PARTII: Anger Management??? Maybe...

Sooo, in my last installment I spoke about my trip to the psychiatrist....that post brings me directly to this one which centers around today....I have been fighting a crazy cold for a couple of days now and last night was horrible. I took my regular night time medications including my Ambien, but was awakened at around midnight with a stupid coughing fit. So I was faced with a conundrum. Do I take the Nyquil that is calling me from the medicine cabinet or do I try and fight it off. Well, the Nyquil won the battle, so I actually filled the dose cup (I usually just take a swig from the bottle), took the recommended dosage, and went back to sleep. I didn't wake up in time this morning to catch the person that snuck in and stuffed my head with cotton and sprayed acid into my eyes. Who knew? Anyhoo, I make my way into the kitchen I am startled by an unGODLY wailing. I realize then that either I am out of cat food or I have unwittingly stumbled into a ghetto funeral. Fearing the latter I quickly rub my eyes under my glasses and moan in despair. I am indeed out of cat food. I have Zac get ready, and I get myself ready...if wetting my hair and slicking it down with hair gel counts as getting ready. I throw on jeans and a t-shirt and head out the door to the Tractor Supply. It is the ONLY store in town that carries the brand of cat food that I use.

-Fast Forward to the Tractor Supply Cat Food Aisle-

One bag left...boy do I feel lucky...I pick it up to put it in the buggy and notice there is enough dust on it to actually germinate seeds, so I look for an expiration date. I find it, and it says, "Use BEFORE 11/20/08. WELL, ALRIGHTY THEN! This is just a tad expired....What follows is the actual transcript between the store "expert" and me.....
Me: Excuse me sir??? Sir???
Store Expert: yes?
Me: Do you have any more Blue Buffalo Cat Food? The bag on the shelf is expired.
Store Expert: You are WRONG about that. That shipment JUST came in.
Me: So, I'm STUPID AND ILLITERATE?? Go have a look for yourself.
**store expert walks and picks up the cat food bag coughs at the dust**
Store Expert: They must have sent us expired stock. You will just have to wait 2 weeks until the next shipment.
Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Like I'm gonna come back here.

So, off I go....30 miles to Newnan to Petsmart. Blue Buffalo Cat Food and 3 cat toys later I'm back home....fill the cat bowls....they eat and don't care what I've been through....figures....

PART I: Anger Management???? ME???? Maybe...

This post is inspired by true events. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

First of all, I must give a little background information. If you are already privy to this bit of information feel free to skip to the juicy parts. I have been on some sort of anti-depressant/mood stabilizer since the ripe old age of seventeen. Keep in mind, I was given these medications NOT by a psychiatrist, but by my medical doctor. So here I go in to my medical doctor once again with my LOVELY insomnia complaint, and he says, "Geri, have you ever seen a Psychiatrist?" Bwahahahaha, MOI? NEVAH! Why in the world would I NEED to see a psychiatrist? I'm not crazy...well, maybe a little neurotic, obsessive, compulsive, and eccentric(eccentric because I am ABOVE the poverty line), but certainly NOT crazy. So, he says, "I think for us to get you back on the right medication, you need to see one." Well, after not sleeping for what seems to be years, I would have agreed to see Atila the Hun. I just want to feel semi-normal again right? So off I go to the psychiatrist...

(Fades in to the psychiatrists office 3 days later)
Geri: Hi, I'm Geri Addison and I have an Appointment at 2:30 to see Dr. Freud. (it is currently 1:45)
Nurse Ratchet: Your appointment isn't until 2:45. (stares blankly)
Geri: OK, do I have some forms to fill out or something?
Nurse Ratchet: They didn't mail them to you?
Geri: If they had, I wouldn't be asking for them. (Insert patented eyeroll in here)
Nurse Ratchet: They should have mailed them. (Blank Stare)
Geri: They just made the appointment on Monday. Today is Thursday. I write pretty fast I can fill them out now.
Nurse Ratchet: (insert heavy sigh here) OK, fill THIS one out first so the doctor will know what you are here for.

Soooo, I use the education that I paid for and filled out a "War and Peace" sized stack of papers in the HOUR that I had to wait to see the psychiatrist. I wouldn't think it would be a good idea to keep crazy....errr.....ECCENTRIC people waiting too long, but anyway I finally got in to see Dr. Freud and I was surprised that there was NO sofa for me to lie down on. How can I bear my soul sitting in a CHAIR? Oh the humanity! So the first question she asks me is why I was there. So I told her it was, because I wasn't sleeping and my medical doc wanted me to see someone.
Dr. Freud: Why Don't you sleep?
Me: I can't turn my mind off.
Dr. Freud: What do you think about?
Me: What DON'T I think about?
Dr. Freud: Do you have any obsessive or compulsive behaviors?
Me: Like What?
Dr. Freud: Do you shop to excess?
Me: Heck NO! I HATE to shop. Crowds make me anxious. I don't go to airports for the same reason.
Me: Wait...does online shopping count?????.......
Dr. Freud: Do you do it to make yourself feel better?
Me: Sometimes.
Dr. Freud: Do you spend money you don't have?
Me: not intentionally
Dr. Freud: Most people don't do it intentionally.
Me: you asked about me.
Dr. Freud:(smiles) yes I did.

SOOOOOO....

