Tag: baking

Just a stupid blog from a brain fogged brain

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, Chronic pain, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

Just a stupid blog from a brain fogged brain

I went to bed at 7 am. I took my morning meds at that time because I didn’t want to wake up a couple of hours later to that alarm. I wanted to make cookies and shower/shave today. I just ended up making cookies. The oven, which is like 20 years old, is not working right. These cookies should have been done in 10 minutes or so, 20 tops. 40 minutes later, they were still not cooked. WTF. I took my infrared thermometer and found that the temp inside the oven was half of what I had it at. So my brilliant mother said to put it on 400 degrees, 25 more than what I had. Now I have a few burnt cookies and others that are crispy because they browned too much. UGH!!! She yelled at me for not looking at them. What am I supposed to do, look at them every two fucking seconds?? I don’t think they will cook if I am constantly opening the fucking door!! So then I had to clean up. I had dinner first and then tackled the dishes. I didn’t do the pans. I hate washing the pans because I get water all over the fucking place. I honestly don’t think they need to be washed any way because I used a silicone mat and parchment paper. They probably just needed to be wiped down and put back in where they belong.

After the dish washing, I had to rest. My feet were killing me. I shaved my head and put my T shirt in the hamper as it had flour all over it. I went up to my room. I must have rested for like 20 minutes and I had to stand up to grab another bottle of Powerade. HOLY FUCKING HELL!!! My bones in my CRPS ankle felt like it was being crushed! I felt like I was trapped as I couldn’t figure out how to get back into bed. Seems dumb but it is true. I was standing by my bed but couldn’t figure out how to turn around or at least sit on it to swing my legs over. That was how much pain I was in. The pain settled down but my bladder said it had to go. Fuck. I played on my phone like ignoring it would empty my bladder. I wish it worked that way. I stood up and the same thing happened. I grabbed my cane and carefully put on my slippers. I am glad I had the cane to support my leg as it was hard. I went down each step one by one and then when I reached the bottom, I let out a yell. I waited a few minutes before walking to the bathroom. My bladder was ready to lose it. I hurried as fast as I could, holding on to walls and stuff as I walked. I did the deed and washed my hands. I then carefully walked back to the staircase when my mother said I should sit and rest before going upstairs. She doesn’t fucking get CRPS. I was resting. Standing is what is causing me fucking pain!! I need to be in my bed so I could be in my comfy spot and maybe be sleepy enough to lay down and sleep. I don’t know. Pain is so bad right now I don’t think I will sleep even though I am fricken tired. My foot is cold and I put a sock on but I can’t feel it. I never do. I honestly can’t tell sometimes if I am wearing socks unless I look at my feet. Thank you Cauda Equina Syndrome for throwing away my proprioception. My feet are hot so I think I will take off the one sock I am wearing.

I won’t be spending Christmas Day with my family. My friend invited me over to her house so I plan on going. I haven’t seen her in a long time so it will be cool to spend some time with her and her family. I kind of feel bad about it but my friend is bring my older friend who hasn’t been feeling well lately and I really want to see him. He is 82 and it is rare that he is out and about on the holidays. I really would like to spend time with him because there might not be that many left, not that he isn’t in ill health but he isn’t getting any younger. I haven’t told my family yet.

Baking Tuesday

by Midnight Demon, posted in baking, Bipolar Disorder, blogging, Chronic pain, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

Baking Tuesday

I had back pain throughout the night. I just woke up with pain that immobilized me. I couldn’t move so getting something to stop the pain was difficult. I woke twice hurting. I was late in taking my morning meds because I fell back to sleep after I shut off the med alarm. I got up around 11 or maybe a little after, I don’t remember. I went downstairs and my mother was sleeping sitting up. I woke her up to see if she was okay. Her back was hurting her too. I looked at the temp as I was waiting for my pancakes to heat up. Temp had dropped like 20 points in less than 24 hours. Fuck. No wonder. Didn’t matter what the barometric pressure was. Whenever a temp drops or goes higher than 10 points, I hurt. It is like my spine can’t take the change. I was determined to make this cranberry cake, though. I had to stop a few times as I just couldn’t stand. It came out okay, though I used too much butter. My brain was foggy so I couldn’t count tablespoons. I am very upset with myself because I love this cake. It is still good, just buttery. I will give some away to my barber and therapist in the morning.

