Tag: chronic physical pain

a mixed day

by Midnight Demon, posted in depression

I have had an emotional day. It started off crappy. Therapy sucked. I went out to get a mocha but there were no seats for me to sit at. So I decided to do an errand for my mother and as I was crossing the street, I got hit by a biker. My arm and shoulder are sore but I saved my mocha. I don’t know how it didn’t end up on the ground. But I think I scared the biker more than anything.

I came home to the mail and it got the sweetest letter by one of my CES support members. She sent me some extra money to ship out my book to prominent people. She think I can send it to Michelle Obama and I am going to try and send it. Worse that can happen is that it gets sent back to me. I think I should write a little note with it as to why I am sending it though. That might help! I might send one to Hillary Clinton because she was on the mental health awareness thing today. If she can endorse it, maybe CES and suicide attempts might get recognition. Big hopes there but you never know.

Then a family friend came over tonight and I talked about the book. I was pretty nervous. I never talked about the intimate details about the book in front of anyone before. Sure online, but that is different than face to face. I still am shaking inside because of anxiety. I have been having more of that lately than I care to admit to. It really stinks. She had no problem with me rambling on about what I was writing about and the formatting problems and the struggle with the editor. It was really good to talk about but I couldn’t help feel nervous about it. She is not a stranger to me. We have known each other for years as our mothers are best friends. I just don’t know why I felt so nervous other than being nervous. I never really talked about my book like I did tonight. And this book is like my baby. I told her there will be another book and she can’t wait for it. I told her it will be a little while. Let’s see how this book does!

So my mood has been all over the map today. I know I am going to be sore tomorrow from that biker. Luckily he didn’t get hurt either. I would have felt really bad if he did.

I have therapy tomorrow so I have some stuff to talk about. I think this is the first time all week that I had something to talk about that I am actually looking forward to talking about, if that makes sense. I still don’t want the session but it will cost me if I cancel it. I just don’t know why we got to meet twice a week. I hate it. Maybe I can get her to reduce our sessions. I just feel like meeting on back to back days is getting me into the funk of not wanting to talk. Then I feel like I am wasting her time and mine. Course, I just think I am a waste of time. Call it the imposter syndrome. If she really knew who I was, she wouldn’t want to do therapy with me. Sometimes I just feel like she is humoring me. That she could do so much more with her time if I wasn’t in her schedule. I just hate her and then when I do tell her, she laughs like it is a joke. I know I am being half serious but shouldn’t she take me seriously? Then, I will feel remorseful and “love” her. I feel like I am borderline with these extremes. I really don’t want to talk to her tomorrow. I know I had some good things happen today but this blog can explain everything to her, if she has the time to read it.

A review and a Rant

by Midnight Demon, posted in cauda equina syndrome, chronic physical pain, depression

This morning I woke up to two comments, one was on my blog and the second was about my book. The one about my book was from a fellow CESer (Cauda Equina Syndrome sufferer) who loved my book so far and had to tell me about it. I felt good that she took the time to write such a lengthy comment, but well worded. She said I was an inspiration and that she would be sharing my book with friends and relatives. She is British, so used the word brilliant a few times. I didn’t mind. It was the kindest review I have gotten in a while.

The second comment left me perplexed. Either the writer had no clue what my blog was about or was trying to talk ragtime. Either way, I deleted the comment because if I couldn’t make sense of it, neither could anyone else.

To my new followers, thank you for following me. My readership has exploded the last few days and I thank you for it. I hope you find this blog informative and relative to what you are experiencing, or at least helps you to understand what it means to be suicidal a little better.

I did not succeed in canceling my appointments with my therapist this week. I texted her my swollen ankle and some how that was reason to uncancel my cancellation. UGH. Won’t do that next time! Course, the reason why a swollen ankle would not cancel a psychotherapy session is beyond me. She still wants a signed copy of my book. She desperately wants me to come out there. I am still trying to figure it out but I haven’t been feeling well all week. Today, my allergies have been making me sick with gagging episodes. I really hate post nasal drip and it doesn’t help that my area has trees that are in bloom, that I am allergic to. And it’s chilly. Temperature has gone back down to freezing. I can’t believe it’s almost May and we still have the heat on. There have only been one or two days that have been above 50 degrees in the past two weeks. My back and foot hate the cold. I used to not mind it but when it causes me pain, I have to pay attention to it. I also have been in a lot of pain the past few days. And of course, all I want to do is sleep because that is what my depression wants. I forced myself out today, gagging and all, to get my prescription and a mocha. I am praying the mocha stays in my stomach. I just figured maybe, if I got some coffee, I would feel better. I am a little bit more awake but I definitely feel like I need a nap.

My cousin invited me over for dinner tonight. He is also going to cut my hair. The barber didn’t do a good job so it’s longer in some places and shorter in others. I know I should go back but I think my cousin can fix it. Besides, it has been a few weeks since my last haircut. I usually like it buzzed on the sides and back and then short on top. My cousin will likely blend it in with scissors as his regular stuff is at his shop. I told him I was looking forward to dinner but really, all I want to do is sleep. Screw the haircut and dinner. I don’t care. But I told him I would go so it is too late now to cancel on him. He is making me cheeseburgers.

