Im Not Sure Where To Start
Hey you guys, been a month now and im trying not to go too long without longing life here on the blog.
This school semester is killing me, psych and sociology are going awesome, chemistry and pre calc are knocking me out. Me and numbers and memorizing and focusing....not so great! I love psychology, I think I have the best teacher in the world, I really do. Today after class I spent almost half an hour talking to her about my experiences in the clinic I work in, compared to what I had seen in today lecture. Today we talked about alcoholism and alcohol use (earlier this week was drugs and controlled substances), so I talked about how we see so many people who use food or drugs as their way to cope with life and most of that is because its socially acceptable to eat a lot for comfort.
We also talked about how many clients will lie to your face "oh no, im not doing that anymore" then follow up and say "except for... four times yesterday, then today for breakfast, plus when I was on the way here". I asked my teacher, "so when will we cover the stats on how many clients will never even try to get better or how they will just get more creative at hiding from their problem" and thats how we got onto the subject. It was very enjoyable, she is someone who definitely gets it, who sees life through their own eyes and not someone who hides behind rose glasses (or at least does a good job at appearing that way). That was probably the highlight of my day, could even be my week.
As far as my actual health goes, I dont want to say it and I dont want to claim it, but I have had a bunch of rough days in the last few weeks.
Monday morning I woke up at 5am, after a demonic nightmare (very rare for me. very) and I was wide awake, so I functioned that day on 3 hours of rough sleep. Tuesday was similar, I was up at 5 after a weird dream but managed to fall back to sleep. Then at 6:30am I woke up and that was it, but I did sleep around 7 or so hours this time so it was better than the day before. Tuesday night I was asleep around 11:30pm, and then i slept until 10:30am wednesday. I would call that pretty solid, but still I was worn out. And allll of that leads us up to today, which is still rough and I cant think. My brain and focus checked out.
Emotionally, except for the last couple of weeks where Ive felt worn out, Ive had a LOT of really good days. Days that I can ride around the car and enjoy my time listening to my music and having fun. No complaints. I have been very grateful for the reminder of what that all actually feels like. Even now, im not feeling great physically or emotionally, but its not so bad compared to a year ago. Its rough and I need to get this figured out sooner rather than later, I know part of it is stress and overworking myself.
I have been getting back in the sauna again, last week I got in for 45-60 minutes 5-6 times. That helped me a lot, but for whatever reason it didnt stick to this week. I got in again today for the first time this week, im praying that tomorrow will be a great day. If I can make it through work and some studying, thats all I ask.
I have been taking more time off work, I took nearly all of today off work to get some homework and rest in.
One personal thing has been weighing on me a ton and Its something I do wish would just go away. But I know better than that, and theres no lessons to be learned if my problems disappear into thin air. The end of October is the anniversary of the death of someone who used to be my best friend, and I was always involved with that with my friend every year. Now, nothing. He doesn't talk to me anymore and won't answer my calls, texts, emails etc. so I know better than to try to send him another message of any sorts. Its just odd, being so close to someone and being a part of special times in their life (though this one is rather tragic, not sure special is really the right word, maybe I should say meaningful instead ?), then just being gone from their life. But, for now, it just is what it is.
This coming week I am going to get some blood work done to checkout whats going on in my body. Its been several months since I have had anything checked out, I may find a cause to why I haven't been feeling so hot.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Friday, September 6, 2019
Back to School
Math Class
Its the end of the first week of September and school is completely back in action and in full swing! I kept doing some classes through the summer, so I never took a full break per say. But doing a couple of scattered classes over the whole summer is still so much easier than a full load, which, yet again, I somehow managed to forget.
Today for the first time I had to admit what I would refer to as defeat. I had to talk to my boss at the end of the work day and for the first time EVER in my rather short working career, cut my hours. I just cant do it. Im overwhelmed and my body is tired. I honestly think I did better at getting things done when I felt like crap than I do now, I think the adrenaline from being afraid of falling asleep in class and falling short may have been needed to keep me running like I was.
I just had to stop. Five college classes and 30 hour work weeks, and about 25 hours of homework at home every week. I cant even go to the gym or hang out with friends at ALL because i'm always staring down a book like my life depends on it.
Im taking abnormal psychology, Chemistry +chem lab (3 hours long, twice a week, whose jealous ?), Pre Calculus, and Globalization. I spend so much time doing math and chemistry, I forgot I was taking Globalization. I barely have time to even take the other classes. On Wednesday I spent the time after I got up, all the way until after 9:15pm or so, doing math and chemistry. I could barely move I was so tired, my only breaks were eating and going to math class(ok so that wasn't a break).
Cutting down on going to work is my LEAST favorite thing to do. I enjoy the people and the job itself way too much. I don't have to "act" a certain way and I don't really worry about if I'm being talked about behind my back, unlike some other crowds of mine.
Plus working of course, provides funding for my hobbies which is my escape from stress. Kinda a catch 22, working to be able to pay to de stress or not working to de stress. Hm.
Today, what broke me and made me wave the white flag, I completely bombed my first math test for the semester. It was 100% because I just didn't have the time to study, I spent all my free time doing homework. I knew this stuff, this was a repeat from last semester, I aced the homework. It wasn't even a long or particularly hard test. I was just so tired and I hadn't been able to study, which is something I have to do for math because I am not wired to do math.
Needless to say. Im a bit depressed. 90% is probably due to just being worn out, this is the busiest school schedule ive ever had, chemistry should really be considered two classes instead of one. I knew this was going to be a rough schedule, I just did not realize how bad. Only three more months to go. The first month went by quick. Thats good right? I just have to redo the first month three more times, then the semester is over LOL
Ive been thinking a lot lately, Ive fallen into a very anti social mood these days. Well. Most of this year I haven't really wanted to be around other people, its not just lately. Ive been paying attention to the people who I most enjoy being around and the people that stress me out.
One "friend" of mine, that was a classmate, who liked to call or text me with ALL of her complaints whenever she got frustrated with life. Which, she may have earned a Guinness world record for, I don't think she's even capable of having something right in her life. But don't worry, she was a very capable young woman, because nothing was EVER her fault. (read the sarcasm here). She was always nice to me for the most part but after a while, I realized she really drove me nuts.
Theres another two or three people that fall into this category, that were close friends and known for years. And I cant help but wonder, what should I do? I already avoid them and don't really talk to or see them in person...but they're my friends (i think). I feel like i'm doing something wrong. But I also feel like when I'm not in the room, I don't want to know what they actually talk about.
On the other side. The people at work are usually my favorite people to be around. Is it because they're that much different than the other people I know, or am I just more comfortable at work than I am around people outside of work. These are the things that keep me awake at night LOL.
Media
Ive payed more attention to some of the things I really enjoy to watch on tv. Tonight I was watching an old Joan Rivers clip on youtube, it was about this time five years ago that she was killed by some doctors. Joan was talking about how she originally had to work hard to reach the level that she reached. She was a woman, a jew, and said things that not just everyone wanted to hear (read men didn't like female competition 60 or so years ago), she had to work harder in some ways than other people in the business at the time.
Then when she was in her 50's, her husband killed himself and she lost her TV show. She lost her best friend, and all that she had worked for over her whole life, all in days of each other. I think a lot of people can sympathize, who have chronic disease. One day you have your life, wherever the milestone be that you've reached, and then one day its gone. Or one day you feel so horrible that you couldn't care less for what you do or don't have.