I have decided I am going to use Uber for my therapy appointment. I am not messing with the bus getting there. I might take one home. I haven’t decided yet. It will depend on how I feel. I just don’t want to leave my house three hours early and not have a fricken hour to write in my journal when I take the bus and it being late. I am so sick of that. I haven’t decided if I am going to let the driver let me off at the Walgreens or Starbucks. Might be Walgreens as they have a little drop off there right at the bus stop whereas the Starbucks doesn’t.

It is supposed to be cold the rest of the week. Yesterday’s high temp was a tease. I took a nap after my baking. I was knocked out but then I didn’t sleep really good last night. I had another hard time going to sleep because of pain. By the time it settled down, it was after 1 am. I got into the book NeverWhere. I think it will be the last Neil Gaiman book I read in a while. I am going to read some more after I write this. I want to see if I can finish it by the end of the week. I don’t think I am going to complete my book challenge. I might have to lower it to like 18 books or something. I want to finish this book and then the suicidal helping book. The suicidal helping book is good but I need to reflect after I finish the chapter. There is just so much information in the short chapter and then I want the references that she puts in there, some of which I have. I am up to Tip number 19 and there are 89 so I have 70 to go. If I can read these two books for this month, I will call that a victory. I don’t think I can finish Trail of Tears as that book is very tough to read. If I can read some more of the White Fragility book, that will be good. It is not a big book, like maybe 200 pages or so. But it is not an easy book because it challenges your perception of racism towards people of color. I also want to start “The hate U Give.” So many books and I just bought two more, the Michelle Obama book and Crimes of Grindewald. I am a Potterhead! I should get Fantastical Beasts and where to find them first. The movies look amazing. I rather read the book though. Grindewald book is a screenplay so it probably is like The Cursed Child. I kind of don’t like that because it just doesn’t seem like a book where there is no description of the background or what someone looks like. I had such difficulty reading the Cursed Child because of that. I do have other books though. There is another John Grisham book, actually, I have like five books. Two hardcover and maybe three Kindle. I swear one of these days, I will get to them. I hope next year I will read more but I say that every year and it never happens. I seem to be lucky to read 14 this year.

what a week

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, Chronic pain, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

What a week!

I am sorry I haven’t been writing as frequently as I have. I have just been so exhausted by the end of the day that I can’t think and all I want to do is sleep. I am not sure what is going on, if I am having another depressive episode or if the testosterone is plummeting my energy. I haven’t been eating, and if I do, it is only one meal a day. If I remember to eat, it maybe two. I just have no appetite but have not seen any weight loss. I usually don’t have significant weight loss during these low appetite days anyways.

I have been going to my appointments. Wednesday was therapy and it went okay. We didn’t talk much about anything. I just talked about anything I could think of to pass the time. It is hard when he doesn’t ask questions about how I am doing so I just pass things off like I am okay. I had to skip two appointments with him because of pain. My heel pain is plantar fasciitis. I saw a podiatrist on Monday as I couldn’t stand the pain anymore. He wanted to give me a cortisone shot and I said no. Everything is cortisone, but I don’t believe in them. There hasn’t been good data on them helping so I don’t even know why they are still offered.

Thursday I had the pain program. OT wants me to work on using the Recognise app. It is to help train my brain to know my foot is there or something along those lines. I am just to do the basic and to do it a few times a day. I haven’t done it at all today because I was so busy. PT wore me out. She had me walk for six minutes and then I had to do squats with a chair for 20 seconds. My legs were killing me. Then she had me do some stretching exercises for my calf. That set off a flare last night. I was not happy. I didn’t do that shit today either. I thought I might be able to while baking (see below) but I didn’t have a chance as I was in so much pain with my heel. I think I might have to wear sneakers around the house rather than slippers.

Today my mother wanted me to do an errand for her. Then I had to go to the post office to mail something for a friend. The half and half that I just bought curdled in my coffee so I had to go to Stop and Shop to exchange it. While I was there, I bought a few things. I wanted pulled pork so I got that and my probiotic orange, pineapple, mango juice. It is so good! Expensive, but good. Also got my coffee and some more honey, which was on sale. I had just missed the bus so I had to wait.

