You know my situation is like yours as well. My whole family is in Arizona/California and I'm a bit of a misfit living in the North East, looking to move back to family, all the while taking care of an Autistic son these past 10 years and two younger sibs. Over last 10 years, I was really getting depressed and stressed out at being alone while I watch my family members drop one by one. I am a nervous eater as well and eat when I get stressed. Everything got very out of control. At one point I was having chest pain, heart palpitations and racing pulse. I started to get pains all the time in my body. My cholesterol and weight went through the roof. Basically, I was killing myself with stress.
Little things help and can be thought of as preperation for your coming move/job.
Tell yourself that anyday that your upright and functioning is a good day.
Any day that your family is doing likewise is a good day.
Excercise! Walk a little every day around the block or a preferred nature trail. Work up to doing it every day and challenge yourself to step up the pace SLOWLY. Turn it into a power walk and use it as time to be with your wife and talk to her. Go over a verse of scripture as you walk. My favorite is the 23rd Psalm, the Lords prayer or any one that has hit you hard that week. Think about how the Lord loves you and has you in His hands. There is nothing that the world can do to us to take that away. It's all that will be left in the end. Take one or two days a week off from the exercise and you can even pig out one time a week on your favorite food.
You'll start to handle the stress differently Joe. You'll think clearer and you'll be better able to make critical decisions. It doesn't happen overnight...you have to be committed to it everyday like you do other everyday tasks. A few months in and you will be feeling better physically and psychologically. Stress kills!
It's never too late and Mescalero and me will give you a hard time checking up on you.
Look at it as the first step in the move process. Apply for jobs and see if a door does not open financially. An employer may be able to help you, and heck if you get the job some of these miscreant levergunners can send you a little too to help out a bit as well or can help with temporary lodging/food. Knowing Joe Reikers and using him as a reference may help, who knows! Take care and keep us posted! You ain't going to get off that easy....hehehehe.
