[bizi]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

Sometimes people make really big gains fast. Maybe she'll only need rehab a short time or even she'll start walking again in the hospital. Rehab sounds like it might be appropriate just having someone checking on her; she sounds really fragile right now. Another option to consider is home health rehab. That's nice because you get therapists and nursing in the home and the rehab can be more specifically tailored to the patient. (Can you tell I preferred home health by a thousand times after working most of my career in nursing homes? .

I hope that going AF goes well for you and I'm glad you have Carol keeping you from being alone.

Are you getting sleep now? Do you feel less manic?

Hi sweetie,
thanks for your note.

It takes me 30 minutes to get ready for bed. so that puts me to bed around 11;15.
I feel manic still.
She will say anything she will say to get out of going to rehab.
With both sons there to talk to the social worker discharge planner...they will make sure she goes.

But after she is strong enough to go home I am all for in home health. That is unless she hires sitters 24/7 and she can't afford that.
She has a wrap on her head under her chin to keep her jaw in place...I feel so sorry for her. I wonder how long she is to wear that?
bizi

[bizi]

This is what I sent my pdoc:
Dr. Orazio,

Just wanted to update you.
I think I am a bit better today, less manic.
Have been sleeping at least 8 hours every night,
less computer time, not drinking since Sunday (2-23-20).

Have not been working all week, getting errands done.
Will not work until I see you on tuesday morning.
Then I have half days the rest of that week.

I decided that I am not taking any new clients at this time,
was getting too busy.


I get my tegretol level drawn this morning.
And if there is still wiggle room....would like to increase
the dose..that is if we can.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Elizabeth



I did not tell her that jeff is gone until sunday.
I talked to kay this morning.
Need to get going to get my blood level for tegretol drawn at 11;30.

Just took the 5mg of zyprexa and 50mg of visteril right now,
then lunch at sandras.
Then I start on the billing. and the A/C guy comes. I should be able to finish the billing today, I hope.

Wonder how my mil is doing?
My phone is at 5%
need to charge it, have to go to best buy and get a new charger, I also have a car charger so that is good. I have a land line with the fax machine too....need to get going!
bizi

[bizi]

Thanks for your support ladies!
4th day alcohol free.
My mental health is not good. I am worse.
Went to another AA meeting this time it was
a meditation one they meet every thursday at 5;30.
I liked the meeting room(it is a churches library with couches and
comfy chairs to sit in) and working class people,
so much better than last nights meeting with swearing from 2 different people.
I don't think I will go back to that one.
I just ignored the religious parts, even so,
who knows, maybe I will have a spiritual awakening?
Have to be careful with my bipolar. After the AA meeting
we went to Bordons ice cream shop the last free
standing one in the world! I had a bowl of chilli
and some mint chocolate chip ice cream it was delicious!
I took my meds and I feel better coming home.
It was difficult driving in the dark. And Very hard concentrating.
So I won't be driving in the dark any more.
I really need to call my psych doctor Dr. Orazio.
If they are going to admit me to a psych hospital
I would rather it be done sooner than later.
Earlier today I wrote to her saying that I was a bit better.
This was not true. Now I am worse.

I feel so bad for Marysue, Jeffs mother is in ICU now with an
exacerbation of her myesthinia gravis=MG
and is on the ventilator following her surgery gastropexy(tack up her stomach).
He arrived in INDY and did not get to see her after surgery yesterday.
Went there this morning to see her and looked awful.

I am supposed to meet a friend who is a social worker tomorrow for lunch at 11:45,
vietnamese place close to my house. so that is goo. then some friends of ours invited me to their house for dinner tomorrow night at 6;30, I will call and ask them to come pick me up because I should not be driving at night.

I am sorry for the long post.
Thank you for reading along with me.
bizi

[~Christina]

I’m sorry your struggling

Hopefully tomorrow will be an improvement

[bizi]

Thank you
I am over whelmed right now. Jeff is gone till sunday.
slept good last night.
I believe I have developed a dependancey on jeff and am not functioning well by myself.
My friend told me to write down what is going on and to call my pdoc.
This is called a dysphoric mania...not fun.
I just talked to my pdocs nurse charmaine (she called me, tegretol levels are still too low)
and told her how unwell I was.
I discovered she was on vacation flying back.
my tegretol level was still not high enough for a therapuetic dose for some reason.
So she increased the dose in the morning. to 800mg twice a day.
I told her that I could not continue like this.
Felt like vraylar or haldol was needed for acute mania.
I am supposed to have lunch with a friend in 2 hours.
am waiting a call back from charmaine with Dr. Orazio instructions.
I have a bag packed with 3 days clothes and stuff.
It sounds like we are going to increase some meds.....so that is good.
jeff texted and they are just heading out to see their mom whose heart rate is
better and she can nod her head, still on the ventilator and in ICU.

