This was on my first day there. I took a scrap of paper that had a breathing exercise on it and drew three of the cats: Noodles saying "roo", Esme saying "dicks!" [she meows at the word] and Shams saying "Frrf".
In June 2024 I went inpatient for the first time in 20 years. It was voluntary, to attempt a med change under the care of professionals as I was dealing with panic and sleep deprivation through cannabis withdrawal exacerbated by years of traumatic events. I was in for a week, and the experience was mostly useless and frustrating other than the med change and the meditation/mindfulness classes and a couple cool people to talk to [I otherwise hated the groups, being infantilized by staff, and subject to antisemitism and transphobia from several other patients on the unit], I started doodling for the first time in years as a way of passing the time and getting out of my head. Here is a selection of the doodles from that time period, photos taken by my cell phone camera.
This was on my first day there. I took a scrap of paper that had a breathing exercise on it and drew three of the cats: Noodles saying "roo", Esme saying "dicks!" [she meows at the word] and Shams saying "Frrf".
Then I drew Uhtred the same day.
This is Larry, in the hopes I'd make my roommate laugh once I came out. Also context re: the cats [Esme and Archie] - our tortie Esme has a butthole the size of a nickel that she's never grown into, and because this is such a backwards fundie area we make jokes about starting The Church Of Esme's Butthole; on The Last Kingdom The Uhtred Show some characters get over-the-top with their Christianity and say "PRAISE HIM" so we started saying "PRAISE IT" about her butt. Yeah. In case you didn't know I was crazy 🤪
Sören [my self-insert] saying "Everything is hopeless fucking bullshit" with Nicholas saying "As you know... you know nothing, Jon Snow." Maglor is to the left of Sören looking sad, and Anthony is sitting on the floor with a big frowny face.
Sören and Anthony cuddling under a blanket, with Anthony telling him "hang in there, it will be okay."
Sören and Maglor. Context for this picture: this was the first time I'd had synaesthesia since quitting weed. I not only experience color synaesthesia but sometimes if I close my eyes while I listen to music my brain makes its own music videos and this happened while I was listening to Enya in the comfort room [a room with a rocking chair where you could listen to whatever music you wanted].
Sören attempting to sleep as Nicholas says "sleep, little one", Maglor plays a lullaby on his harp, and Anthony meditates and sends out healing energy.
Sören says "I slept! Everything is still kind of a lot, but it'll get better." The Alot responds with "ALOT NO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS DO WITH ME."
I made this for my roommate's birthday since I felt bad I couldn't work on fic while I was inpatient. This is of Sören with her OC Yeyette, and Sören is telling her "Remember you are loved, and you are good enough just the way you are." Esme says "That's right! Now worship my enormous butthole" and Archie says "PRAISE IT."
Uhtred and Finan. Uhtred says "I AM UHTRED SON OF UHTRED, DESTINY IS ALL" and Finan says "Begorrah an' sheeyit. Oy ye gobshite do ye ever say anythin' else." ["Begorrah an' sheeyit" is an in-joke with me andmy roommate that would take way too long to explain.]
Some further context: when I would call my roommate from the hospital I would say "I AM UHTRED SON OF UHTRED" in the Uhtred voice when she picked up. On my next-to-last day she replied with "Oy this be Finan." 😂