I came home and then started baking. I wanted to make pumpkin cheesecake bars. Thing was a bitch. I honestly don’t know if they came out okay. The mixtures tasted good, so they probably did. I was just annoyed because it said to chill or freeze but didn’t give a time as to how fricken long it was supposed to do that. The directions were poorly written. I complained to Tasty as I got the recipe from them but haven’t gotten a response. Then the topping was a bitch. You had flour, brown sugar, and butter. And in the video, you just whipped it up. Yea okay. It wasn’t easy doing as it was in the video. I tried using the mixer and flour went all over the place. I was getting so annoyed. My pain levels were astronomical. I just wanted to get this thing done so I could nap. I melted the damn butter and then mixed it. Then I sort of separated it into smaller pieces but not small enough to cover the pan. I didn’t care. I thought it would melt. It didn’t. I took it out of the oven and then let it cool. Instructions said to let it refrigerate overnight so I will have it tomorrow. I hope it is good otherwise, it is going in the trash. I took a nap for about 4 hours. I was completely wiped out to the point of passing out. The TV downstairs was annoying the fuck out of me. I was in mega pain. I put the whisperer thing on and fell asleep within 15 minutes. I hear my mother was on the phone with my cousin so I put my phone on silent in case he called me after. He sometimes does this and it annoys the fuck out of me. He will call me to see how she is and then call her to see how I am, fucker. I really haven’t talked to him in over a month.

Monday I am going to leave a message for the repro endo doc about my energy levels because they suck. Every little thing I do just exhausts me and that is unlike me. If I was working, I would be toast the first 4 hours. I just can’t seem to do things like I used to and I am not sure if it is the testosterone or the depression. But then, the testosterone could be affecting my mood so, I don’t know. I thought it would give me some energy, not take it away.

My CRPS ankle is killing me right now. I guess the events of the day have finally caught up with it. It was hurting while I was baking but now the pain is worse. I wish there was something I could take for the heel pain. Nothing seems to help that. I have been taking ibuprofen and it helps a little bit. I watched a video last night about how to “cure” plantar fasciitis and it said to use a tennis ball, take magnesium supplements, and something else that I don’t remember but wasn’t going to do anyway. He was a naturalistic doc so was saying to eat better and shit. Okay. Every ailment has that prescription. I have the magnesium as I take that for my spasms. I will try anything to lessen the pain. I used the tennis ball today, it hurt but it did decrease the pain. I can’t use it in the kitchen as the crevices in the floor make the ball go all over the place. I had to use it in the living room while my mother watched TV on full blast. UGH. I hated that but it was the only room I could do it.

For the first time all week, I woke up from my nap rested. I haven’t been sleeping great at night. Seems every two hours I am awake. I don’t know why. I feel like I am sleeping like a baby waking up every few hours. I haven’t been taking my extra dose of Ativan so maybe that is why. I have been taking Neurontin and that causes me to feel sleepy within an hour. I posted the pic of what I baked today. Will let you know tomorrow how it came out.

no game tonight so I can sleep early

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, Chronic pain, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

No game tonight so I can sleep early

Last night I was so dead, I think I saw the Dodgers take a 2-1 lead and then I passed out. Until 2 am. I had to pee. I did and then I couldn’t go back to sleep so I checked the score. We won 4-2. Price I am not sure got the win or not. I wasn’t really reading tweets but he pitched good. And then the bullpen was outstanding. I love Joe Kelly. I am going to shower either tonight or tomorrow and I am going to wear his fight club tee. I know I probably shouldn’t but I stink so I am not going to stay in the clothes I am in. I stayed in last series not showering for a week. I am not going to do the same this series.

