Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Downhearted

Meh.

That about sums things up for me right now.

I'm at a loss for things to blog about - Freyja does lots of cute stuff, but so do everybody else's kids - and then I read about everybody else's kids, which reminds me of something funny or cute that Freyja did, and then I can't write about it, because that's almost like copying and cheating.

I quit going to therapy. I haven't been in two months. I'm not willing to get into my issues and so there's no point in wasting the money.

I'm in constant pain from sciatica that started in pregnancy and I can't do anything remotely fun with my kid, but my doctor doesn't care. Apparently I must be faking it just to get pain meds, when I haven't ever asked for pain meds. The treatment I want to use (sterile water epidural) is "risky" and "not guaranteed". Well, yes. So are epidurals in labor, but I don't hear anybody refusing them to laboring women on those criteria. The sterile water treatment has been used since the early 1900's to good effect for people with debilitating back pain.

It will all go away if I lose weight (according to my doctor). The depression, the anxiety, the back pain. I asked for antidepressants a while back and he told me to exercise. Fuck. Tell me how I'm supposed to exercise when just standing on my feet feels like I'm being stabbed in the lower back and down the backs of my legs? Just work through it? There is no working through it.

Eat less? No shit. Then I'll be hungry and in pain, which makes me just incredibly great and patient as a parent. I pass up going out with friends, taking Freyja out to play or to do anything fun with her because of this pain.

Yet I keep bitching and doing nothing. I can't work as a doula effectively with this pain either. I just can't motivate myself and I don't want anybody else to motivate me. I don't think I'm worth motivating, so all the pep talks in the world do nothing. I'm not looking for sympathy. People tell me all the time how great of a person I am, I just don't believe them (especially when I'm in a downswing).

I feel like a 15 year old trying to play at being grown up. I don't know what to base my self worth on. Next week I'll probably feel better and wonder why I wrote this. Is this what bipolar is, or am I just some kind of freak? Should I go back to therapy? Find a different regular doctor?

I think I need a hug.

4 comments:

D said...

(((((HUGS)))))

get a new doctor. seriously.

Much love to you Hon,
Dawn

Anonymous said...

I agree with Dawn. That is a good place to start. Thinking about EVERYTHING is overwhelming and a good doc would get you the right meds so that you can be in a place where you CAN tackle the rest. Baby steps, right?

(((HUGS)))

karrie said...

I think you need a hug, a new doctor, some daffodils and a shiny blog button. If you were closer, I'd slip you some of my Wellbutrin. :)

(Go look under Blogitzer on the Blogger's Choice site)

James had those epidurals for awhile and they did help. He had disc problems though--basically ground down to dust--so eventually had surgery. He still has some pain, but it is not debillitating. Is accupuncture an option? (Thinking maybe through the doula gig you might have some natural/crunchy connections.) He feels much better after a session.

I have some idea how crappy you feel. Depending on the nature of your problem, exercise might just make things worse. Swimming might feel good though.

(((((((((More hugs))))))))

Heather said...

Thanks, you guys. I appreciate the suggestions and the hugs.

Daffodils sound great, esp. with the 6 inches of snow out there! WTH is that?!

I never even thought about acupuncture. Hmmm.