Tag: writing

in a hopeless state of mind

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

In a hopeless state of mind

I can’t sleep because of pain and too much on my mind. I keep reading people’s messages about the two people that died by suicide this week and the CDC supposed data that suicide is increasing. I don’t trust the CDC anymore because it fudged data just to push an agenda that hurt people like me with chronic pain.

Some of the messages I read concerned helplines. Do people think that talking with someone for five minutes can help a lifetime of anguish? Probably not. Can it bring enough hope so that person can see to tomorrow? Maybe.

The past few months I have wrestled and anguished with my own thoughts of death. Hell, the beginning of the week, I was tormented with psychache, spoke about it on social media, and then was reported. In the email from Twitter, it said that I could speak to a hotline and there are resources. I deleted the email. What it comes down to, is whether I seek help or not. My choice, really. No one else’s to make. Just like you, reading this. You don’t have to read my blog. No one is holding a gun to head saying to read Midnight Demon. We all have battles that we face, some bigger than others but that doesn’t make them any less of a battle. It could be drugs, alcohol, depression, suicide, mania, voices, paranoia, etc. Some times someone feels too good to get help. Some times someone feels too bad to get help. Others may not think they are worthy or are too afraid what others might think of them if they seek help.

If you have a problem, whatever it is, someone else might have it too. You are not alone. There are people who have alcohol issues, mania issues, depression, trauma, sexual abuse, physical abuse, etc. and live to face another day though they may not want to. Some people, like me, think of suicide often. And that is really scary to some people, so much so they think by reporting them or calling the cops on them is the answer. But let me tell you what happens when you don’t face that person and ask, how can I help or if you need to talk I am here. It shuts them down. That was their one chance of opening up these vulnerable feelings and you just slammed the door, possibly forever, of them ever talking about their dark side ever again. Reporting does not help. I got an email with a hotline and a link to a resource. Did I use it? No, I deleted it. Someone once reported my online activities to the police. The local cops came and scared the crap out of my aunt and pissed me the fuck off. You think I am going to write in my blog the same way again? Fuck no. And why? Because of people like you who are too stupid to understand someone else’s pain and despair. To sit with it and deal with it rather than throwing it at someone else because you can’t be the better person.

I may end my life one day and sadly, even though I talk about it on my blog, you will never know about it because of this one person that sent cops to my door one morning a few years ago. It shuts people down. So I understand why Kate Spade didn’t seek help. She was afraid. I can’t say anything about the other guy. I never heard of him until he died a couple days after Kate. Would either of them have called a hotline? Would either of them have opened the link to the resources that were provided to them? Probably not. Their battle was theirs alone. Their decision was theirs to make. I understand it because I have lived it time and time again. In one of the legal pads I was trying to find to write this down on, I came across a story I wrote that I later published. It is also on my blog (I think). It was about a night where I was in so much pain, I wanted to end my life. And though I had promised my therapist and psychiatrist that I would call them should I feel like ending my life, I didn’t. I had hotlines to call. I had coping skills to use. Instead I wanted to end my life right there and then because of the agony of my foot and ankle but because I couldn’t walk three friggen feet to my bureau, 36 inches away from me to get more pills to take to end my life, it saved me. I woke up and wondered what I did. I will never forget that fear and the shame I felt. I was scared to tell my therapist and psychiatrist what I went through. Terrified that I would be once again be on the psych unit of some hospital never to breathe fresh air again.

Lately, I have been saying, Always be kind. You never know who might need it and is depending on it to survive another day. If you are still reading this and not dialing 911, reach out in other ways. Call that friend you haven’t spoke to in a while that seemed to have stopped posting on social media. Or that friend that was supposed to go to a cookout but didn’t show up. They just might need to know that someone other than the demons in their head care for them. And be kind and non-judgmental. Ask them if they need help with something that is important to them. They might not tell you everything or they might not even want to talk, just listen. Sit with their darkness. It will mean the world to them.