Joan said she had to go back to the bottom of the totem pole, she ended up back in regular night clubs with the kids who were trying to become someone. Here she was, in her fifties, had her own national tv show and prior career with Johnny Carson, and she was back at the starting point. To me, thats like graduating college with a doctorate then being sent back to Kindergarten to start over from the very beginning.
Later in the interview she talked about how some people are offended by her sense of comedy, and she listed some things that had upset people that she ended up changing. She also made a point that I agree with, if someone has a life that others could only ever wish for and they make $25 million a year. Its not a big deal to talk about their outfit.
On the surface its obvious that this is a joke, especially if you see what some people on TV wear . BUT looking at this a bit more seriously. What do we ourselves look at in ourselves or others, that we take too harshly? At the end of the day some things really don't matter. We can all make mistakes, sure, and be too critical about them. But some things we should just get over it, because tomorrow it wont matter. Easier said than done.
I appreciate Joans sense of humor because it makes some of the hard subjects lighter and she doesn't limit herself to a "box" that only certain people fit in. She even says, many times, that she is her own biggest critic.
Makes you think doesnt it?
No?
Okay so just me then.
One day its my goal to motivate myself to keep going with whatever the project or assignment is, without criticizing myself or others. I wonder, for real, that if one day this is how I will really work in my daily life.
Its the end of the first week of September and school is completely back in action and in full swing! I kept doing some classes through the summer, so I never took a full break per say. But doing a couple of scattered classes over the whole summer is still so much easier than a full load, which, yet again, I somehow managed to forget.
Today for the first time I had to admit what I would refer to as defeat. I had to talk to my boss at the end of the work day and for the first time EVER in my rather short working career, cut my hours. I just cant do it. Im overwhelmed and my body is tired. I honestly think I did better at getting things done when I felt like crap than I do now, I think the adrenaline from being afraid of falling asleep in class and falling short may have been needed to keep me running like I was.
I just had to stop. Five college classes and 30 hour work weeks, and about 25 hours of homework at home every week. I cant even go to the gym or hang out with friends at ALL because i'm always staring down a book like my life depends on it.
Im taking abnormal psychology, Chemistry +chem lab (3 hours long, twice a week, whose jealous ?), Pre Calculus, and Globalization. I spend so much time doing math and chemistry, I forgot I was taking Globalization. I barely have time to even take the other classes. On Wednesday I spent the time after I got up, all the way until after 9:15pm or so, doing math and chemistry. I could barely move I was so tired, my only breaks were eating and going to math class(ok so that wasn't a break).
Cutting down on going to work is my LEAST favorite thing to do. I enjoy the people and the job itself way too much. I don't have to "act" a certain way and I don't really worry about if I'm being talked about behind my back, unlike some other crowds of mine.
Plus working of course, provides funding for my hobbies which is my escape from stress. Kinda a catch 22, working to be able to pay to de stress or not working to de stress. Hm.
Today, what broke me and made me wave the white flag, I completely bombed my first math test for the semester. It was 100% because I just didn't have the time to study, I spent all my free time doing homework. I knew this stuff, this was a repeat from last semester, I aced the homework. It wasn't even a long or particularly hard test. I was just so tired and I hadn't been able to study, which is something I have to do for math because I am not wired to do math.
Needless to say. Im a bit depressed. 90% is probably due to just being worn out, this is the busiest school schedule ive ever had, chemistry should really be considered two classes instead of one. I knew this was going to be a rough schedule, I just did not realize how bad. Only three more months to go. The first month went by quick. Thats good right? I just have to redo the first month three more times, then the semester is over LOL
Ive been thinking a lot lately, Ive fallen into a very anti social mood these days. Well. Most of this year I haven't really wanted to be around other people, its not just lately. Ive been paying attention to the people who I most enjoy being around and the people that stress me out.
One "friend" of mine, that was a classmate, who liked to call or text me with ALL of her complaints whenever she got frustrated with life. Which, she may have earned a Guinness world record for, I don't think she's even capable of having something right in her life. But don't worry, she was a very capable young woman, because nothing was EVER her fault. (read the sarcasm here). She was always nice to me for the most part but after a while, I realized she really drove me nuts.
Theres another two or three people that fall into this category, that were close friends and known for years. And I cant help but wonder, what should I do? I already avoid them and don't really talk to or see them in person...but they're my friends (i think). I feel like i'm doing something wrong. But I also feel like when I'm not in the room, I don't want to know what they actually talk about.
On the other side. The people at work are usually my favorite people to be around. Is it because they're that much different than the other people I know, or am I just more comfortable at work than I am around people outside of work. These are the things that keep me awake at night LOL.
Media
Ive payed more attention to some of the things I really enjoy to watch on tv. Tonight I was watching an old Joan Rivers clip on youtube, it was about this time five years ago that she was killed by some doctors. Joan was talking about how she originally had to work hard to reach the level that she reached. She was a woman, a jew, and said things that not just everyone wanted to hear (read men didn't like female competition 60 or so years ago), she had to work harder in some ways than other people in the business at the time.
Then when she was in her 50's, her husband killed himself and she lost her TV show. She lost her best friend, and all that she had worked for over her whole life, all in days of each other. I think a lot of people can sympathize, who have chronic disease. One day you have your life, wherever the milestone be that you've reached, and then one day its gone. Or one day you feel so horrible that you couldn't care less for what you do or don't have.
Joan said she had to go back to the bottom of the totem pole, she ended up back in regular night clubs with the kids who were trying to become someone. Here she was, in her fifties, had her own national tv show and prior career with Johnny Carson, and she was back at the starting point. To me, thats like graduating college with a doctorate then being sent back to Kindergarten to start over from the very beginning.
Later in the interview she talked about how some people are offended by her sense of comedy, and she listed some things that had upset people that she ended up changing. She also made a point that I agree with, if someone has a life that others could only ever wish for and they make $25 million a year. Its not a big deal to talk about their outfit.
On the surface its obvious that this is a joke, especially if you see what some people on TV wear . BUT looking at this a bit more seriously. What do we ourselves look at in ourselves or others, that we take too harshly? At the end of the day some things really don't matter. We can all make mistakes, sure, and be too critical about them. But some things we should just get over it, because tomorrow it wont matter. Easier said than done.
I appreciate Joans sense of humor because it makes some of the hard subjects lighter and she doesn't limit herself to a "box" that only certain people fit in. She even says, many times, that she is her own biggest critic.
Makes you think doesnt it?
No?
Okay so just me then.
One day its my goal to motivate myself to keep going with whatever the project or assignment is, without criticizing myself or others. I wonder, for real, that if one day this is how I will really work in my daily life.
Friday, July 26, 2019
Reflecting on The Waves
Reflecting on a Week of Changes
This week has been a unique time in my life. One, because some things in my work/personal life are changing. Two, because I am headed back to Kansas this weekend. Heading to Kansas is always a guarantee that my life will change, I go in feeling one way and come out on the other side feeling different (usually worn out). Then weeks and months later my life continues to change.
Ill start elaborating. Personal life-
An amazing coworker of mine, that is a cross between a mom and a best friend to me, is leaving our office to move to Virginia. This woman came in only a year ago, and cleaned house. She changed our entire work environment. She streamlined all of our systems, wrote protocols, held people accountable, increased business, and most importantly brought a smile to everyones face.