I just asked jeff if he was mad at me? no answer....
sigh
hoping that Dr. Orazio will prescribe something for me.
bizi

[bizi]

Dr. Orazio said to increase the tegretol to 800mg twice daily.
And to go to the Emergency roomif I need to over the weekend.
I am having a weird side effect
my typing is off. fingers are falling off the keys.
interfering with typing and I am dizzy maybe I will go lay down for a nap?
bizi

[Misterpain]

Originally Posted by bizi

Dr. Orazio said to increase the tegretol to 800mg twice daily.
And to go to the Emergency roomif I need to over the weekend.
I am having a weird side effect
my typing is off. fingers are falling off the keys.
interfering with typing and I am dizzy maybe I will go lay down for a nap?
bizi

Bizi do you take a Proton pump inhibitor (! Drug like nexium,proposed etc ) by any chance ?

[bizi]

Originally Posted by Misterpain

Bizi do you take a Proton pump inhibitor (! Drug like nexium,proposed etc ) by any chance ?

nope, I take it they don't mix?

Hi friends,
The fine motor involvement may be from the zyprexa.

I am on 2 anti-psychotic meds now. I noticed my fingers occasionally falling off the keys while typing, for Just a few days, since taking the zyprexa for sure. I am not noticing right now though so that is good!

Spoke to jeff, his mom is having dialysis today.

Her kidneys aren't working, still on the vent. He texted me a picture of her and she looks awful...she wanted all measures taken she is NOT a dnr.

poor thing

Now, I am going to sandras to see what prepared food I can get from them, chicken salad, soups, tabouli....etc.

It sounds like Jeff decided he will be gone until tuesday. I see Dr. Orazio in the morning tuesday. And was going to start working half days wednedsday.


I feel like I can't take care of myself, like I am completely dependant on others to care for me. I am like a young child. I have already packed a bag for a 3 day stay at the hospital if I need to go.


I should have cleaned the house some.....I still have time.

Jeff said marysues house is awful, he picked up all of the trash. Brian doesn't do any cleaning around her house.
Trying not to complain because he is able to bring her food and look after her.
It is a blessing that he lives minutes away from her now.


There is some busy work for the business that I can do:

Need to put return address labels on my bills that I send.
Make up some new charts.

It is like I am avoiding work.
I need to finish the billing!!!!
I need to run to sandras!!!!
Paul comes to pick me up at 6;30 for dinner.
I need to start writing down what meds I take at what times am getting confused about that.
Geodon needs to be taken with food/meal to actually work. as does tegretol only just some food to protect the stomach.


Our cat, Hazel just knocked over 20oz of pop all over the floor and computer desk getting some things wet...jeffs stuff and other scraps of paper. I used a big towel to wipe it up....lots of fur balls and bits of black pieces from the computer chair that is slowly molting. I really need to run the vacuum.... sigh

Run to sandras, and some billing before paul picks me up....
Can I get off this computer?
bizi

[bizi]

9pm Just got back from our friends house. Looking back over todays doings and it wasn't much. I did not even do billing. I will do that tomorrow.
Maybe I will go to the horse farm market. It is open until noon. Scratch farm kitchen has a food truck there and they are so good!
Tomorrow night is the strings concert. Carol wants to go and said she would drive. Maybe she would like to do dinner? Maybe I could fix it for her like I said before. I am feeling better, more in control.
Thank you for your support.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Glad you are starting to feel better. Just take things slowly to help you stabilize. My therapist taught me the first weeks I was seeing him "do what you can do as you can do it" if reference to work. He was right.

[~Christina]

Just keep moving forward, I’m sorry it’s a struggle.

[bizi]

9pm Just got back from our friends house.

Dinner was great!

Chinese food, spicy chicken with celery and carrots and onions.

and dumplings, quite yummy!

