teigyr - I agree with everything everyone has said. Thank you for caring enough for your friend to try to help. Be careful for yourself.

Does she have a pet? Can she have a pet? During a very low phase in my life (was I clinically depressed? when I look back now, I think so), I believe the reason I continued to function is that each morning my dogs and cats needed me to get out of bed and feed them and let them out and once I was out of bed I'd think, well, I'm up, I might as well go to work....

During the emotional roller coaster of illness over the past year and a half, my salvation has been this board - the support I've found here, the acceptance, encouragement, knowledge - it's helped to balance some very negative emotions and help me recognize that healing is taking place, however slow it may be. And here is where I discovered the power of butterflies. Such a simple visualization that can lift one's spirits even just a little, even just for a moment. As you know, I offer them to others often, and I've had more than one report that they've helped.

For you - butterflies to keep your spirit protected and happy; for your friend - butterflies to give her a glimpse of the joys in life that make it worth living....

Hugs,
~T~