It is nothing short of a God send that this woman was placed in our office and our lives. She managed to remove all of the toxic personalities from our office and environment, so all this posts from the last two years or so about issues with coworkers-she solved six months ago. Thanks to her, I am able to go to work and enjoy it. My heart is back in it, life is good. I also gained confidence and value in myself, I have been shown how much I am worth to the business. I have held the position of professional multitasker for four years now, thanks to this woman my benefit has been recognized and I can see a higher value in myself in the office.
The amount of smiling patients that come into our office has increased, many came by today or this week to say goodbye We even had a surprise party earlier in the week and managed to surprise her, I was honored to be a big part of that. I like making sure people feel special, I think that day we all did a good job.
This person has actually been special enough to me, that today I gave her a link to this blog as a going away present. For those of you who have been reading for a long time, you know that this blog is a very secret safe haven of mine, that I have only given to a small handful of people. The first being a coworker last year, then E and one other girl friend of mine, and now this coworker. Thats only 4 people (unless I forgot someone).
Personal life Pt. 2
I have been thinking lately on how much my life has been on a continuously changing spin cycle for the last few years, especially since the strep infection in my brain. The anxiety and depression has subsided substantially since March. Looking back into October 2018, anxiety was hitting an all time high and I was collapsing. I was scared big time and answers were scarce. I wanted to crawl out of my skin, so many nights I was awake in bed praying that I could just stand up right out of my body and leave it behind. My body and I are on better speaking terms, it still has some catching up to do, but I thank God every day today for the body I have been given. The good, the bad, and the ugly. A few years back I had zero understanding of anxiety, now I get it.
Ya know, they don't say you "get it" until you GET IT. Thankfully, I GET IT now. I understand.
Anxiety is a complete and total change in mental capacity and functions, immediately. Sometimes its triggered and sometimes its a surprise. Ive had a few minor surprises lately with it, but all very minor and all very related to staying up too late or not sleeping. A year ago I couldn't stand to be in my own skin, good day or bad. I wanted out. It didnt feel right.
Two years ago I remember having plenty of vegetable moments, all too often just being too tired to do much. Hobbies weren't in the picture. Depression was made, and anxiety showed up.
Three years ago, I was only a few months into treatment with my doctor, and that was my first taste of feeling human again. Depression was frequent but not severe, anxiety was very mild or maybe non existent (I would have to check my notes).
Six years ago, I had to take time off school because I just couldn't function.
Seven years ago I had to recognize that my life had changed, from an event the year prior, and I would have to recognize my new life style of feeling unwell all the time "for no reason". All sports were dropped and any activity I could live without was left to the dust and never thought of as a possibility. Life had changed and the future was a scary place.
The future is happening, life has been ever changing. More scary changes than I care to think about, but all the changes have led to the person I have become. In the last few months, since my last visit to Kansas, I have come to appreciate the man I am becoming. I am flawed, my body is faulty, things still scare me, sometimes I dont know what Im doing. But this is the life God gave me, it wasn't an accident, it all has a purpose for his glory. Ive made it this far, if I was doing something that wrong God would have taken me out of the picture. I will be here to serve my purpose until God decides my time has come.
Personal Life Pt. 3
I have removed a lot of toxic people from my life in the last few months. I used to fear that I was being antisocial, and that I should be conforming to other peoples quirks and habits otherwise I was doing something wrong. Now I am realizing that those behaviors put me in situations that allowed me to be walked on and taken advantage of, and a lot of those "friends" may serve me better from a distance rather than on my speed dial. Some of these friends have known me for along time, they may come back around and this may be a temporary change, or it may be time to forget about them. My "best" friend that I used to mention on a frequent basis has been MIA from my life since February. One day he didn't text me back, and I never heard from him again. Very long story short, I sent him an email asking for forgiveness for whatever I may have done, and I apologized for some of my own faults that I knew bothered him. That was the end of that. Sending that email hurt, I had to pour a lot of emotion and thought into it and I knew in my heart that nothing would come of it physically. I knew no matter what I said, was he going to respond. God has given me very strong intuition in my life, sometimes I "just know". But I said my piece, I put it out there, I got it all of my chest, I asked for forgiveness, I asked God to forgive me for my mistakes-known and unknown.
After this event my life began to clear in a way, I started getting him off my mind. It hurt. It burned. Intuition says its not over and come the end of this year I need to be prepared for something, what that is-I dont know. I just know I should take note of what my intuition said.
I removed 90% of the things that kept my life anchored to this person in anyway, which consisted of deleting pictures from my phone, texts, and taking of the friendship ring that he gave me. One day I will dump that last 10%, which will be when I delete all of the pictures and messages, throw the ring away (turns out it cost like $10 on eBay, I found where he bought it on the first search, he probably put very little thought into it and it probably isn't worth keeping in my drawer), and take the one last picture off my dresser. Its just hard for me to part with memories that during a hard part of my life, brought me a lot of joy and relief from some painful realities. I havent decided if its intuition telling me to hold onto these things a little longer, or just sentiment.
This isn't the only friend Ive had incidence with this year, probably the most dramatic. One "best" friend started dating another " best" friend, then the two of them starting treating myself and others rather poorly. Another "great" friend of mine started dating a new guy, then said new guy got a bit handsy with the girls cousin in the pool. "Great" friend says it didnt happen, cousin gets upset. Lo and Behold, house divided on a rather serious matter there. I voiced my opinion and stepped out of the picture. Anyway, ill stop there with the drama, drama doesn't need to seem like its being glorified.
This year, I realized how much healthier and happier I was when I didnt go out with friends or spend an evening with certain people. I noticed that I was happier stressing over car parts, than I was being caught in drama which began to seem endless. Maybe right now I am feeling a bit antisocial and I am being a bit snobby about what quality of people I want to spend my time around. I think it may be time I start treating my social life with a little more respect, even if it means staying home and not being social.
Lyme-
I guess I could mention a little bit about the topic that gave me the reason to write my blog. Life is going well in the disease department. Sleep has struggled painfully this week, but I have had a lot on my mind. I have had some extremely severe leg cramps all day everyday for the last several days which have made it painful to walk, I'm blaming this on working on my car. Fatigue and motivation are a bit of a struggle, probably related to sleeping.
If I could sleep well, and wake up early, then maintain a consistent schedule indefinitely, I think my symptoms would continuously improve. The one thing that does remain a struggle is my personality, I still do not feel like im as "awake" as I was pre strep, sometimes it is still very difficult to talk. My brain just stays at flatline. I used to talk a lot more and joke around a lot and everyone thought I was hilarious (which is still there, but not at all like before. I used to keep track of my jokes I had so many). Its coming back, maybe after this coming visit to Kansas this will begin to take a large turn for the best. Im praying for my body as an entirety to heal and function properly (not just function "enough"), Im praying that my brain fog will be lifted, that I will feel completely like myself again and not just a "part" of myself that survived a war, and Im praying that I will be given the energy and stamina to feel GREAT after this coming week all the way through the school year (or further). Last time, my doctor told me I had near miraculous results with how quickly and significantly my test results improved for the better. I am praying that this will be gloriously repeated.