Couple bad things but an awesome thing in the end

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

Couple bad things but an awesome thing in the end

I started off with a good day. I made lunch as I woke up around noon. I had one of the steakhouse burgers I bought. I have one left, which I hope will still be good tomorrow. Then I showered and my ankle was having a fit. I didn’t care. It was nice out and I wanted to go to Starbucks. I also wanted to try and write a story. I kind of made a checklist of things I wanted to do today before I went to sleep last night. I just got one thing done, the outline of the story I want to write. I couldn’t think of anything to write while at Starbucks. I had wanted to go to CVS to get a card for a friend but after I cleaned up and put my things away, I forgot.

I got to the bus depot and while waiting for my bus, this guy walks by me and brushes against not one breast, but two. He apologized but he had this weird smirk on his face. I felt so horrible and the gender dysphoria just flared. I never hated my body more than I did at that moment. I got into a bad mood so fast. The bus couldn’t bring me home fast enough.

I went to Walgreens when I got off the bus. I wanted to get the card as I knew I would be going to the post office tomorrow. I found a card and then decided to get the dark chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cup. They had them on sale for 2/$2 so I got two. Then I saw the Kit Kat bars and wanted the dark chocolate one. I found them after some looking. I then went to the checkout. The cashier was no where to be found and there was two customers ahead of me. The older guy went off somewhere so the second customer went up once the cashier returned. I put my stuff on the counter and the older gentleman was behind me. As the cashier was checking me out, he blurts out that I am buying too much chocolate and that tonight I should stand in the mirror and say no more chocolate. I just looked at him only because he tapped me on the shoulder. I gave him the nastiest look I could. I wanted to tell him to fuck off but held my tongue. I think the cashier was expecting an argument or something because he stopped what he was doing. I just handed him my money, got my change and left without saying a damn word. I was so fucking heated. The nerve of the guy!!

I told my mother what happened and she didn’t say anything. Thanks, ma! She just said we were having stir fry for dinner. I went upstairs to rant and rave. I had posted about the gender dysphoria but not too many people commented on it. The post about the Walgreens incident had more responses. Not like I was looking for it because I was fuming. People were telling me to tell him fuck off. It was just good that I felt supported by my friends on one post but not the other. Guess you can’t win them all.

I had dinner with my mother. She wanted me to clean up and I said okay but you are putting the rice away. She said no because she does everything and cooks, etc. I said yeah I don’t do nothing. She said emphatically, yes, I don’t do anything and I nearly lost it. I was so fucking hurt. I put the rice in a container but didn’t put it in the fridge because it was still hot.

I started working on my blog and because I had a bottle of water with dinner, I had to use the bathroom. I brought down the packages that I need to mail out tomorrow and then used the bathroom. I got a blank card so I could put the address of where I am sending one of them and the packing tape to stick it on. My mother then asks if I have the duct tape. I told her I don’t. She said it was in my office in one of the drawers. I told her it wasn’t. She argued with me so I fricken moved the stuff out of the way so I can check the drawers. No duct tape but found another roll of packing tape and some old pictures. I showed the roll of tape to my mother and she said no, that wasn’t what she needs. Bitch. I took it upstairs as I am out of packing tape and the pictures.

I went through the pictures. They were from the days of when I was a teen working with kids. I had one roll of all the kids from the summer program. I don’t remember their names, not a single one. I found a couple of my sister and nephew and another of my uncle. I posted them on Facebook. Then I looked in the other bag and my heart broke. The first picture was of my uncle (different one) and aunt who have been dead for some time now. I miss them so much. It just killed me seeing them. Then I found a pic of my wonderful aunts dancing. Behind them was another aunt and uncle dancing. This is the aunt that just passed away a few months ago. I was hurting so bad. I had taken the pics but they were sideways. I played with the damn functions of my phone trying to set them right. By the time I did, I had started a flare. A big one. It was blinding me. And, right on cue, my bladder needed to be emptied again. Fuck. I stood and saw stars. I carefully went downstairs, used the bathroom, and thought I would be able to make it back to my room. I went up like four steps and my ankle said a big fuck you. I was seeing stars again and I sat down. I was breathing really heavy and my chest hurt. I was having anxiety. Great. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My mother hadn’t noticed me. I didn’t know what to do because I was panicking. Finally I yelled for my mother. She couldn’t hear me over the TV. JFC. I had to wait for her to mute it and then she tried to get up. I said don’t get up call my sister to come up and get my meds. She called and I was waiting in agony. I didn’t put anything on my feet so my feet were getting cold. If it got colder, I would be screwed because I would cramp. My sister came up and I told her exactly where to find the bottle of meds that I needed. I had to explain it again once she got to my room because she didn’t fucking listen! Seriously??? Finally she got the bottle and some water. She brought them to me and I just waited a few minutes trying to relax. But I was still breathing heavy and panicky.

