Tag: chronic illness

Exhausting, painful, and depressing day

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

Exhausting, painful, and depressing day

I did not want to get out of bed today but I knew that if I didn’t, I’d get slapped with a $190 charge from my therapist for not canceling within 24 hours. It was an incentive to get up, but not enough of one to shower. I did brush my teeth.

I felt like I was walking in mud most of the day, soon as I left my house. I was just really tired. My legs felt heavy, like I couldn’t move them. My ankle was fine until I got to my therapist’s office building. Then it felt like it was being torn apart. I can’t stand when my depression is like this. I am going to ask my psych if I can increase the Zoloft to 200 mg/day. It might break some of this stuff.

The weather is awful. It was muggy when I came home and then the temp dropped so it is freezing now. I had to shut off the AC. Only thing I had to eat today was a pumpkin scone, a bite of a brownie, and some microwavable mac and cheese. I am not too hungry. I just want to sleep. I am in a lot of pain and the night is still young. I’m not sure I am going to sleep.

While I was at Starbucks, it started raining. I was trying to write in my journal but it was difficult. I couldn’t really concentrate on writing so mostly just listened to my music and twittled with my phone. I think I am going to avoid Twitter over the next few days because the Senate is proposing a bill to cut Medicaid and that is all people are talking about. Call your senators. I’m so tired of seeing this every few months. And if I am, I am sure that other people are as well. It sucks that the public has to tell their elected senators to do the right thing. Dispicable.

As I couldn’t write in my journal, I decided to get some zucchini so I could make my zucchini bread. I know it won’t be tomorrow as I am in too much pain and I doubt I will sleep. I’ll probably make it either Wed or Thursday. After I got the zucchini, I just went to the train station where it was warmer than Starbucks.

Therapy went ok. Guy is still picking his nails as he talks to me. We talked about how my depression can be so heavy at times that it’s overwhelming. I also told him I wanted to give up. He didn’t say anything. I’m starting to think this therapy is just whatever I want it to be about without any therapy happening. I just talk with no structure at all. I get more from talking to my psychiatrist for 20 minutes.

I got to get my blood drawn this week. I think I will get it done on Friday when I have to be at the hospital anyway to see my psych. Results won’t be done until later that day but as long as I have them in, that is all that matters. The hard part will be fasting because I tend to drink PowerAde with my meds, especially at night. Guess I will have to drink water if I need my meds.

The top of my foot is screaming. I already took a strong pain pill and can’t take my regular meds for another hour. Maybe I’ll use some lidocaine. I know I am going to be hurting at least the next three days because a hurricane is coming up this way. It’s mostly going to be on the coast where it will be worst, but we’ll have rain. My back is already aching. I honestly don’t know how I am going to make the zucchini bread when I know I am going to be in a lot of pain. Even if I am having a low pain day, I could still flare up from baking. Least I will have something chocolate when I want it.

PCP, More Pain, and other things

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

PCP more pain and other things

I had about 2 hours sleep last night. I woke up to see my PCP. The bus was running late. I got to the Square around 0700, which left me an hour for the appt. I had reloaded my Starbuck card with the cash I was saving for take out. I need my espresso more than pizza. One the way to the Square, I ordered my drink and a donut. I didn’t feel like eating a breakfast sandwich as I wasn’t that hungry. I got 6 shots of espresso to keep me awake. I was really drowsy.

The doc was late. Guess his kids didn’t want to go to school. I don’t blame them. We talked and I told him why I was there. He then examined my ankle. It didn’t hurt too bad as it was still in the early part of the morning. He was reluctant to send me to OT, occupational therapy, but did refer me to physical therapy. I am not sure if I am going to go that route or not. The last time I tried it, it hurt me more than helped me. He gave me the PT prescription and I left.

I was too tired by that point to form sentences. I just wanted to get home and sleep. My mother was home and it took me a while to lay down. When I did, holy moly, my ankle and foot hurt worse than it ever did. I was seeing stars. I was clenching my jaw so much, my teeth were hurting. I emailed my psych about this. Then I emailed my PCP the same message. Some how I managed about 2 hours of sleep. It was tough because I basically couldn’t touch my ankle and neither could the sheet. It got really cold despite it being warm in my room so I put on a thermal sock. I tried sleeping on my back with my head reclined but that was a no go. I had to sleep on my side. After taking both pain meds and an Ativan, I was starting to settle down. I kept on imagining other things to distract myself while the meds went to work. It was hard because I got so panicky. I knew my mother was going to call me so I blocked her. I then fell asleep.