How am I doing on making up for the lost time I was in hiatus?? I told you, thoughts are in there!!
This week has been a unique time in my life. One, because some things in my work/personal life are changing. Two, because I am headed back to Kansas this weekend. Heading to Kansas is always a guarantee that my life will change, I go in feeling one way and come out on the other side feeling different (usually worn out). Then weeks and months later my life continues to change.
Ill start elaborating. Personal life-
An amazing coworker of mine, that is a cross between a mom and a best friend to me, is leaving our office to move to Virginia. This woman came in only a year ago, and cleaned house. She changed our entire work environment. She streamlined all of our systems, wrote protocols, held people accountable, increased business, and most importantly brought a smile to everyones face.
It is nothing short of a God send that this woman was placed in our office and our lives. She managed to remove all of the toxic personalities from our office and environment, so all this posts from the last two years or so about issues with coworkers-she solved six months ago. Thanks to her, I am able to go to work and enjoy it. My heart is back in it, life is good. I also gained confidence and value in myself, I have been shown how much I am worth to the business. I have held the position of professional multitasker for four years now, thanks to this woman my benefit has been recognized and I can see a higher value in myself in the office.
The amount of smiling patients that come into our office has increased, many came by today or this week to say goodbye We even had a surprise party earlier in the week and managed to surprise her, I was honored to be a big part of that. I like making sure people feel special, I think that day we all did a good job.
This person has actually been special enough to me, that today I gave her a link to this blog as a going away present. For those of you who have been reading for a long time, you know that this blog is a very secret safe haven of mine, that I have only given to a small handful of people. The first being a coworker last year, then E and one other girl friend of mine, and now this coworker. Thats only 4 people (unless I forgot someone).
Personal life Pt. 2
I have been thinking lately on how much my life has been on a continuously changing spin cycle for the last few years, especially since the strep infection in my brain. The anxiety and depression has subsided substantially since March. Looking back into October 2018, anxiety was hitting an all time high and I was collapsing. I was scared big time and answers were scarce. I wanted to crawl out of my skin, so many nights I was awake in bed praying that I could just stand up right out of my body and leave it behind. My body and I are on better speaking terms, it still has some catching up to do, but I thank God every day today for the body I have been given. The good, the bad, and the ugly. A few years back I had zero understanding of anxiety, now I get it.
Ya know, they don't say you "get it" until you GET IT. Thankfully, I GET IT now. I understand.
Anxiety is a complete and total change in mental capacity and functions, immediately. Sometimes its triggered and sometimes its a surprise. Ive had a few minor surprises lately with it, but all very minor and all very related to staying up too late or not sleeping. A year ago I couldn't stand to be in my own skin, good day or bad. I wanted out. It didnt feel right.
Two years ago I remember having plenty of vegetable moments, all too often just being too tired to do much. Hobbies weren't in the picture. Depression was made, and anxiety showed up.
Three years ago, I was only a few months into treatment with my doctor, and that was my first taste of feeling human again. Depression was frequent but not severe, anxiety was very mild or maybe non existent (I would have to check my notes).
Six years ago, I had to take time off school because I just couldn't function.
Seven years ago I had to recognize that my life had changed, from an event the year prior, and I would have to recognize my new life style of feeling unwell all the time "for no reason". All sports were dropped and any activity I could live without was left to the dust and never thought of as a possibility. Life had changed and the future was a scary place.
The future is happening, life has been ever changing. More scary changes than I care to think about, but all the changes have led to the person I have become. In the last few months, since my last visit to Kansas, I have come to appreciate the man I am becoming. I am flawed, my body is faulty, things still scare me, sometimes I dont know what Im doing. But this is the life God gave me, it wasn't an accident, it all has a purpose for his glory. Ive made it this far, if I was doing something that wrong God would have taken me out of the picture. I will be here to serve my purpose until God decides my time has come.
Personal Life Pt. 3
I have removed a lot of toxic people from my life in the last few months. I used to fear that I was being antisocial, and that I should be conforming to other peoples quirks and habits otherwise I was doing something wrong. Now I am realizing that those behaviors put me in situations that allowed me to be walked on and taken advantage of, and a lot of those "friends" may serve me better from a distance rather than on my speed dial. Some of these friends have known me for along time, they may come back around and this may be a temporary change, or it may be time to forget about them. My "best" friend that I used to mention on a frequent basis has been MIA from my life since February. One day he didn't text me back, and I never heard from him again. Very long story short, I sent him an email asking for forgiveness for whatever I may have done, and I apologized for some of my own faults that I knew bothered him. That was the end of that. Sending that email hurt, I had to pour a lot of emotion and thought into it and I knew in my heart that nothing would come of it physically. I knew no matter what I said, was he going to respond. God has given me very strong intuition in my life, sometimes I "just know". But I said my piece, I put it out there, I got it all of my chest, I asked for forgiveness, I asked God to forgive me for my mistakes-known and unknown.
After this event my life began to clear in a way, I started getting him off my mind. It hurt. It burned. Intuition says its not over and come the end of this year I need to be prepared for something, what that is-I dont know. I just know I should take note of what my intuition said.
I removed 90% of the things that kept my life anchored to this person in anyway, which consisted of deleting pictures from my phone, texts, and taking of the friendship ring that he gave me. One day I will dump that last 10%, which will be when I delete all of the pictures and messages, throw the ring away (turns out it cost like $10 on eBay, I found where he bought it on the first search, he probably put very little thought into it and it probably isn't worth keeping in my drawer), and take the one last picture off my dresser. Its just hard for me to part with memories that during a hard part of my life, brought me a lot of joy and relief from some painful realities. I havent decided if its intuition telling me to hold onto these things a little longer, or just sentiment.
This isn't the only friend Ive had incidence with this year, probably the most dramatic. One "best" friend started dating another " best" friend, then the two of them starting treating myself and others rather poorly. Another "great" friend of mine started dating a new guy, then said new guy got a bit handsy with the girls cousin in the pool. "Great" friend says it didnt happen, cousin gets upset. Lo and Behold, house divided on a rather serious matter there. I voiced my opinion and stepped out of the picture. Anyway, ill stop there with the drama, drama doesn't need to seem like its being glorified.
This year, I realized how much healthier and happier I was when I didnt go out with friends or spend an evening with certain people. I noticed that I was happier stressing over car parts, than I was being caught in drama which began to seem endless. Maybe right now I am feeling a bit antisocial and I am being a bit snobby about what quality of people I want to spend my time around. I think it may be time I start treating my social life with a little more respect, even if it means staying home and not being social.
Lyme-
I guess I could mention a little bit about the topic that gave me the reason to write my blog. Life is going well in the disease department. Sleep has struggled painfully this week, but I have had a lot on my mind. I have had some extremely severe leg cramps all day everyday for the last several days which have made it painful to walk, I'm blaming this on working on my car. Fatigue and motivation are a bit of a struggle, probably related to sleeping.
