Oh Happy Day!

I received not one but two surprise packages in the mail when I got home yesterday!

First was from ‘Chelle. I had completely forgotten that I asked for her Lady Violet chart when she was done with it. I guess she’s finished it now. 😆 Thanks ‘Chelle; this chart just screams “stitch me!”

Second was from Michelle. Another complete surprise; Michelle sent me a birthday package! She sent me Just Nan’s Morning Flower off of my wish list and, let me tell you, this design is more beautiful than I had imagined. I can’t wait to have some time and fewer WIPs so that I can start on it! She also sent me a beautiful needle magnet, stitched oh so delicately over one with a gorgeous, deep plum beaded edge.

I hope that you are feeling better soon, Michelle. Thank you so much for thinking of me!

Let me just say that these two ladies created a bright spot in a difficult day. The psychiatrist still won’t listen to me. He upped the dosage of the one drug that I think is causing the mixed state and when I commented that I never had a mixed state before starting this drug, he retorted that I never had any of these issues until 3 or 4 months ago. Yeah, well, I’m still entitled to my opinion. 😛 Not only did he up the one drug, but he added another one called Lamictal that’s supposed to help with the mixed state. Finally, he decreased my Cymbalta (anti-depressant), saying that it could be helping to cause the mixed state.

I’m not happy with the fact that if I listen to him, I’m now going to be on a total of 4 medications for what’s supposed to be a low-level bipolar disorder. It isn’t sitting well with me and so I called my mom last night to talk to her about it. She and Terry both have the same feeling that I do, that this is just too much and not moving in the right direction. The psychiatrist wants to see me one last time (in 3 weeks) before he moves and I think I’m just not going to make that appointment.

After my talks with Terry and my mom, I have decided to decrease the Cymbalta and try increasing the Abilify (which is what I think is causing the mixed state) and see what happens. I’m not going to go onto the new drug at all and will start looking for a new psychiatrist. Fortunately, I see Dr. Steve tomorrow, so I can bounce all of this off of him and see who he recommends I go to next. I think that I may even go so far as to not transfer my records to the new doctor. I think I’d rather start from scratch and see what a different doctor thinks, without the prejudice of another’s opinion. I’ll have Dr. Steve send over a letter so that they have some base to work from, but I think I’m just going to request my records from the psychiatrist and keep them to myself.