While I slept, she called twice. She made some pasta so I had some. I really wanted my Salisbury steak dinner so I made that. It was the only things I had all day. I drank two big glasses of iced tea. I’ll probably have to keep going to the bathroom now.

That’s all I have for today. Think I am going to try and sleep some more.

failed nap and other things

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

Failed nap and other things

I was supposed to have a phone interview for a back pain study but I overslept. I just could wake up at the time I was supposed to. I got up around noon time and made coffee. I had some of my cookies with the coffee. I had to resort to walking around with a cane because last night, my ankle gave way and I couldn’t bear weight on it. It really freaked me out. I wrote a long post to my various support groups. The only one that was helpful was my CRPS. The others had no clue about CRPS and just thought I twisted my ankle. I didn’t respond to their “helpful hints” as it just made me mad. One person was practically yelling at me to do what she wanted me to do. I wanted to respond back but I didn’t. It took huge restraint on my part.

I brought the coffee up to my room and then tried to write a suicide blog that I had started last night. I couldn’t finish it because the pain got too bad. I had sent the rough draft to a friend to read and he liked it as it was. I added a few things he suggested. Then I published it. It didn’t take me too long so I then fiddled on Twitter. There is a Mental Health Chat going on right now about pain. I’m trying to stay away from it because it can be interpreted so differently. No one’s pain is the same, even if they have gone through the same events at the same time or even the same ordeal. I’m in enough pain today that I just can’t deal with stupid people not understanding what chronic pain is like. I happened to look at one tweet and this idiot was like “you need more ‘wellness solution’ to your problem”. Yeah, because I can cure my injured nerves, no thanks asshole.

Because my pain got worse when I was trying to nap, I also got panicky. I took some Ativan and another strong pain pill. This pain doesn’t want to quit today. The weather is terrible. Rain, humidity, drop in temps, thunderstorms. Ugh. It’s an awful weather day and it’s only going to get worse as these horrific hurricanes come closer to the US coast. I hope my friends and family down in Florida don’t get too much damage and stay safe.

I told my mother I wanted hot dogs for supper and she said fine, make them. So when I get hungry later, I will have my Fenway Franks. Those are my favorite brand of hot dogs. I bought hot dog rolls as I like them better than using bread.

I’m going to try and stay home again tomorrow. I see my psych on Friday afternoon. It’s a late appt. I probably won’t be home till around 5 ish that day. I had emailed her last night when I was freaking out about my ankle but she didn’t reply. I wish there was a way to break the cycle of pain. I’m getting sleepy from the Ativan. I want a snack before trying to take a nap again. But I really should have dinner before I have a snack.

4 AM Blues

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

4 AM Blues

I woke up an hour ago due to pain. It was a good thing because it was 11 hours since my last dose. Not good. I am still feeling the effects of withdrawal as I am a little shaky. I should be feeling better in a little while. But the whole thing has me in a deep depression. I just feel so damn low, like I have gray clouds all around me and that there is a heavy weighted blanket on me. The other night I was lying down and it felt like I had this huge weight on my chest. I hate when I have these feeling because there is nothing I can do about it. I just go on as best I can but it’s so hard to be motivated to get out of bed, shower, brush your teeth, etc.

I want to make lemon and sour cream cookies today but I am not sure I will. I just feel crummy. The recipe is kind of difficult because I have to make zest and use lemon juice. I bought a bag of lemons because I wasn’t sure how many lemons I would need. The lemons are medium size. I think I will need at least 3 to make the cookies and maybe 4 for the frosting, if I feel like making it. I usually don’t like frosted cookies.

I made breakfast as I was hungry. Made an egg and cheese roll up with some Lavash bread. It was good. Then I cleaned up so my mother wouldn’t say anything to me. When I came back to my room, my damn ankle acted up so I took a strong pain pill. It’s kind of cloudy and rainy so it will be a good day to bake. I took out the butter that I need for the recipe. It has to be at room temp.

I finished reading my book, Free Refills. It was about a doctor struggling with addiction and how he got his license back to practice medicine. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. It was a really good book. I might write a review on it on Goodreads. I just need to collect my thoughts. Finishing that book made 10 so far this year that I have read. My next book is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and another book called Sins of the Father by Lawrence Block. I read a few pages of the Harry Potter book. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It is interesting.

I’m going to go back to sleep now. Meds are kicking in and I’m feeling sleepy. I’ll write more later.