If I could sleep well, and wake up early, then maintain a consistent schedule indefinitely, I think my symptoms would continuously improve. The one thing that does remain a struggle is my personality, I still do not feel like im as "awake" as I was pre strep, sometimes it is still very difficult to talk. My brain just stays at flatline. I used to talk a lot more and joke around a lot and everyone thought I was hilarious (which is still there, but not at all like before. I used to keep track of my jokes I had so many). Its coming back, maybe after this coming visit to Kansas this will begin to take a large turn for the best. Im praying for my body as an entirety to heal and function properly (not just function "enough"), Im praying that my brain fog will be lifted, that I will feel completely like myself again and not just a "part" of myself that survived a war, and Im praying that I will be given the energy and stamina to feel GREAT after this coming week all the way through the school year (or further). Last time, my doctor told me I had near miraculous results with how quickly and significantly my test results improved for the better. I am praying that this will be gloriously repeated.
How am I doing on making up for the lost time I was in hiatus?? I told you, thoughts are in there!!
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Long Hiatus
I Forgot
Ok so I am guilty of what many bloggers all do at some point in life. I forgot to sit down and write on my blog.
Ive been writing this blog for years, Im a bit shocked it was so easy for me to just disappear like that. E texted me this evening and asked me if it was a good thing that it has been 5 months since my last post. I had NO idea it had been that long! Not in the slightest. A whole lot of things have changed since February. Mostly for the better!
Okay so first things first. I finished another semester of school successfully. College Algebra included. That alone is a gift from God LOL.
I decided to do two summer classes this summer, Theories of Psych and Social Problems. Both have been rather fun and light classes to do during an online summer semester. I like the 1 class per month setup, im not so rushed to get things done. I just have my dedicated amount of time to spend on each class 6 days awake, but short amounts of time so I can actually ENJOY the class a little! I remember when reading was rocket science a few years ago.
Sitting down to read a book is still difficult, but for school I can do it.
Second! I went to see my Kansas Doc in March. WOW. Life has changed a lot since then. He started me on some new things for sleep which have made a significant difference in the quality of my sleep. We did the standard work up, I have it all written down and I will post specific details on it all soon.
My quality of life sky rocketed after this last visit to my doctor, like record breaking. Before I went to the clinic I was really starting to wear down again, feeling very flatline and tired. Not necessarily depressed or anxious, just run down. But I was going to the gym every so often and pushing myself, trying to get into the rhythm of exercising and exerting physical energy. My body had all forgotten what intentional exercise was after all these years, 13 years old was when all my formal exercise of any sort ended. Now I am 21 and I can do it again. Some days I can some days I can't, but what has made life different is the days that I can are out numbering the ones where I can't. I do still have limits, I am really pushing getting to bed earlier. I HAVE to recover and not over do it in my daily life if I want to be able to feel well and be able to exercise.
The first two months after my March visit with my doctor I felt GREAT. Sure I still had bad and sucky days, but I was going to the gym 3-4 times a week for the most part and I finished the last half of the school semester. School, gym, and work. Never thought I would see the day.
Quality of life is doing much much better than in the past. Depression creeps in every so often, when it does usually I can take a look at something I had done in the last 24 hours and pick out the cause. Chinese food and MSG, WAY over doing it with working too hard and not resting, under eating-depression guarantees for me. Every time without a fail.
Anxiety. Heres a word that I, at one point in my life, had no understanding of. No comprehension of the effects that this little disorder could have on somebody's life. I had no idea anxiety held the mold to completely reshape a persons life and personality into a form previously unknown. This anxiety thing isn't for sissies! I had no idea how anxious and on edge I was all the time until it disappeared...
Thats right. I dont think I have had anxiety in months now. After the last visit to my doctor the anxiety and unhinged stress slowly started melting away and releasing. Like a wound up rubber band slowly popping itself free until no tension was left.
Who remembers when thats all I had to talk about?
If anxiety does NOT return with the onset of the new school semester, I think we will have truly witnessed a miracle. Even if it does return, I don't think severity will ever reach what it once was. Looking back about two summers ago when it was in its peak, I think I should have seen a psychiatrist and gotten some strong medication or something. I dont think I even almost recognized how severe it was. OR how strong I was to resist it during that time. I am so thankful that God kept me strong and I never fell victim to feeling sorry for myself or giving up.
Work! I am still at the same office working the same job. During the summer I work full time, which my dear bank account is so grateful for. Come this very full semester of college next month, my bank will shed a few small tears when my hours cut back.
Some things even at work have changed, Ive become much more social and have had much more bonding time with my co workers. I love them to pieces.
Earlier this year the problematic coworkers that all of us were bothered by (11 employees, 2 problematic, not kidding when I say EVERYONE) are now GONE. They are still employed by they are working from a distance, out of our space and out of our way! They're happy not being in the office being social (one of the two has a social disorder and regularly ticked people off) and we are happy having the space back.
I had forgotten how much I enjoyed my job. Some evenings I dont even want to go home, I actually think I rather be at work with my work family than with some of my friends from school. I must be growing into an adult LOL.
I go back to my Kansas doc in just a few weeks, two I think. I have already gotten my blood drawn for the lab work. Just waiting to fly out. I am still taking a crap ton of supplements and I pray that soon I will be able to reduce things, I am not on as many pills as I have been in the past but I am still choking down a fist full morning and night. I dont even ask that I have to discontinue them all. Just some. Pretty please
I have begun to slide down again on energy compared to what it was after my visit in March. I changed one of my adrenal supplements and it made a big difference and progress started coming back. I am looking forward to my upcoming visit, my baseline now is a mile higher than ever before. I have never gone into a week in Kansas, not anxious and in pain, never ever exercising, never working hard. Its almost always a downward spiral my doc has to pull me from.
The only symptom I would say is truly "returning" is my brain fog, which I have fought with and fought with for almost a decade. Again, if I could sleep am 8 hour night every night, my brain health would probably be out of this world. Sleep quality has gotten great, amount of hours is still rather lacking and not ideal. Ive noticed lately Ive been garbling my speech a lot more and I lose thoughts and sentences, so I know its coming time for a tune up again. I am glad this coming visit will be more of strong jump start or maybe even a slingshot into feeling normal again, rather than my doctor pulling me up by the Grace of God from the pits of disrepair. He's going to be so shocked when he sees me next time.
I am still trying to push my fitness even though my energy has been waning a bit. I have gone to the gym twice this week. I am really trying to eat more, I haven't eaten a satisfactory quantity on a regular basis in years (probably the whole time I've been sick). Its time I quit starving myself and I make food a higher priority. I still don't enjoy food a whole lot or enjoy eating. I notice I can trick myself into eating a lot more at work when Im busy compared to when Im home doing other projects (read, I forget to eat at home). I have found a protein shake called Vega that I can tolerate, so I have been mixing it with some frozen fruit and ACV, creating what is now my breakfast and dinner. I learned protein shakes before bed drastically help my sleep quality. With these results, doing the shakes has become second nature. I mix them with fruits I like plus some kale or veggies, then heavily dilute with coconut milk to thin it out. If I make the smoothie very thick it will hurt my stomach, I still have to watch it with food. Hard to digest solid food makes my stomach feel full and painful for a while. MUCH better than it was in the past but it is still an issue. If I dilute my smoothies down and take digestive enzymes, the problem is better. Maybe my hunger (lack of) issue will be what begins to improve next time I go to my doctor.
My goal is to begin gaining weight, 6'4" and 136 or so LBS. Its time I look less anorexic and have more reserves. People who have a healthier body weight have a stronger immune system and are less likely to get sick. Thats mah goal here!
