How do I stay sane, find happiness, and get my health back?

I find talking with or visiting with friends or emailing helps and if there is a way to volunteer starting out slowly until you are stronger might help if you can get out in walk depending where you live that often helps did you have hobbies that you once enjoyed think about that, Try to be around encouraging people-is there a lonely person near your home you could visit once a week that is also a thought.

Volunteer work is great for the soul. You forget what's going on in your life when you get involved with helping others with theirs.

Now I just have to remember that myself.

Anticipating going back to normal can be helpful if you can focus on what you are going to do not on what you can't do. My Mom is 86 with Parkinsons and is pretty much in bed and needs help to get out but she is doing exercises to strengthen her leg muscles and uncurl her toes because we told her that if she could stand (with help) we could take her for outings. What makes you smile? How can you give? Rejoice in the fact that you will get better. Hope you are encouraged by the messages you receive.

When my mom first went to the nursing home, she was very angry and resentful, and still having problems adjusting. A lot of it has to do with her lack of privacy in the nursing home and the fact that she could not remember when she arrived at teh nursing home, why she was brought there, etc. At first I tried to visit her most of the day, but as each hour went on, it got harder and harder for me because she would get more and more upset, asking questions, not understanding, and accusing me and my sister of stealing her things that had been moved to my sister's house. It ended up in court, and my sister has guardianship now, but it has still rested on me to most of the visiting and taking care of the day to day problems that come up, and her finances. To me this was this seemed like the worst t hing that could have happened to me. However, I did start not coming to visit so often and only stayed a few hours, she was not quite as upset when I would come and visit, and I have enjoyed doing volunteer work and getting more active in my church. It was hard to put five years of taking care of mom behind me, but I had to move on with my life.

I read that you're living in a different state than where you grew up. Can you move her back to where you were living before?
Otherwise: church, take a college class, rec. center where there are crafts,self defense classes, art,swimming etc. Take a cooking class, join your nearest Curves for Women, get a dog and take him for a walk. Good luck.