The visit went pretty well. She asked more questions and wrote down some of my answers. I did wonder if she made little comments in the margins like, "Damn this girl is a real nut case" or if she drew dirty pictures or something. I may ask to look next time. She will probably say no, but she just might say yes. She gave me a prescription for Topamax 25mg once a day. It is a seizure med that is also used for migraine headaches that is ALSO being used as a mood stabilizer. I'm on the smallest dose, and it will be tapered up as needed. She also put me on Ambien which is a med for sleep. YAY for sleep!!! I've been on them both for a week and 2 days, and only one side effect so far that I have noticed. Normally one side effect would be a GREAT thing, but this one is not so great for me LOL. The Topamax has altered the taste of my Diet Coke, so now it is like drinking a nice cool combination of carbonated dish water with a healthy dose of dirty socks mixed in. Looks like I'll be increasing my water consumption....Why couldn't it alter the taste of chocolate or cake or bread???? DIET COKE???? You have got to be kidding me!!!! At least I am sleeping...

It's been a while...

It has been a while since I have written, but it has been pretty much status quo around here. I've been working and trying to keep my household together which is no easy feat! There are definitely not enough hours in a day, days in a week, or weeks in a year. I have also discovered that the older I get, the faster time flies, and my children are growing up before my eyes! The past few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for me. I got horrible news about my best friend in the world, and then the news got a bit better yesterday. There is still a battle to fight, but the war isn't nearly as one sided as we had thought in the beginning. I just hate being so far away from her. This week has been particularly bad, because one of my favorite people in the world decided to try and take her life, and she almost succeeded. Thank the Lord that she didn't. So, that is about all for now. Just keeping on keeping on...

You can find it all on ebay...

I never thought I would be a fan of ebay, but after my first purchase I was hooked. In June of 2006 ebay started a blog. I had no idea what a blog was or how to blog, but I decided to put in my first entry and so it began. Soon, I was meeting loads of people buyers and sellers alike. Some nice and some not so nice. I actually began a couple of friendships as well. I was leary at first, not sure about the "online" relationship aspect, but I really clicked with a couple of people.

The first person that I really liked talking to was Jeannie. She lives in Oklahoma and has a kick ass sense of humor and wit. I liked her immediately, and I felt like I had known her forever. She and her husband are great people, and I continue to talk to them as much as our work schedules allow. We have never met in person, but there is no doubt in my mind that when we do meet it will seem like a family reunion.

The second person is my BFF Tamara! What can I say about her? I swear we were sisters in a former life. I don't think I have ever known anyone that "gets" me like she does. We routinely complete each other's sentences, and type in the same "smilies" at the same time. I can tell her anything, and I have. I keep no secrets from her, because I know she will not judge me, but she will yank my ass into shape if I step out of line. Today we found out that she has breast cancer that has spread to her spine. The complete extent is unknown at this time, but further testing is to follow. It is hard for me to put into words how I feel about her and this hurdle she has to cross. She is a strong woman and a fighter, and it hurts me to no end knowing that I can't be there to hold her hand as she goes through all of her tests. 3000 miles separate us. I am in Georgia. She is in California. We have never met in person either, but I feel like she has been in my life forever. So as she embarks on this new and frightening journey I want her to know that I will be there for her anytime she needs me. After all, what are sisters for?

So thanks ebay for stealing money from my wallet and giving me my best friend.

Friday! Yay!

Gotta love a Friday off and the first day off of four! The kids are home today and Monday and hubby is off the weekend and Monday too! Lots of family time ahead. We are under a winter storm warning today. The weather channel says to expect 2-3 inches of snow today, so I don't plan on leaving the house once it starts...if it starts. Anyhoo, I've been up since about 3:50am, and Zac woke up about 5am. NOW, he has passed out asleep on the sofa, and so have the cats. What a rough life they lead. Hahaha. So, we have nothing really planned for the weekend, because we are at the mercy of mother nature. The cupboards are full, and we have plenty of blankets, so life is good! Have a great weekend everyone!

Back to Work!

It has been an uneventful day, and tomorrow I head back to work. I'm not complaining, because I am thankful to have a job that I like and people that I like to work with. Every day of work, puts me one day closer to retirement. LOL, Go ME!! I work 2 days then I am off for a 4 day weekend with my favorite people in the world. I am truly blessed.

Taking a look back...

I took a look back this morning at all of the entries into this blog. I was inspired to start one by Amy and Brook. What can I say? I have had the blessing and privilege to reconnect with friends that I haven't seen since high school. It is amazing how although we are much older and hopefully wiser we have clicked back into place. It took me all of 2 seconds to remember WHY we were friends in the first place. Through reading their blogs I have been able to catch up with their lives and get to know their families.

Brook, wow, what can I say? She is one of the strongest women I have ever known. She has overcome numerous personal adversities and has managed to retain her beautiful sense of humor and artistic impression. Years after we had parted ways I kept a dragon she had drawn stuck to my refrigerator by a magnet. The only reason it isn't there now is because after about a million moves I lost track of it.

Now for Amy. I met Amy in the high school choir. I liked her instantly with her funky 80's asymmetrical hair and infectious smile! Can you say BUBBLY personality??? She began calling me "Bean," because she said that "Geri" reminded her of the way a little kid would say "Jelly Bean." So, Bean was it! I remember her calling my birthday in to a local radio station and hearing "Happy Birthday to Bean from Amy!" She always made me laugh! She has been a career woman, and now she has embarked on the most challenging and rewarding career with being a stay at home mom. Anyone that reads her blogs or facebook posts KNOWS that she excels in that endeavor.

I would like to thank both of them for inspiring me and helping me reconnect with my muse...