Since starting with the gym I have gained zero pounds since February. I took a look at my diet and realized how little I was eating (realized...again) and how lacking in protein it was. This week I started the Vega instead of the other vegan protein I was doing, the Vega is a bit higher in proteins. I still need to bring up the calories and nutrients as a whole. But this eating thing isn't easy. I have noticed a difference since I started doing protein shakes 1-2 times a day a month or two ago, my energy has become more consistent and holds out for longer.
In my more fun side of life, I bought a 74' Alfa Romeo Spider, it has become my baby. Its a cross between a project car and my own daily driving car. It was a solid driver. At first. I decided to drive the car to work one day, the thermostat stuck and overheating the engine...blowing the head gasket. This wasn't a bit deal, it was easy to fix this. While I had the engine torn apart I replaced a lot of other things while I was in there, thinking I was making my car more and more reliable (in theory I did). Well once the head gasket was replaced I took the car on some test drives around the neighborhood, honing in the carburetors and getting them adjusted (look, I know im supposed to be millennial but I want to learn how this stuff works LOL). Aaaaaand a little 10mm nut came off a carb bracket, and went right into the engine. Thats bad. Whats worse, I did not realize that had happened. I eventually figured out the reason I couldn't adjust the carbs was because one cylinder had sucked in the nut and had become severely damaged in the head. I discovered this had happened when I took the spark plug out and saw the tip had been crushed, I knew this had to be bad. LONG story short. The head of the engine has been back and forth the the shop many times, with failed attempts to fix it. Now another head is being built for my car (I know most of my readers arent car people and this is just rocket science...BUT)and will hopefully be ready soon. Its taken about two months to get this far on this issue. The "new" head being built has taken almost a month to be refurbished from what it was, the shop hasn't been in what you call a hurry to get the job done. But if they do a good job, I can be patient. Im thankful it only hurt the head of the engine and didnt ruin the WHOLE engine. For this we are thankful.
I think this about brings everyone to where my life is now. Major symptoms-fatigue(could be worse), brain fog, insomnia, digestion.
Life problems-my car is broken.
But hey, all these issues are fixable and will be fixed in due time. Step by step progress gets made!
I missed blogging, truthfully I just havent sat down or really NEEDED to vent like I have in the past, but no that does not mean I will stop writing!
Ok so I am guilty of what many bloggers all do at some point in life. I forgot to sit down and write on my blog.
Ive been writing this blog for years, Im a bit shocked it was so easy for me to just disappear like that. E texted me this evening and asked me if it was a good thing that it has been 5 months since my last post. I had NO idea it had been that long! Not in the slightest. A whole lot of things have changed since February. Mostly for the better!
Okay so first things first. I finished another semester of school successfully. College Algebra included. That alone is a gift from God LOL.
I decided to do two summer classes this summer, Theories of Psych and Social Problems. Both have been rather fun and light classes to do during an online summer semester. I like the 1 class per month setup, im not so rushed to get things done. I just have my dedicated amount of time to spend on each class 6 days awake, but short amounts of time so I can actually ENJOY the class a little! I remember when reading was rocket science a few years ago.
Sitting down to read a book is still difficult, but for school I can do it.
Second! I went to see my Kansas Doc in March. WOW. Life has changed a lot since then. He started me on some new things for sleep which have made a significant difference in the quality of my sleep. We did the standard work up, I have it all written down and I will post specific details on it all soon.
My quality of life sky rocketed after this last visit to my doctor, like record breaking. Before I went to the clinic I was really starting to wear down again, feeling very flatline and tired. Not necessarily depressed or anxious, just run down. But I was going to the gym every so often and pushing myself, trying to get into the rhythm of exercising and exerting physical energy. My body had all forgotten what intentional exercise was after all these years, 13 years old was when all my formal exercise of any sort ended. Now I am 21 and I can do it again. Some days I can some days I can't, but what has made life different is the days that I can are out numbering the ones where I can't. I do still have limits, I am really pushing getting to bed earlier. I HAVE to recover and not over do it in my daily life if I want to be able to feel well and be able to exercise.
The first two months after my March visit with my doctor I felt GREAT. Sure I still had bad and sucky days, but I was going to the gym 3-4 times a week for the most part and I finished the last half of the school semester. School, gym, and work. Never thought I would see the day.
Quality of life is doing much much better than in the past. Depression creeps in every so often, when it does usually I can take a look at something I had done in the last 24 hours and pick out the cause. Chinese food and MSG, WAY over doing it with working too hard and not resting, under eating-depression guarantees for me. Every time without a fail.
Anxiety. Heres a word that I, at one point in my life, had no understanding of. No comprehension of the effects that this little disorder could have on somebody's life. I had no idea anxiety held the mold to completely reshape a persons life and personality into a form previously unknown. This anxiety thing isn't for sissies! I had no idea how anxious and on edge I was all the time until it disappeared...
Thats right. I dont think I have had anxiety in months now. After the last visit to my doctor the anxiety and unhinged stress slowly started melting away and releasing. Like a wound up rubber band slowly popping itself free until no tension was left.
Who remembers when thats all I had to talk about?
If anxiety does NOT return with the onset of the new school semester, I think we will have truly witnessed a miracle. Even if it does return, I don't think severity will ever reach what it once was. Looking back about two summers ago when it was in its peak, I think I should have seen a psychiatrist and gotten some strong medication or something. I dont think I even almost recognized how severe it was. OR how strong I was to resist it during that time. I am so thankful that God kept me strong and I never fell victim to feeling sorry for myself or giving up.
Work! I am still at the same office working the same job. During the summer I work full time, which my dear bank account is so grateful for. Come this very full semester of college next month, my bank will shed a few small tears when my hours cut back.
Some things even at work have changed, Ive become much more social and have had much more bonding time with my co workers. I love them to pieces.
Earlier this year the problematic coworkers that all of us were bothered by (11 employees, 2 problematic, not kidding when I say EVERYONE) are now GONE. They are still employed by they are working from a distance, out of our space and out of our way! They're happy not being in the office being social (one of the two has a social disorder and regularly ticked people off) and we are happy having the space back.
I had forgotten how much I enjoyed my job. Some evenings I dont even want to go home, I actually think I rather be at work with my work family than with some of my friends from school. I must be growing into an adult LOL.
I go back to my Kansas doc in just a few weeks, two I think. I have already gotten my blood drawn for the lab work. Just waiting to fly out. I am still taking a crap ton of supplements and I pray that soon I will be able to reduce things, I am not on as many pills as I have been in the past but I am still choking down a fist full morning and night. I dont even ask that I have to discontinue them all. Just some. Pretty please
I have begun to slide down again on energy compared to what it was after my visit in March. I changed one of my adrenal supplements and it made a big difference and progress started coming back. I am looking forward to my upcoming visit, my baseline now is a mile higher than ever before. I have never gone into a week in Kansas, not anxious and in pain, never ever exercising, never working hard. Its almost always a downward spiral my doc has to pull me from.
The only symptom I would say is truly "returning" is my brain fog, which I have fought with and fought with for almost a decade. Again, if I could sleep am 8 hour night every night, my brain health would probably be out of this world. Sleep quality has gotten great, amount of hours is still rather lacking and not ideal. Ive noticed lately Ive been garbling my speech a lot more and I lose thoughts and sentences, so I know its coming time for a tune up again. I am glad this coming visit will be more of strong jump start or maybe even a slingshot into feeling normal again, rather than my doctor pulling me up by the Grace of God from the pits of disrepair. He's going to be so shocked when he sees me next time.