Looking back over todays doings and it wasn't much.

A lot of time on internet!
I did go to sandras and pick up 2 meals they had left over,
chicken and sweet potatoes and chard and collards.
I also bought a pound of chicken salad and some cheese brocolli soup.


I did not even do billing. I will do that tomorrow.
wonder if I should set the alarm for tomorrow morning?

I would like to(need to) get up and take a shower.
Maybe I will go to the horse farm market. It is open until noon.

Scratch farm kitchen has a food truck there and they are so good!

Tomorrow night is the strings concert.

Carol wants to go and said she would drive.
Maybe she would like to do dinner?

Maybe I could fix it for her like I said before.


At this point Marysue is very fragile.... had to have dialysis this evening.
On the cardiac floor, They forgot to give her 2 days worth of her blood pressure meds!!!!
They really like the care in ICU.

Jeff may stay until tuesday instead of sunday like he has planned,
not sure when he will decide.(sometime before sunday)


I am feeling better, more in control.
Thank you for your support.
(((((HUGS)))))

[Misterpain]

Originally Posted by Misterpain

Bizi do you take a Proton pump inhibitor (! Drug like nexium,proposed etc ) by any chance ?

Well they do however you have to take an extra boatload of Tegretol to het a therapeutic blood level ,and if you stop the PPI you go toxic ,I used to take it for epilepsy along with a PPI ,when my PIP was changed ,I wasn't in a power chair then got out of bed and smacked my face on the floor ,everytime i tried to stand I would hit the floor , at the hospital they did labs and asked why I overdosed ,they refused to believe that I had last taken tegretol the night before ,the doctor was persistent that it had to be a suicide attempt ? Finally I said pump my stomach and find out your wrong Dann it ,he did and ate his words ,later after I was admitted another doctor saw that my GERD Medication changed a few days before and that's how I over dosed , so they took me off Tegretol and put me on Dopmacx and a few others because I was still seizing a couple years ago I switched to Trilepral, Tegretols cousi. Any way i wanted to make sure you didn't get the grief I did ,when it truly was a medical error ,drugs can have weird interactions that aren't commonly seen .

[bizi]

Originally Posted by Misterpain

Well they do however you have to take an extra boatload of Tegretol to het a therapeutic blood level ,and if you stop the PPI you go toxic ,I used to take it for epilepsy along with a PPI ,when my PIP was changed ,I wasn't in a power chair then got out of bed and smacked my face on the floor ,everytime i tried to stand I would hit the floor , at the hospital they did labs and asked why I overdosed ,they refused to believe that I had last taken tegretol the night before ,the doctor was persistent that it had to be a suicide attempt ? Finally I said pump my stomach and find out your wrong Dann it ,he did and ate his words ,later after I was admitted another doctor saw that my GERD Medication changed a few days before and that's how I over dosed , so they took me off Tegretol and put me on Dopmacx and a few others because I was still seizing a couple years ago I switched to Trilepral, Tegretols cousi. Any way i wanted to make sure you didn't get the grief I did ,when it truly was a medical error ,drugs can have weird interactions that aren't commonly seen .

Thanks for sharing!
Sorry that happened to you.

this is what I wrote to my pdoc:

Dr. Orazio,
Just wanted to update you...knowing that you won't get this message until monday.
I am feeling much better, thank goodness.
I appreciate your patience with me.


I am better, less disorganized getting things done so that is good.

Unfortunately I am having side effects from the zyprexa
I am noticing some neuro involvement in my hands., fine motor skills.

Occasionally,, My fingers are falling off of the keys when I type.
Hopefully this goes away in time, or doesn't get worse.....

My mother in law is off the ventilator and doing better, so that is good.
Not sure when Jeff is coming home, either sunday or tuesday.

Walked on the tred mill today so that is good. got some bills done.


Elizabeth



I am not taking anything for gerd.
I also stopped taking my supplements in case they were interferring with tegretol absorption.
bizi

[bizi]

Just got off the phone with Jeff.
His mother has been thru so much, they thought they lost her.

