Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

The Sorry Little Girl Who Cried, “Sorry, I’m Bipolar!

There she was, gathering her sheep. Five, Ten, Fifty … oh why not make it 100 sheep. No need to be lazy! Suddenly a few sheep began wandering off. The little girl stared at the remaining 93 sheep and thought to herself, “It’s only a few sheep; no one will notice I haven’t taken care of them. They’ll probably be okay and take care of themselves anyway.”

The Sorry Little Girl Who Cried, “Sorry, I’m Bipolar!

There she was, gathering her sheep. Five, Ten, Fifty … oh why not make it 100 sheep. No need to be lazy! Suddenly a few sheep began wandering off. The little girl stared at the remaining 93 sheep and thought to herself, “It’s only a few sheep; no one will notice I haven’t taken care of them. They’ll probably be okay and take care of themselves anyway.”

 That Stinkin' Barrel

Barrel: OK, who's next?
Me: Me, me, me!
Barrel: OK, get on in.
Me: Oh goodie. Lucky me, I thought I'd have to wait awhile to take another ride.
Barrel: Oh no. You've got an e-ticket. You can keep going and going and going...

February started with a wrist surgery that ended up being a much bigger deal than I anticipated, like a couldn't-hold-my-son-for-five-days-and-spiraled-into-depression-from-the-anesthesia kind of a big deal.

 Passed Judgement

 Burst The Silence

Last week, The Institute of Mental Health in singapore started a campaign called Burst The Silence - to encourage people to talk about mental illness.

It made me think of when and why we choose to share our stories, those of us who have been touched by "mental illness".

It's simply amazing what gratitude can do for you and how it can enrich one's life. I am personally thankful for all of the amazing opportunities in my life. Despite being diagnosed with bipolar I have accomplished many things in my life. I have managed a multi-million dollar 4 star restaurant, received recognition from a national magazine, invested, owned and managed real estate, started my own company, and been a consultant for new start-up companies.

 The Blues and Vapour Brigade

What does one write about when the motivation to write has gone? I wish I knew!

 Getting any psychiatric diagnosis inevitably leads to a lot of questions. Once someone has been given a clinical label, it’s not surprising that they begin to wonder: why do I have this disorder? What’s the prognosis? What are the treatment options? What will my family and friends think? What does this mean for my work like? But getting diagnosed, when it’s the right diagnosis, can also answer questions people have been asking themselves all their lives.

 I am scared. Truly, I am frightened by the thought of my disease. At times it completely surrounds every part of my being. The depths of my heart scream out for help, just looking for the right moment to let go. I am wondering if this will ever go away. Do I have to live with this pain and encumberance forever? What happens if I really do go crazy? What happens if I end up on the street? What will happen with all my bills and responsibilities if I end up hospitalized? Who will take care of this for me?

 Bootstraps

I’m writing from deep inside the rabbit hole. It’s truly a miracle that I’m even writing this, but I have something I really need to say.

Here goes.

I had a humongous Ganglion Cyst (I know, right? ewww) removed from my wrist a week ago. No biggie, right? I went under general anesthesia, which I’ve done a few times and besides some nausea, I’m usually fine.
This time, not so much. Ends up, general anesthesia interferes with bipolar medication.

Yay.