I am still trying to push my fitness even though my energy has been waning a bit. I have gone to the gym twice this week. I am really trying to eat more, I haven't eaten a satisfactory quantity on a regular basis in years (probably the whole time I've been sick). Its time I quit starving myself and I make food a higher priority. I still don't enjoy food a whole lot or enjoy eating. I notice I can trick myself into eating a lot more at work when Im busy compared to when Im home doing other projects (read, I forget to eat at home). I have found a protein shake called Vega that I can tolerate, so I have been mixing it with some frozen fruit and ACV, creating what is now my breakfast and dinner. I learned protein shakes before bed drastically help my sleep quality. With these results, doing the shakes has become second nature. I mix them with fruits I like plus some kale or veggies, then heavily dilute with coconut milk to thin it out. If I make the smoothie very thick it will hurt my stomach, I still have to watch it with food. Hard to digest solid food makes my stomach feel full and painful for a while. MUCH better than it was in the past but it is still an issue. If I dilute my smoothies down and take digestive enzymes, the problem is better. Maybe my hunger (lack of) issue will be what begins to improve next time I go to my doctor.
My goal is to begin gaining weight, 6'4" and 136 or so LBS. Its time I look less anorexic and have more reserves. People who have a healthier body weight have a stronger immune system and are less likely to get sick. Thats mah goal here!
Since starting with the gym I have gained zero pounds since February. I took a look at my diet and realized how little I was eating (realized...again) and how lacking in protein it was. This week I started the Vega instead of the other vegan protein I was doing, the Vega is a bit higher in proteins. I still need to bring up the calories and nutrients as a whole. But this eating thing isn't easy. I have noticed a difference since I started doing protein shakes 1-2 times a day a month or two ago, my energy has become more consistent and holds out for longer.
In my more fun side of life, I bought a 74' Alfa Romeo Spider, it has become my baby. Its a cross between a project car and my own daily driving car. It was a solid driver. At first. I decided to drive the car to work one day, the thermostat stuck and overheating the engine...blowing the head gasket. This wasn't a bit deal, it was easy to fix this. While I had the engine torn apart I replaced a lot of other things while I was in there, thinking I was making my car more and more reliable (in theory I did). Well once the head gasket was replaced I took the car on some test drives around the neighborhood, honing in the carburetors and getting them adjusted (look, I know im supposed to be millennial but I want to learn how this stuff works LOL). Aaaaaand a little 10mm nut came off a carb bracket, and went right into the engine. Thats bad. Whats worse, I did not realize that had happened. I eventually figured out the reason I couldn't adjust the carbs was because one cylinder had sucked in the nut and had become severely damaged in the head. I discovered this had happened when I took the spark plug out and saw the tip had been crushed, I knew this had to be bad. LONG story short. The head of the engine has been back and forth the the shop many times, with failed attempts to fix it. Now another head is being built for my car (I know most of my readers arent car people and this is just rocket science...BUT)and will hopefully be ready soon. Its taken about two months to get this far on this issue. The "new" head being built has taken almost a month to be refurbished from what it was, the shop hasn't been in what you call a hurry to get the job done. But if they do a good job, I can be patient. Im thankful it only hurt the head of the engine and didnt ruin the WHOLE engine. For this we are thankful.
I think this about brings everyone to where my life is now. Major symptoms-fatigue(could be worse), brain fog, insomnia, digestion.
Life problems-my car is broken.
But hey, all these issues are fixable and will be fixed in due time. Step by step progress gets made!
I missed blogging, truthfully I just havent sat down or really NEEDED to vent like I have in the past, but no that does not mean I will stop writing!
Monday, February 18, 2019
One Month Count Down
I have officially booked my next visit to see my Kansas doctor. This is the longest breaks in between visits I have ever taken since beginning treatment for Lyme. Some new things will be happening this go round.
For one, I won't be going to the Hansa Center anymore. I am going to miss that place, I thought it was one of the friendliest, warmest environments on earth. But its time for a change, my Dr. along with a few others left the clinic and moved to a new one of their own creation. Why? I don't know. I just know that even good things must come to an end and change doesn't mean for the worst. I am excited to see this new clinic and what sort of environment it has. I know the doctors have been hard at work to make their creation something to brag about and that there will be new therapies involved.
When I spoke to my doctor on the phone a while back, he told me about some of the new therapies that they will be offering. Some sound similar and some are a new idea to me altogether. I can't wait until I can report back on my progress. Unfortunately, as far as I know, the new clinic does not have a completed website. So I can't exactly share too much about the new clinic, but my doctor assured me that they will be offering next level service. Im not too worried, my doctor has gone above and beyond for me from day 1 and whenever I get frustrated he does his best to come up with a solution.
I haven't seen my doctor since the beginning of August, that'll be seven months in between doctor visits!!
Granted I had other things going on to support my system in the meantime. Like the clinic I visited in December, I'm sure that offered some benefit, though it was focused more so on brain than anything else. Plus the hyperbaric oxygen this month, but except for herbs and stuff I have put myself on I have stayed on the same protocol since August. Ive held rather steady at that. Some days I do feel miserable and I do hate the world, last week had a handful of those days. Other days I have some nice conversations with people and it all seems worth it. I try to keep my outlook positive. Not everyone gets to overcome Lyme Disease, some people dont even get to live with it. I have, through a lot of effort and tears and screaming and reading, have made it eight years. I want to be one of the ones to get rid of the disease altogether and never let my body feel this type of sick again. I plan on leaving my fragile and finicky constitution behind and rebuilding it for good.
Last week I was talking to a friend of mine who I see about every week or two, she's had lyme and fibromyalgia for a few decades now. Her and I were talking about how we feel bad for the people who aren't able to seek any treatment or who dont know whats wrong with them, then end up killing themselves out of desperation to reach freedom from the misery. We agreed that it would be nice if we could just sit up and walk right out of our body, leaving it behind. I said it would be nice if I could sell my body, then buy a new one like you would do to an old car. She advised me not to tell to many people that I think its a good idea to sell my body LOL. Turns out that one sounded better in my head than out in the real world.
But there are some nights, the usual sleepless ones where my thoughts go round and round like a broken carousel, where I do think-what if I could just leave my body. Im very grateful for the body and life ive been given, but sometimes I dont really feel like im living in my own body. Its more like sharing an apartment with a few people, each one with a different mood. Too Tired to Care is my favorite roommate, Angry for No Reason is the one I try to avoid. On the good days when I feel happy and energetic-I feel totally different. It feels like my body is my own and I can do with it what I want. I dont feel so invaded or like im sharing my body with whatever deck of cards I was dealt that day.
This last week I started something new. I, of all people, got a gym membership for the first time in my life. I can't remember the last time I seriously thought I could start exercising, even if its just walking on the treadmill. Before the strep two years ago I was beginning to exercise again, but the strep knocked that one out for me and took my brain and my personality with it. God willing, maybe we are finally starting to get closer to the end of that.