She did not have dialysis but had this plasma exchange to rid her blood of the antibodies from her Miasthemia gravis crisis=MG crisis. She will have a series of five treatments. None on sunday then resume monday, tuesday, wednesday. They lasts 4-5 hours to do. The first one did not show a response, though this second one was like a miracle she got off the ventilator! and her kidneys started working again. But they are concerned that she may have some infection...perhaps her White blood count is elevated? I did not ask.
Such a turn around a day can make.
Her status remains a full code.
If she had had a living will that said no ventilator she would be dead right now. Need to rethink my wishes as we all should and share them with our loved ones.

I am a lot better.
Had Carol over for dinner before the concert. We had plate lunches from sandras that I picked up yesterday.
Chicken thighs with sweet potatoes and greens. It was very good!
Then we went to a strings concert at the university, it was good. Carol drove then we went for ice cream. She is not the best driver, hoping that I won't need a night driver soon.

I heated up some corn bread with butter to eat just now because I am supposed to take geodon with

food/meal, in order for it to work. 350 calories. And the tegretol can irritate your stomach.

I took my last dose of geodon and tegretol at 12;30 after lunch.
they are supposed to be 12 hours apart. I think it is ok to take them early.
Jeff is staying in INDY until tuesday, his flight arrives at 7;30pm.
He will fly out again for spring break in early april.
I need to take my meds.
good night
bizi

[~Christina]

Glad MIL is improving.

Yes health directives need to be more specific. It’s a thought that freaks out most people but it needs to be done.

I’m glad your doing well considering Bipolar is being a pain !

Keep moving forward

[bizi]

I just found out that I am supposed to be eating 500 calories of food with the geodon 12 hours apart. I don't eat that way. I took geodon with lunch, and no food at bed time.

I thought it would have maybe half the
benefit...nope NONE!

I always skip breakfast!
Maybe that is why I got manic?
Naaaa...it was the tegretol....can't seem to get at a therapuetic level.
But I have always done it this way.

bizi
we are switching to vraylar soon.
Maybe that won't have the food requirement?
I have not looked that up yet.

[Wild Coyote]

Hi Bizi!

I have to hand it to you!!! You continue to persevere!!!
Love ya!!!

[bizi]

Just heard from jeff that they will probably move marysue out of ICU today so she must be much better!
I need to get off here.
thank you all for your well wishes for her and me!
bizi

[bizi]

For Marysue,

They have done 2 plasma exchanges. she will have 5 total treatments. they take a long time to run...4-5 hours.
The second one worked and she is now out of ICU. It was like a miracle. Off the ventilator and moved....
So she is back on a cardiac floor and doing well.

This afternoon I finished my billing! wrote out 14 bills, and then I started my taxes, the mileage part,
almost 10k business miles. That is my biggest deduction.

I called the vet/boarding place and they suggested we medicate her with pain meds.
I agreed..... they will be giving her neurontin twice a day.
and I ran to the store to get some fancy feast that they are going to feed her.
Both these things we should have thought about before.
We gave her a can a while back and she loved it.
so I ran to super one and picked up 4 cans.
I told them that she hates to be picked up! and that she cries a lot any time you pick her up.
I met Matty the woman whom I spoke to about hattie, and cried to her about the situation.
She was very understanding and supportive.
I really believe that she is suffering so do they...Jeff wants to wait to put her down
when she stops eating and is listless.
sigh

At 6;20pm I went to the NAMI support group meeting and found out it started at 6 so walked in the middle of it.
They were forgiving. I had not been there in a while. some of the same people were there. Everyone was pretty good.
I talked the most.

Found out there is a drop in center on tuesday from 9-2pm,
I see Dr. Orazio in the morning but could go there for the noon meal they serve.$2 or just check it out.

Everything seems hard to do. It takes me a long time making decisions,
For dinner, I ate left overs from fridays lunch with melissa, chicken noodle and some greens left over from dinner last night
and some left over edamame which was still tasty!

Golly, I have to eat 500 calories before bed with the geodon!
I put rebel ice cream out to thaw a bit but it is too soon for that so I put it back into the freezer, will wait until 11pm.
Think I ate lunch at 1145am. close enough. I am going to have to learn to eat breakfast....grrrr

It takes me a while to compose these postings.
Then I share it on different sites, part of my addiction.
Of course, then check back later to see if some one has responded to my post.
This makes a week alcohol free, I feel my internet/phone addiction is worse.
I post on an addiction site and have started a new thread on internet addiction and have had little response.
If anyone knows of a support group for internet addictions let me know.

I had better sign off.
Thank you for reading!

bizi