I had to put my foot under some blankets or I was going to hurt more. I carefully stood up, thanked my sister, and then carefully made my way up the stairs.

I kept staring at the laptop with my small paragraph and couldn’t continue. I had so much to say about today and my mind was stuck. I needed to talk to someone. I texted my good friend and he said he could talk to me. I knew he would be able to make me laugh and forget things while the pain meds did its magic. I talked to him for about a half hour or so and felt better afterwards. So wrote this long blog that I was trying to write the past several hours. I finally took my night meds almost two hours late. I will probably be up late because I did but there was nothing I could do about it because I was in too much pain to stand up.

Pain keeps moving around my ankle and the part of my foot where it is atrophied. I don’t think I am going to sleep until the middle of the night. I am tired from the stress of the pain. Ativan that I took with my night meds should be able to settle me down. I might need to take another strong pain pill.

The awesome thing that happened, that I forgot to mention, was that my best friend out in Illinois officially adopted his son. I am so happy for him that when I found out, I started crying tears of joy. I couldn’t help me. My friend has always wanted a child. And now he has one. I couldn’t be more thrilled. My friend’s family is the best. I know this because after I met them one Christmas, we exchanged Christmas cards for years and they still ask for me. It was really cool.

some good news, some pain, and other things

by Midnight Demon, posted in baseball, Bipolar Disorder, blogging, cauda equina syndrome, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

Some good news, some pain, and other things

I woke up again around 3 am to pee but was able to get back to sleep. I honestly have no idea how I didn’t end up in the floor of my bathroom as I was catching myself going back to sleep while on the can. My med alarm went off at 0715 which I just changed to 0850. I took my meds and then dozed off, waiting for my mother to call to put her socks on. The call never came and I lightly slept. When I woke up at noon, I was totally disoriented to what the hell day it was. It was raining pretty good and the wind was splattering the rain against my window, which at times was startling me.

I went downstairs and found the stove dismantled. My mother was cleaning it. Guess making burritos or tea for that matter, wasn’t happening. I was kind of dizzy but wanted some food. I heated up the pancakes I made yesterday. They were okay for day old pancakes. I didn’t drink anything with it because I was too tired to get something to drink. I chugged some powerade when I went back to my room. I also took pain meds. I must have been on my bed for about an hour or so when the atrophied part of my ankle just went nuts. I hurt so bad, I cried. I kept thinking about killing myself. I just can’t go on like this. I wrote a post on Facebook about how animals are treated more humanely than humans.

I took some pain meds and the pain settled down. I wanted some lunch so made a pizza. I finally found the right temperature to make it crispy. I sort of forgot about it when the timer went off because my mother was busy with the stove and wanted me to put the things I bought her on the pilots. They are a removeable thing that makes cleaning up easier. I checked on my pizza and it was almost burnt so I got it just in time.

My mother was making chicken for dinner and I wanted to make the red potatoes I bought. I washed them and cut them up, ready for my mother to make them when she was making dinner. I then went back upstairs. I rested for a bit. I was suddenly drained. I felt like I had the flu but not really. I couldn’t believe how wiped I was. I wanted to sleep but knew my mother would call me soon as I got to sleep saying that supper was ready. It takes me at least 45 minutes to get to sleep. I was on my phone when a FB message came from someone I wasn’t friends with. The message was from a teacher asking if I was the author of Darkness Always Wins. A student of hers wanted to use one of my stories for prose. She was asking whether the work was fiction or not. I told her it wasn’t as it was based on my experiences of mental illness. She thanked me and said my work was touching. I was so flattered that a student in Texas read my book and wanted to expand on it. I have no idea if the student was high school or college level. I guess maybe high school. I didn’t ask as I was just happy someone liked my work. I haven’t sold many books but some of the writing is from my blogs.