Its been a while since I've cried without provocation. I do still get set off easily and fall into depression, but it really only lasts a day or two then turns into frustration instead (or fades away altogether). It used to take days to get out of a dark place, or weeks. Maybe my next visit to the clinic will help launch my personality back into my head and out of the ditch its been sitting in. My joints haven't been in terrible pain either. My muscles do have their days, but overall minimal complaints, same with dizziness. Fatigue can still be a battle but I suspect that before long we will be able to get this turned around again.
So really, fatigue, emotions, and insomnia are what are really holding me back. I think if I could sleep, my fatigue would dissipate. Maybe even disappear altogether. My emotions may be less finicky too.
I am about to try a new sleep medicine, I am hoping that it will work. Its been a while since Ive tried a new drug for sleeping. Ill update on that when something comes of it.
I haven't been back to counseling in a few months. I got tired of telling some man about my personal issues and then being told to draw pictures. I know its good and it does help. Ive even recommended it to other people. Its just not my thing. Sometimes it feels better to think about slapping the person that caused my emotional issue (that day) rather than draw out whatever Im feeling. I mean I dont ever slap anyone. Just the thought seems a bit more fun LOL
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Numbness
One of the things I was hoping to accomplish with the psychiatrist I began seeing in December was getting out of depression. I know its not necessarily a fast process and I'm not done yet, but I was hoping I would notice a change on their protocol. I still feel numb all of the time, unless I'm upset. I can still feel sympathy and feel upset or grief, but I never feel like myself. Lately I haven't really felt like talking to anyone. Some of my friends I have just kinda blown of altogether. I don't feel like myself and its so frustrating.
Ive talked to Dr.psychiatrist about this. Her biggest concern is my irregular sleep patterns. Which I do agree, need to be fixed and they are causing issues of their own and probably making this depression or whatever it is worse. But Ive had sleep issues for over a decade, I almost don't even care anymore. I mean I do care, I would love to sleep and relax at night. But so far I've failed several sleep drugs and a dozen or so sleep supplements. Im not sure what magic results she thinks she's going to get. She talked to me about Belsomra, which my insurance denied. I said I might would try a sleep drug if it was different from what Ive already tried, but Belsomra being $500, not happening. Especially considering it has a strong possibility of being useless and ending up in the trash.
She's holding out on the HBOT as being a big deal and potentially solving a bunch of issues. Its made a difference, so I'm holding out that she's right.
I had a bit higher hopes that this brain specialist would be able to help a little more than it all has. Im not done yet, but I was expecting a bit more benefit to the cost$
I have had some stresses lately. A friend of mine (unsuccessfully) attempted suicide the night of the superbowl. I stayed on the phone with her during the matter trying to bring her down, I dont know if she even remembers it now. But it took a toll on me that night and the next day. I feel for her, I know what its like to be miserable. But...she would rather take her stress out on others than actually resolve the situation. And I can be one of the people she takes her issues out on...
Januar 26 was my 8 year anniversary of getting sick. That weighed on me a little bit but in truth I dont know what to feel, so I just didnt. Last year I was extremely emotional on the 7 year anniversary. I remember crying for at least a week or more, before and after the day. I just flat out could not believe that I was still sic, even with treatment, and still feeling like death. I think I feel better this year than last year, a lot of it is a blur so I dont really remember. I was doing the best year before last. I thought I was almost out of it.
Can I repeat that year??
What magic was I doing then?? I want to do it again.
Some days I do very well and I can pretend that theirs nothing wrong with me. Other days, I leave school, get in my car, and have to stay there a bit before driving. Some days I wake up and I feel like I have the world in my hand, others I don't even want to get out of bed.
I decided to add in Collagen powder to my daily supplement routine, helping address any leaky gut issues. Ive done a lot for leaky gut over the years but...thought this may have some benefit. Im also taking some lyme and parasitic specific supplements right now and I have for a few weeks. In the past I have felt worse when treating parasites, so maybe this is doing something? Walking blindly right now....
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Slow New Year
Well it so seems the beat goes on, im still here even though I haven't posted in a month. Theres some good to that.
I started hyperbaric oxygen three weeks ago, I have one more week remaining. This has been every day, for an hour or more. Its not one of my favorite therapies ive ever done, but I think I am getting results from it though. I have been a bit more alert since starting. A few other people have told me that my color looks better and that I seem more involved in what I do. So my prayer is that the results I get stick and they aren't temporary.
Ive had what I think is a fairly uneventful month. Running the same regular school and work schedule, running it on caffeine that is. I used to never drink caffeine of any sort ever. These days caffeine is whats driving me to function, I don't feel all that bad I just have no energy or motivation. I feel like Ive had my battery drained and life drained out. Yesterday was a coffee and stevia energy drink day, at that I had energy for half the day then went back to my normal steady crash. I still fell asleep at my normal time.
I attribute my recent worsening of fatigue to my lack of sleep. This weekend was especially rough for some reason. I just kept rolling even though I had no energy to roll with, I only do caffeine during the week so it shouldn't have been any residual in my system.
I found myself up late with my thoughts. In a surreality that takes me back to many years of staring out the window at the moon during the late hours of the night. I remember when I used to sit on my nightstand looking up at the moon dreaming of reaching for the stars. I also remember the less than pleasant nights when I would look down at the ground bellow instead, because it would be a much easier place to find myself landing rather than floating through the clouds.
The night is my peace time. I (usually) take my life off work and school and anything else I have going on. I used to read until I was too tired to keep my eyes open. Now my mind just wanders into its own realm. I think of goals id like to accomplish and the dreams I once had. I wonder which ones will become a reality and which ones ill regret never chasing. Its so easy to worry over things that are only relevant right now even when they seem to make up our entire universe. Afterwards is when I can look back and see how minute the subject was.
In this state of fatigue and frustration I have fallen into I have found solace in encouraging others. In my work I can help people and reach out. I can show someone that I can care for them and make them feel special. People in special circumstances appreciate it when you go the extra mile for them, they see it and they feel it. Making someone smile for real, not just a sympathy smile but a genuine smile, is one of the things that keeps me going. I know I am doing at least 1 thing right in my day, after all kindness is free
Though seeing how some people act you would think kindness came with a price tag only the wealthiest and most privileged could afford. I don't understand it.
I made one woman very happy a few weeks, I left her a surprise of encouraging words in her notes for her to find when she got home. I heard from her when she found it and she told me how much she appreciated it and how much she loved how caring I was.
I appreciated her reaction, I knew I was doing something that actually mattered. It wasn't mindless chatter or some material thing that would whither to the dust in a short time. This is someones life, someones presence on this earth. To me, that has a lot of value..
One thing I do not appreciate about this world is how much we are required to immerse ourselves into earthly material things, but we have to. Its our culture. Its our distraction from ourselves. Material is what creates the common bond to create a society.
Maybe if we had more hearts walking around and fewer price tags, we would place value on our friends, family, and neighbors. We all struggle with things in our lives. It just so happens to be that my struggle is my health, which seems to be an endless battle but it isn't. The end will come. Until then, I keep on working.
Even with how "well" I have felt over the last month I have still been weathering some personal issues, as I always feel I am. Im not sure why I can't move on so quickly or why I hold myself back, but I do. And as long as I do some of these things will continue to be an issue for me.
I used to cry a lot. Daily. Multiple times a day. In the car on the way to work. Lunch break. I haven't been anywhere near that type of emotional in a long while. I do wonder, if its because im over the things that made me cry or if its because Im too tired to cry.
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