few weeks are going to be very difficult as your body continues to recover and your brain adjusts to being without some of the medication it has become so reliant on.  We love you so much and hate that you have had to go through this experience but hope that the long term result will make it all worthwhile.

Remember we are here for you any time of the day or night.  Be gentle on yourself, take any support that is offered and take it one day at a time.


All my love, Mum

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Wow G!  That is truly an amazing letter you wrote.  I think your friends will be blown away by the sincerity and raw emotion of it.

Will chat soon

Jo


xxxxx

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Thanks Graeme - you are very welcome - & you are well loved.

And "in a nutshell" is apposite, coz that's where you were! -  and what a speedy escape - well done - & may it continue, as the L'Oreal girls say, "because you're  worth it".

Cheers mate

Craig

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Blessings dear Graeme

I’m sorry I wont be there tonight to give you a hug. See you next week. I was thinking of buying Craig a big bag of cashews for all his care. I know how much he loves them.


Shushann xx

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My dearest Graeme,

I was so surprised to receive that long explanatory email from you, that you were actually in hospital and needing help.

I did wonder why I had heard nothing from you in two weeks, but I prayed for you nevertheless. I'm still in the dark but the main thing is that you're better now. I'm so grateful to all your friends who've supported you and been there for you in your time of need. Just goes to show what wonderful friends you have, and how you receive in return all you give out. 

Please take extremely good care of yourself in every aspect of your life and know that there's nothing more important than you!

With much love and a myriad of blessings,

Heather xxx

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Thanks so much, Heather.  All is well and the experience was actually a priceless one, one I wouldn't change for anything, except the worry it caused my family and friends.

Basically, I went off on an extraordinary spiritual high - due at least in part, I'm pretty sure, to the stimulent medication I've been taking for several years that masks lower energies in my psyche.   I was in such a state of peace and complete fearlessness that I stopped taking the medication altogether.  I continued to feel peaceful and joyful for several days with extraordinary revelations and experiences and love beyond anything I can describe.

But sometimes what goes up, comes down abruptly - especially when the brain suddenly isn't getting the chemical it has become reliant on. 

So I plummeted into a sudden world of illusion and in that state, literally stared face to face at my Ultimate Nightmares.  I lived for about 12 hours of intense suffering and intense fear before I realised that it was just a psychotic episode and I was in the North Sydney High Dependency Ward (Maximum Lock Up!)

I stayed there for about a week, meeting beautiful people and coming off the medication I'm been wanting to come off for years.  Now I'm home and feeling fantastic.  

Hope all is going well.  

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Do I know how to pick house-mates or what?

Matt, my new house-mate, is a gourmet chef and I got to enjoy a succulent meal of medium rare lamb and truffle mash.  So delicious.  The big question is, what can I make in return.  A little bit daunting!