Comments on: ripples

By: Polly

Polly — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 21:25:31 +0000

But when every single thing in your life changes – your boyfriend leaves, you move house, you lose a job, find a new career – all in the space of six short months, it cannot fail to knock you sideways.

This sounds like me a year ago, petite. Instead of panic attacks, i spent a month just staring out the window. So I moved to Paris.

My friends were plying me with Rescue Remedy for the last three months before I left for Paris. Might be really helpful for panic attacks. Worth a try. Now Paris IS my rescue remedy.

By: Blue

Blue — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:58:58 +0000

For months I’ve been enthralled and often also amused by your blog but only now have I worked up the courage to write because your disclosure of your panick attacks hit turf I’m sadly well acquainted with.
I was about to tell you my story in brief, but this is and should remain your forum. All I can say is that at a similar juncture in my life I thought the men in white coats would drag me away. But it is through such trials that one learns to cope with panic attacks and in the end, when you’ve become immunised, you emerge stronger than ever and can say to yourself “at this age and stage I’m ready to fly”. However, in my opinion, don’t overlook the possibility of having access to a good psychotherapist just in case of a recurrence. No matter how strong we become, there are some things we just can’t put on a blog or even discuss with our loved ones. I was extremely fortunate to find the right therapist at the worst time of my life and now I only check in about once a month.

By: Dave of the Lake

Dave of the Lake — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:08:06 +0000

So Sara, why do you come here then? Do you feel so threatened by what Petite writes about her own life that you feel the need to drag her into the gutter to make yourself feel better? Petite is one person, with one experience: Her own. Suggesting as you do, that she has no right to experience the emotions she does because she has “not been seriously threatened with homelessness or longterm unemployment.” is a load of garbage.

Do you always use guilt like this on people?

When you write such drivel as:

“A blog is a diary certainly, but perhaps at least some of the eternal pity could be reserved for those in real need.”

you give yourself away as an elitist snob. Who are you to define “those in real need?” Everyone experiences life traumas and stresses differently. The fact that Petite has been able to face these challenges and move past them is a testament to her courage, as well her resolve.

As someone who WAS unemployed for a long time, who DID battle depression, who wondered when his life was going to turn around, I can say with some authority that Petite is a living example of how you deal with adversity: You look it in the eye, not let it overwhelm you, and do the best you can for yourself. (and, I might add, for her daughter as well.) Yes, she had the panic attacks, but so what? It did not paralyze her life.

By: mestengo

mestengo — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 13:35:34 +0000

Lisa, Sara was wrong in her judgment, I agree.

But Lisa, not only you judge but you give the sentence. Who are you to say who stay and go?

I’m just a humble reader (not as you apparently) though I’d like to say: “Go away” yourself.

By: varske

varske — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 11:58:16 +0000

Beautiful post. My life has lurched in a different direction several times, without warning, but always for the better. I exactly know the feeling of the rug being pulled from under me. However, I find now that I recognise what I call “the carpet moving slowly under my feet” warning me that not all is exactly how I think it should be and that I should have some alternative options available just in case. Doesn’t make it any more pleasant but it lessens the shock.
All the best for the future.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 10:25:12 +0000

Sara : Go away. You obviously believe that to post your life experience honestly, detailing stress and negativity is somehow looking for a “pity party.” You are so wrong lady, Petite keeps us all entertained weekly and just because she is not writing from the Gaza Strip, with one leg hanging off, destitute and cancer ridden does not mean she is moaning. I think they call it writing!

Petite : I really do hope the upward cuve just keeps slide

from Lisa with all limbs intact, not in a war zone, with food in the press, a few mad children, dieting husband and a raging hangover attending my own pity party being hosted by Neurofen!

By: TH

TH — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 09:56:21 +0000

I think that Petite was simply responding to other people’s questions about recent events in her life. She was in no way looking for a “pity party” just to share her experiences. It seems that her writing just simply struck a chord with many of the readers and so many people can relate to what she has been through. I think that life can still be tough if you’re not homeless/long-term unemployed.

By: Astrid

Astrid — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 07:33:27 +0000

When I was a teenager a boy took me on a date to Portland Bill lighthouse (don’t ask), it was a first date as well! When we were half way up the lighthouse steps i got this terrible panic attack….i couldn’t move up or down, I was literally scared stiff. It took him the best part of an hour to coax me down….meanwhile nobody else could get up because I was holding up the queue. Boy, was I glad to get to the bottom…he never asked me out again for some reason!

By: Mlle Smith

Mlle Smith — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 04:36:57 +0000

Petite, I’m so happy to see the way things are evolving so wonderfully and how fierce you’re being out there in Paris…and you (unlike most bloggers that get book deals) are actually keeping up your blog too, the thing that got you here. Talk about refreshing…FABULOUS!!!

By: andrew

andrew — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 00:52:01 +0000

Maybe sara thinks you have to get knifed in a lift before you can blog about your pain. Or maybe just stuck in one with her.