My groceries were supposed to come early. The driver got stuck in traffic so they were delivered an hour after they were supposed to. I put everything away but I didn’t put the Powerade bottles in reusable bags like I usually do. I wanted a nap. I figured sleeping to 1315 was enough time to shower. I fell asleep and I didn’t want to get up. I shut off the alarm and got up 45 minutes later. The bus would be coming soon, so I thought. The bus was twenty minutes late, which meant I was late for my appointment. I told the PT about the NP. She was taking it in stride until I told her she wasn’t an MD but a NP. Then she said Oh and shook her head. She said I might have plantar fasciitis now as my whole damn foot is swollen up. Great. But using heat last night caused some release and this morning for the first time in three weeks didn’t hurt when I stood up. I thought it was a good sign until I started getting dressed and stuff. By the time I got to the bus stop, I was hurting. UGH so much for progress. It was our last meeting with her. I didn’t want to end with her but she had to discharge me so I could start the pain program next week. I am weary about starting it. The OT I am okay with, but the PT part of it, not so much. I just am afraid because I don’t want my life to become hell with flares every night that brings me to suicidal states. I didn’t tell her this. I have no idea why I kept my suicidal self quiet with her as I’ve really gotten close to her with my mental illness and stuff. I just felt like it was on the know basis and she didn’t really need to know about it. I also am not sure how healthcare professionals that aren’t doctors or nurses deal with suicide so I didn’t want to find out. If I have to disclose it to the new PT I see next week, then I will because I really don’t want to go back to my weekly suicidal planning sessions because of pain. Fuck I was supposed to kill myself the end of July and I am still here. I don’t want to be but I am kind of stuck with it because I don’t have another plan to go to. I know there are always pills but pills don’t always work. If they did, I wouldn’t be here at all.

I bought ingredients for at least 3 recipes. I am going to pace myself as each recipe takes a while and nearly does me in. I am going to do my wings tomorrow, if I am up before 1300 as these babies take 3 hours to make, 4 if I push it. But they are so worth it. I just need a dump bucket as I forgot to buy one when I was at the grocery store yesterday. I really just wanted to get something to eat, some wings and go the fuck home. Both feet were killing me, making walking so damn difficult. I have no clue how I walked from my therapist’s office to the station I was hurting so bad. I felt better after therapy. He is not going to be in next Wed. Then I want to make these Dark chocolate beet brownies. My friend made them and she said they came out good so we’ll see. I will be using canned beets as I have no idea how to make beets any other way. Then it will be some kind of pumpkin cheese cake thing. I have to print out both recipes. I am halving the pumpkin recipe as it called for 4 blocks of cream cheese. That seemed like an awful lot and I know no one but me and my barbers are going to be eating these. No one else in my family likes pumpkin, which is a shame.

When I got home, the dreaded benefits package from my former employer was in the mailbox. They will be having a totally new but “same” medical insurance plan. They did not give the cost of this plan with the material they sent. I have no idea if my therapist takes it. If I just have Medicare, I will be responsible for 20% of the bill. That is going to add up after a while. If I did my calculations right, it will be $38 per session, if he doesn’t take my medical insurance to cover. I won’t be able to see him weekly much less twice a week. There is no way I can afford it. I will have to see what he says. My docs at the conglomerate Partners will be okay. Some visits will only be $10 and specialists will be $15. Everything else is covered in full if they are in network. Out of network and it is like 70% covered with a high deductible. I have no idea what is out of network. I think my therapist would be out of network as he is not a Partners provider. Guess the trouble of using just one insurance just got easier, I think. I am still on the fence of whether or not what insurance to use for what provider. For my Partners one, I will use their plan and therapist, the Medicare. It will be cheaper in the end though I won’t be able to have as many visits as I would like a month. I might be able to afford two a month. Guess that is better than nothing. I don’t have to worry about my psychiatrist as she is Partners. I am so glad the repro endo doc I am seeing took on the transition piece of things. Now everyone is under the same umbrella so to speak and I don’t have to pay so much in copays. I just got to figure out if I continue with Medicare or not through Partners. I get Medicare through SSD and is taken out of out my check. I just hope this isn’t going to be a jump through hoops thing. Way it is now is things go through Medicare and the rest my insurance picks up. If my therapist doesn’t take the insurance and the copay is going to be more than the 20% of Medicare, I will just have him bill Medicare and pay the 20% and then tell Partners that the new insurance is my sole insurance, not to bill Medicare anymore. This will be in January so I have some time. I just want to know how much this is going to cost me monthly. Right now I pay $198/month for BCBS and dental/vision. I just hope it isn’t more than what I am paying now. All these expenses have me worried.

I am going to bed hopefully before midnight tonight. Game is not on as it is a day off. They are in California right now for the next three games, which start tomorrow night. I can finally have a night to relax a bit before bed. These games have just been setting me on edge.