Mental Illness Fellowship Northern Territory

Thanks for your kind words about my mum, @CheerBear. I feel really glad I can come through for her at this time, and that it is clearly helping her to have me ringing her more often lately. I'm often not much good with any kind of real practical help for people, but like to think I'm not too bad at mental and emotional support. I've given my mum a huge amount of grief over my lifetime and am very grateful that our relationship has improved to a huge extent as we have got older. She's planning to come up here again this year, looking forward to it. 

I really hope the NDIA comes through for you with the psychology sessions too, as it has for eth. 

Feeling for your loved ones a lot in their situation and at the same time very glad that you are relieved of the bigger burden you have had recently of caring so closely for them both. 

I understand what you are saying about your anger and frustration at yourself. As someone who has in the past been quite poor at practising safe sex (and very lucky for the most part!), I do get how something like this can so easily happen. We are only human though, and that means we are not perfect. It goes without saying, I guess, but the best approach is self compassion, as we would have compassion for others we cared about in the same situation.