Kay,

I hope that you have recovered from any stress from the hospital visit and the seroquel questions.

So you possess an amazing amount of patience and steadiness.

I hope that worked out for you.

Your "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" GYN sounds like a jewel.

With the weather improving you might find it easier to get out of the
apt.

M

Dear Kay,

I hear you about the one group of nice people vs the other group of
people with whom you can share.

Here is a link for dual dx meetings:
http://www.draonline.org/meetings.html

M

I called my counselor, described what the note proving I went to the AA meeting looked like, asked if it would be sufficient, and she said it would be fine (thank God). I told her about the DRA meetings and she was very pleased. I guess she has to go to some meetings to keep her substance abuse license current, and said if I liked it she'd be interested in going with me.

Unfortunately, when I emailed the contact from the DRA meeting list, she said she had moved out of state. She told me to call the clubhouse where the meetings are/were held. There was a second contact email address on the DRA meeting list I can try in case the meetings have moved to a new location. I doubt that the meetings would just evaporate if there was enough demand in my area for them to be held four days a week.

I clipped all the cats' nails yesterday. I hate doing it, but Buddy's been reminding me it's time by hoisting himself up onto my lap by anchoring his nails into my thigh. He also likes to knead me and I have little scratch marks all over my thighs. Buddy and Dottie were surprisingly more badly behaved than usual. Usually you can do anything to Dottie and she doesn't care, but she actually growled at me! It's usually a knock down drag out fight with Rocky (I skipped him last time because it's such a struggle), but I picked him up off the bed where he was sleeping and was almost done by the time he realized what I was doing. They hate it, but I can tell they feel better afterwards. No back claws though… I've just given up on those.

That was my big day yesterday… kitty manicures. The ER alone was enough excitement for one week, but I jammed in a couple of appointments and an AA meeting which is a hell of a lot for me too. Aside from 2 loads of laundry on Monday, I didn't get anything done around here this week. I should feel guilty, but I don't. I needed a day off. I slept past seven, which is rare, and I woke up feeling better this morning.
My husband is going over to his mother's today to help her move some furniture, so I'll probably run the vacuum while he's gone. We need to go food shopping, but I hope we can put that off until tomorrow.. I don't know when he'll be home, but it will definitely be late in the afternoon, and the grocery store is a nightmare unless you get there early.

We got our federal refund check! My husband's going to deposit that before he goes to his mother's. That should help replace some of the money we borrowed from savings to pay for the counseling sessions… wish it was more. We're expecting a small state return, but they're always slow.

Thank you for your update this morning.
Hubby trims the cats nails, hattie puts up a fight, hazel is docile.
Glad that you slept well.
bizi

Bizi, Does Jeff clip the kitties' back claws?

I called the club that holds the meetings and it turns out that the meetings are only being held on Mondays now, if there is enough interest…

However the place, called the Renaissance Club, is for people with mental illness to become "more socially and vocationally active." The woman I spoke to on the phone encouraged me to call the director to set up a tour. I guess they even have a van that can transport you.

I don't know if I'm too functional right now to fit into this environment, but I'll probably give it a shot and take the tour at some point.

Oh kay this is exciting...they provide transportation!
bizi

It would be nice to find a place to fit in… especially to be around people who understand what it's like to live with the challenges of mental illness. Unfortunately, it's a big part of my life. At the very least, I may be able to catch a couple of DRA meetings, "if there is interest."

Besides the meeting I attended Thursday, there are a couple of other AA meetings held during the day I can try out. I don't need everyone in my audience to be bipolar, I just need to feel comfortable sharing my story. I guess that comfort level comes from what others are willing to share. If I don't feel like I can reach out at some point, there's no point in me going. I may try going to a "closed" meeting where only AA members can attend… no friends, family, etc. People usually are a lot more candid because they expect more anonymity and confidentiality.
Going to meetings would give me an opportunity to get out of the house and socialize to some degree. It wouldn't hurt me in maintaining my sobriety either.

Since I last weighed myself about 2 weeks ago, I lost 6-7lbs. I noticed the difference this morning. I think a lot of that is a result of not feeling well because of the seroquel OD this week. My appetite hasn't been the same since it happened, but I'm still eating. I'm not sad about the weight loss :) But I still need to get in shape.

I was looking forward to only having to deal with one appointment this coming week… the final appointment with my counselor, but because I went to the ER I have to see my PCP. I know he's going to give me **** about the medication error. He already thinks I'm on way too much seroquel so he's gonna freak out.
He's clearly uncomfortable with the severity of my mental health problems. The scar on my neck makes him very uneasy. You should see the look on his face when he examines it… He added a dx of "major depressive disorder-recurrent" after our last visit, even though he knows I'm bipolar, when I went to see him to exclude medical causes of the MS fatigue and he didn't find anything. My pdoc has encouraged me to address the issue with him. He should be asking me if he has concerns about my mental health, but I've also signed a consent so he can speak to her as well.
He is a good PCP and has always been a good advocate. My last visit was very surprising. I think talking things through with him is really worth it.

Thank you for sharing kay.
It seems You have a good team on your side.
Happy for you.
Glad you are open to the new place. I think It would be very good for you to get out and be with people who get "it".
I have not been to the connections NAMI support group in a month. I need to start going again.
bizi
Hubby doesn't trim their back claws....

My husband put off the food shopping again, but he did take me to the pharmacy to pick up some scripts so I could fill my pill minder for the whole week. We're almost out of people food, and I used the last of the cat food this morning. We have to go food shopping today no matter how his work day went.

I wish I could drive… I wouldn't have to wait until he was in the mood to go shopping. I used to go twice a week. I would bring in the perishables and a couple more light bags and leave the rest in the trunk for my husband to take care of when he came home.

The amantadine didn't do jack for me last week, but I think it's probably because the OD threw me off. I'm hoping for a better week overall.

I know that you're insurance says you have to follow up with your PCP after you go to the ER, but what happens if you don't?

I have no idea!!!!!
sorry
bizi
hope you get to the store tonight.