My therapist was annoying today. She will ask a question, say how am I doing and then when I ask to clarify, she replies with three questions. WTF. I hate that! It gets me all jumbled up. So I just answer one of them. We were also talking about how there is a suicidologist that seems to be making headway with his Interpersonal theory on suicide. His name is Tom Joiner. I read his book, Why People die by Suicide? And it was good. His theory is valid, as I have been there but the one element he is missing is psychological pain. I have noticed since Shneidman’s death, no one talks about psychological pain anymore. I find it sad, really sad. But even with knowing about the perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, how do you go about “treating” suicidal patients? That is the one thing that I believe is lacking in his theory. There is no treatment for it, and that is where Jobes’s CAMS model and SSF (suicide status form) comes in. Using this is the best defense in preventing suicide. That is my belief. If I didn’t feel so strongly about it, I wouldn’t be writing about it. Because it helped to save my life and I know it has helped others. It is also a reason why I talk about it in my book.

Hang in there

by Midnight Demon, posted in chronic physical pain, depression

Hang in There

I wish people would stop saying that to me. I find it a temptation they have no idea about. How I wish I could just hang in there with a rope around my neck. That is how I feel most days. No one really knows the suffering I have been feeling the past few weeks. I have been trying to blog about it but have been finding it difficult.

Last night was my niece’s birthday party celebration. I made an appearance and while my aunts congratulated me on my book, one of them got into my business, which I didn’t like. She wanted to know the financial business of my book sales. Like it’s her business to know. She drives me crazy. Instead of being happy for me, she is conniving. But then, she is a miserable woman who doesn’t get other people’s misery. If you have a sprained arm, she has a broken arm, kind of thing. I hate her. I really do and try to have as little contact with her as possible.

As you can probably tell, I am not in the best of moods today. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and have been there ever since. I made the worst egg sandwich today. I broke the yoke while cooking it and then I burnt the toast. Not a good start to the day. It is cold so I have my Ohio State hoodie on. I am determined not to leave my bed unless I need food or the bathroom. I should probably have lunch soon. I am getting hungry. That is one thing I hate about my depressions, it is either feast or famine. Either I am hungry all the time or I am not.

I don’t feel really suicidal but I wouldn’t mind if a bus ran me over and killed me. I still don’t know if I have my appointments with my therapist on Tues and Wed. She never responded to the cancelation text that I sent her. And I hate it when she doesn’t because it just leaves me in a panic. Drives me crazy.

I have been tweeting a lot, trying to promote my book through several channels. I have not seen any results from it, yet, but, I have followed some psychologists that I hope see my tweets. I am using different hashtags to get the message out there. I never thought I would have to promote my own book. That is something that I just didn’t think of when I published it. I guess I just expected it to do its own selling but if people don’t know about it, how are they going to buy it? If you are a new follower on my blog and want a copy, here is the link or through Amazon.

I am going to go take a nap. My ankle is really giving me grief and if I don’t take something for it, I might just want the rope around my neck. Until tomorrow…

Easter Sunday

by Midnight Demon, posted in cauda equina syndrome

Happy Easter to those that celebrate it. I had a good family outing that wasn’t stressful. I ate too much though, so my stomach is killing me at the moment.

For the past two weeks or so, I have been having bladder spasms, either following a urination or just before. Today I decided to take a home UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) test to see if I do indeed have one. Sure enough, I do. Just great. I am going to have to call my doctor tomorrow and see if I can get some antibiotics. I hope I don’t get the nurse when I call. They are clueless with nerve injury patients. Because I don’t feel right, I don’t get the burning or pain on urination like normal people get. It usually is bad enough when it reaches the bladder. I am very uncomfortable. This is my first tract infection in almost three years. Not bad, I guess, considering.

I have not been feeling well the last few days as the spasms have gone from a few times a day to all the time. Or it is just pain. I really can’t tell the difference. I just know that something is not right and I feel discomfort in my lower abdomen. I just hope tomorrow, if I have to go in, I can pee. I cannot pee on demand. I will have to make sure I drink a lot before the appointment so that I can go. Just another lovely consequence of cauda equina syndrome. Something that I neglected to put into my book.

I am hoping to have a session with my therapist tomorrow. I hope she will have a time available for me. I still am feeling stressed over my anxiety and my issues with a couple of friends. I was overreacting with one of my friends and the other I still don’t know what is going on. It will be good to talk to her to get a sense if my paranoid self is playing a part in this. Yes, I am taking my meds, but it takes a while for it to work.

I have been more tired lately than I have been. It is most likely due to fighting this infection that I have than anything. Plus being in pain/discomfort all the time is tiring. I haven’t been running a fever or anything. Just been feeling worn out. I just hope I get to see my doc because if I get someone else, I have to explain the whole thing about my nerve injury and how I don’t feel things anymore thanks to a disc pressing on my nerves. I once had to hand my doctor’s nurse information about cauda equina syndrome because she was so difficult. She just couldn’t understand why I couldn’t feel and thought it must be something else that is causing it. Air brain! Course, it doesn’t help that I have been eating asparagus the past two days. I just feel so icky. I think I am going to take a nap again. Seems every night around 18:30 (630 pm) I feel the need for one. I don’t know why as I got up late today (after 0900). Oh well, and I had a cup of coffee around 1600. So much for that waking me up…