My mother told me I had to clean up after dinner. Fuck. I was really dizzy and needed a cup of tea. I made a cup and my mother wanted coffee so I made her a cup as well. When I was done with my tea, I washed the dishes. Normally I don’t use the dishwasher but today I did as I didn’t feel like washing. That is what it is there for, right? I loaded it and then just washed the pans. I even put the utensils in the washer. HA, it was an easy clean up.

The baseball game for today was cancelled due to rain. There isn’t a game until tomorrow late night as they are on the west coast. I hate west coast games. Game time isn’t until 10 pm. I need to sleep so I probably won’t be listening if I drift off before then. We will be playing the Angels and our first game is with their new ace pitcher Ohtani. I don’t know where he is from but the static about him is fierce. I don’t remember who we have pitching tomorrow. I want to say Price but I could be wrong.

I think my experiment of splitting my meds is over. I can’t handle the dizziness anymore. So it will be back to “eating a meal”. I just wish my meds didn’t make me so bloated after taking them. It is like eating a meal after taking the 12 or so pills. I also need to vamp up my fiber tomorrow. It has been more than a few days since I had a bowel movement. I know it is partially my fault because I got things loose and then stopped the senna for a night. Now I can’t go at all. I had two doses of fiber yesterday and still nothing today. I would take the fiber tonight but one time it started to work at like midnight and then I was going until 2 in the morning. Not a good idea. Thank you CES for causing my bowels to become so unpredictable and to keep going. I hate when this happens. I won’t go for days and then when I do, I can’t stop. Make up your fricken mind, bowels!

CRPS Madness, painsomnia seems to rule

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

I didn’t go to bed till 5 or thereafter. I had some cocoa pebbles and tried to sleep. I slept most of the morning, though my other phone kept ringing, waking me up. I turned it off. I think it lost battery now so I don’t have to worry about it. Soon as I was awake for about 5 mins, the pain that kept me up, returned. I had to go downstairs to use the bathroom and brush my teeth. It was torture but I got it done. I am not going to shower or change my sheets. I am too tired and hurt too much.

I really don’t know what to do anymore. I’m tempted to call my psych for some valium or sleeping pill. I really don’t want one though. I already take enough meds. I wish I was seeing my pcp this week. I know part of my pain is bad because of the storm that is coming tomorrow evening. It supposed to last 24 hours. Only supposed to get 8 inches of snow so I guess that is good if it holds true. It is the same kind of storm we got over the weekend but less intense, though coastal flooding is still a risk.

I must have wrote a message to my pcp as I found out the idiot fellow messed up my allergies in a big way. I don’t remember doing it. He said he fixed it. I fucking wish before leaving the office, they had you read what they wrote so any errors could be fixed right there and then rather than after the fact. Would be beneficial for all I think.

I hope I don’t have another flare tonight. I am hurting at a 8 right now. Last night was at least a 14. My new Moleskin notebooks came. Now I can write down my crazy pain, rate it, describe it, and note the time. It changes so much every few hours.

I didn’t realize I had 3 gaba pills left in the bottle. I thought I finished it the other night. I could have used it to help settle things down. I just took the pills a little while ago. I’m not going to stay up another night, least not tonight.

My flashlight and B vitamins came today. It is a small bottle so the pills must be tiny. It has 5000 mcg of B12, 800 mcg of folate, and 2 mg of B6. I just opened the bottle. They are instant dissolving and are cherry flavored. They taste ok. It is more like a pellet than a pill. And it is tiny. I hope it helps with my pain. B6 is for nerve function. Also hope it gives me energy. I won’t be able to put these guys in my pill box for the week so I’ll have to remember to take them every day. I’ll probably use another med alarm.

I had a frozen dinner, spaghetti and meatballs. For some reason, it is not sitting well in my stomach. I don’t know why. I’ve had it before and it never caused any problem. It is the only thing I’ve had since waking up, besides a slice of coffee cake. My mother has been eating it on me. Silly woman. It is good though.

I wish I could take a shower. I feel so crappy. I just know I will risk a flare if I do. Not worth the risk. I’ll be taking my night meds soon. Just hope I sleep through the night.