Safe Mode: When the Hardware Rejects the Update
For nearly two decades, we lived in the Engine Room of a high-heat professional kitchen. We thought we knew what high-stakes pressure felt like. But nothing prepares you for the quiet, heavy tension of the In-Between, the space between a diagnosis, triation, and the right treatment.
The Glitch in the System
Three weeks ago, we officially began clearing the signal, ready to start the titration journey. We were ready for the first software update.
But two days in, the system hit a glitch.
A reaction meant an immediate halt. Suddenly, the plan wasn't about moving forward or launching the shop; it was about monitoring a blood pressure cuff and holding space for a total physical reboot. We've had to step back, stop the meds, and wait for the hardware to settle before we could even think about trying a new tablet.
Why we engaged Safe Mode
In the old life, a glitch would have caused a panic. Needing to stay in work, no break, pressure and chaos.
But the Digital Sanctuary doesn't work that way.
I made the decision to put the Engine Room in Safe Mode. This meant:
Stepping away from the Doing: No blog posts, no shop deadlines, no digital creation and no App Building.
Prioritising the Pulse: My husband’s health and the kids' stability became the only metrics that mattered.
Testing the Infrastructure: I built the Sanctuary OS precisely for moments like this, so the business could run quiet while I focused on the human beings inside the house.
The Wisdom of the In-Between
We aren't in a rush. Transitioning from 25 years of self-medication and high-stress labor to a new neurodivergent life isn't a Day 1 transformation. It is a slow, sometimes painful, recalibration.
If you are currently in your own In-Between, waiting for a diagnosis, struggling with titration, or just feeling the weight of a life redesign, know this: It is ok to stop the engine.
You cannot install a new operating system while the hard drive is spinning at 100%. Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is sit in the quiet, monitor the vitals, and wait for the signal to clear.
What’s Next?
We are still at basecamp. We are waiting for the all clear to try the next step of the journey. The 600-mile drive to Lossiemouth is still on the horizon, but for now, our horizon is just the next successful blood pressure reading.
The Sanctuary is doing exactly what it was built to do: protecting the people inside it while the world outside waits.