DUI

I sat in the plastic chair, at the potluck, watching my plate jiggle up and down as my left hand shook.  I had to hold the plate in one hand and eat with the other, but the bouncing due to tremors made that a little challenging. 

My hands are worse than my Dad (more on him in a minute).  My 72 year old Dad.  It was depressing to watch, but a necessary side effect of my lithium. 

Even more depressing to take out my pill pouch (I do like those) and look at the 5 mood stabilizers, one antipsychotic on the menu.  I showed them to Ron.  "I have to take all this plus another just to be human every day."  He mumbled something around his taco. 

I took a deep breath, sighed, and went in search of sweet tea.  I threw the meds in my mouth, took a big chug of tea, and down the hatch. 

It was interesting, though.  Yesterday I took my pills late, around dinner.  I can get a little impaired and didn't want to be "driving" Ron's wheelchair "under the influence.".  I waited on the medication until we got home, which ended up being unpleasantly close to bedtime. 

For whatever reason, if I take the mood stabilizers and antipsychotic around lunch (usual), I can have an awesome, solid, nap.  If I take them near bedtime I toss and turn for a couple of hours, then I have nightmares. 

So, I woke up not feeling very well, mild headache.  We didn't have a good ride to church.  One woman wore so much perfume I could taste it.  However, I always keep a couple excedrin and a phenergan in my Bible bag.  I use a pill pouch.  Like I said, they're good. 

I can get 50 of them at the Dollar store. 

I take all the mood stabilizers at lunch now; I just get too impaired.  I have no problem taking them when I'm off the clock.    I will mention this to Doc (I see him soon). 

In the morning, I just take the antidepressant and a few vitamins.  I know my diet is inadequate so I need the vitamins. 

Yes, I am a hypocrite.  I could just eat real food. 

So, I took the meds at the picnic, around 2 PM.  No impairment.  No groggy.  So, I just have to sleep 5 hours the night before I take my meds, and I won't be groggy? 

No wonder I get depressed. 

Ron was pretty cranky today, but he has to answer to God on that. 

The cats are good.  Torbie slept with me last night (took up half the bed!).  She's a comfort.  Baby Girl is acting kind of manic.  I think it's the nice weather in Houston - we had a high in the 80's. 

Tomorrow we will try to access the imprisoned vending machines.  We also need to empty the change bank on the broken vending machine, going back to Austin.  I will be sad to see it go, but the movers broke it.  I need to do an inventory and see what we can sell.  Stock what I have; get more inventory (I know I need candy bars), try to fix a bad bill validator. 

You can see why I need my wits.