Saturday, March 19, 2011

"I'm on medication" - my new disclaimer

To make a long story short, and save myself from rambling like I sometimes do, I will start off by saying, "I was in an earthquake, got really freaked out, came home, had more earthquakes, got more freaked out, then a tsumami warning after Japan's earthquake" ....well, it sent me over the edge.

Mentally I thought I was doing fine, but my body was not having conversations with my mind so my fear manifested itself in the form of a very large stress rash over 1/3 of my body requiring large doses of prednisone. Prednisone makes you jumpy, racy (not in a sexy way), anxious and manic. Oh, and you gain 2 lbs a day. No joke. Since I have to be on it for 10 days, I have 20 lbs to look forward to.

Nice.

Anyway, I have to remind myself that I am on it and need to "find a happy place" now and then to calm down so I don't freak out my children.

After a weird exchange with my son this morning about cereal, I started going a bit berserk and my husband noticed it. He's a good diffuser of tense situations. I felt bad even though the exchange was minor and really not worth noticing, but "I'm on medication" so I feel things differently right now. The real prize, though, is that I have an awesome husband who really does love me and is probably the number one reason I stay sane.


I was feeling ashamed of myself and really needy. I know he went through the same thing I did, but he was having to take care of me. When he got to work I sent him a sheepish email saying thanks and that I was sorry he got saddled with such a nut case wife. "You're not a nutcase", he wrote back. "You're the love of my life and a damn find find". Enough said.

He gets my hero award ......again. 

5 comments:

  1. what you are going through is so normal. Try to be kind to yourself. take care.

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  2. I echo Alex and Bfiles. Such a cute couple, and you're entirely entitled to some medication-worthy moments after what you've been through. The rash is impressive though; maybe you can work that in to a letter to Congress one of these days ;-). All jokes aside, I feel for you. You've been through some horrific times, and now you're watching another nation go through similarly horrific times. Thinking of you...

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  3. Ditto! What you are experiencing is totally normal. I grew up in California and while I have never experienced anything like what happened in Christchurch or Japan, even after experiencing many earthquakes I still find them to be HORRIBLY unsettling. After we shook pretty good here last year (a 6.9) there are still occasionally days when things get very quiet and I just wait for the house to start rattling.

    Feel better soon!

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  4. God bless understanding husbands.

    One of my kids has to take prednisone about once a month to combat high fevers, and he has the same side effects. It can be tough to handle, but he can't help it. And you can't either. I think you're doing amazing considering all that you've been through.

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