The Mentally Ill (and a Migraine)

I had a terrible migraine yesterday - it started Thursday evening, with a feeling that the back of my skull was being crushed into tiny fragments; then the pain moved to my left eye and sat down to do it's evil job. I had to cancel walking the dogs yesterday, and I had to get Kathy and Jim to take care of Ooch for me. Other than going to the bathroom, I spent 36 hours in bed, either asleep or wishing the pain would abate. Luckily, Lovey and Nedi were quiet and behaved well most of the time, and just snuggled lovingly. - By Thursday evening, thanks to the Chinook, more than half of our snow was gone. This morning, other than areas of deep shade and shelter, and where the plows piled the snow more than 3 feet deep, most areas are clear of snow and ice. I can see grass and leaves in the back yard, and both Lovey and Nedi are leaving muddy tracks all over the place. It was in the lower 50s yesterday afternoon, and a lot of locals were on the Pearl Street Mall in shirt-sleeves. Ahhhh, Colorado weather! While I am told that the sun shone all day yesterday, it's grey and overcast today, and at 10:40 it's 40 degrees outside.
I haven't written anything about the shooting tragedy in Tucson, Arizona on last Saturday for several reasons. My Senators and Representatives also schedule meetings at supermarkets and grocery stores to meet with their constituents, as did Rep. Giffords. I am speechless and appalled by the attack upon a member of Congress, her escort, and her constituents. I, myself, am living with mental illness - but I know right from wrong, and would never think to attack another human being. I am ashamed and upset that that the man accused of making this heinous attack is being labeled "mentally ill." I realize that there are many different types of mental illness, (luckily with medication, therapy, and a great reduction of stress, I can have a useful life, caring for other people's animals) but I have the feeling that this young man should be classified as "insane" and not just plunked in a "mentally ill" category. - Ooopppsss.... I just read in an encyclopedia that being "mentally ill" is the same as being "insane." Oh, well.... The general public have been found to hold a strong stereotype of dangerousness and desire for social distance from individuals described as mentally ill. A US national survey found that a higher percentage of people rate individuals described as displaying the characteristics of a mental disorder as "likely to do something violent to others", compared to the percentage of people who are rating individuals described as being "troubled." - Maybe I should make a T-shirt for myself that says, "Eye, 2, am mentally ill!"