Author Kuukua Yomekpe #52essays, doctors, doctors, faith, grief, journey, medication, Mental Dis-Ease, reflections

I DON’T GOT THIS!

I've been diagnosed with a debilitating disease that is progressive and chronic and has no cure as of yet. I am in Week 2 of when the symptoms first appeared although at this point after going through my medical history, other symptoms have been manifesting all along; this was just a defining one. I posted … Continue reading I DON’T GOT THIS!

Author Kuukua Yomekpe #52essays, grief, prose poems, reflections

#52essays: The Scabs

My sister got married today. She asked me to pour the ceremonial libation which is an integral part of any auspicious gathering in our culture, at the reception dinner. I positioned myself and steadied the plant that would be the recipient, my voice and hands shook as I juggled the mic and calabash. As I … Continue reading #52essays: The Scabs

Author Kuukua Yomekpe #52essays, abandonment, journey, Love, Men, reflections

#52essays: Peut-être, peut-être, peut-être

A refrain of my own thoughts has been ricocheting around my brain for some time now but I haven't been able to put words to it until now. I belong to me and for right now, that's all there is. Me. And I (me) should be worth it to stay alive for. The past 8 … Continue reading #52essays: Peut-être, peut-être, peut-être

Author Kuukua Yomekpe reflections

#54essays: Butterscotch

"Even when I'm happy, there is a something between me and whatever good news comes my way. It's like eating a butterscotch still sealed in the wrapper." This one, made me take a pen to write it down. It seemed to describe the ravages of mental illness very well. There is almost always a fear about being and feeling completely at ease in a happy thought or in something pleasant that happens to you. It's even worse when you are caught in the throes of a particularly bad stroke of luck and life seems to be playing a sick joke on you. You are staring at a bowl of butterscotch candy and when you touch one, you find out they are all just wrappers. At this moment I can't see the forest for the trees.

Author Kuukua Yomekpe bipolar, DEPRESSION, Mental Dis-Ease, reflections

#52essays: Sometimes there is only Silence

The depression came late this year. For the last two weeks I've been battling to stay alive. There are lots of good things happening all around me but the really shitty thing about the sickness is that it brings with it myopia and the only thing you can see are all the negative things happening … Continue reading #52essays: Sometimes there is only Silence