Well it sounds like you have been thru a few things obviously. Small steps one at a time, not being too hard on yourself. Time and events/illness takes a toll on all of us and that's just a fact of life to accept. Some it's earlier than others.
Sounds like you have a new normal, it's ok to seek help a little on how to maneuver around these things, the emotions to handle what we can't change I mean. I find books don't talk back or judge you unless you apply it yourself, perhaps youtube videos can have some helpful advice. I get it tho, changes in circumstances and people's innocent comments can hurt us without them knowing. I probably did the very same thing (isolation) after my covid and brain injury/speech issues that resulted from it.
As long as your taking steps no matter how small, you are doing great and it's forward movement.
You are doing awesome too. What an inspiration you are. I am actually getting out tomorrow. Heading to the VA hospital for an appointment and while out may just have the wife take me to a couple places just to poke my head in to look around. Get out and "socialize".
Awwe thank you, you're too sweet!
Sometimes it's all it takes, exercise "socializing" poking your head around a bit sometimes we are too much in our own head about things and they turn out to not really matter to others as much as they do to ourselves. It helps ease the pressure talking about it normalizes things for ourselves. Men tend to internalize too much.
Something I found helpful, when my other half got his burns and skin graft surgeries, when he wasn't available and I was at the hospital stressing out especially during the surgery, I used to go and hangout in this thing they called, The healing garden to pass the time. Once there I met other people that were long term patients there with all kinds of issues probably worse than my own to talk with (not necessarily about my own issues) in a sense I noticed it was also giving back because they were so happy to have a surprise stranger visitor to hangout with and lifted their spirits too. I never ran out of tea or had to buy any! Nothing gets you to snap out of embarrassment on brain fog issues than talking with someone with Alzimer that keeps forgetting they are in the hospital! Just a thought, often helping others helps us too.