Keeps Gettin' Better

Readers, the last two days have not been fun for me. Not because of anything anyone has done, or anything at work. Rather, they've been awful because I was stupid and didn't order a refill of my medication in time and was left without it for four nights straight. Perhaps with most medicines this isn't a big deal, but going cold turkey with the med I'm on leads to some really wonky things.

For instance, my brain becomes detached from my body.

Not literally, of course, but it might as well have been sitting in a jar these last two days. You know that feeling when you go to the beach and play in the waves all day and then that night, when you're trying to fall asleep, you still have the residual feeling of ebbing back and forth with the waves? Yeah, my brain's been feeling like that for two days. Except instead of gentle waves, they were like tsunami tidal waves. Seriously, it's messed with my balance as well as my concentration. It's not painful, per se, but definitely disorienting. Also, not being on my medication results in the severe breakdown of my ability to process and control my emotions.

A good example of how unstable I get? Yesterday I tried to get a free Coke with a manufacturer's coupon at the little cart in the lobby of my work building. The women who works there, Veronica, said they don't accept those kinds of coupons as a policy. I argued a little--how can you reject a manufacturer's coupon from The Coca Cola Company?--but relented because I knew it's not her personal choice. However, in the elevator back up to the 10th floor, I started crying because I was so upset and distraught. Over not getting a free 20oz. Coke. Not normal, right?

Yeah, I took today off from work so I could intercept my refill as soon as UPS delivered it and pop a pill. I'm feeling much, much better, but the wave feeling hasn't entirely gone away (not that I expected it to disappear magically). I also slept in until 1:11pm, which apparently my body needed because this is the least ill (re: head cold) that I've felt in a week. So, for the past four or five days, I've been living with three awful things in combination: my period, a complete lack of my medication, and a head cold. Not fun.

My medication regulates some hormones in my brain, and it treats my dysthymia. I've been taking various kinds of meds for this since my sophomore year in high school. The current one is the best I've ever had, as it doesn't make me super tired all the time. There have been times when I've gone without my pill for a day or two because I was stupid and forgot to ask my parents to reorder for me in high school or college. But this is by far the worst it's ever been, and has definitely taught me the importance of ordering refills way in advance of when you're going to need them.

So, the lesson learned? Don't fuck around with your meds, kids, because there's a reason you need a doctor to get them. Take as directed, y'all!

In news not related to my health, life is good. The weather in Boston has been absolutely bonkers lately, from warm to freezing to snow to rain to "wintry mix." Tomorrow I go to the dentist for my 6-month cleaning, so that should be a blast. Don't keep telling my not to eat Snickers, dudes, because they are too delicious to sacrifice for mere teeth. Friday I'm going to see the Actor's Shakespeare Project production of The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster, which any of you who took/have taken Renaissance Theater should know well and love. I mean, what's not to love about a play where brothers forbid their young sister widow to remarry, she marries her servant in secret immediately, he gets her pregs, all while crazy medieval shenanigans are afoot? Good times!

Hopefully I'll get to go swimming tomorrow, for the first time in about a month. The pool was closed last week for an annual cleaning, so I couldn't go. Instead I had a fight with a stairmaster machine, which I totally lost. Not doing that again. Speaking of exercise, for those who live in Boston and want to have fun whilst sweating, I've discovered a place in Central Square called The Dance Complex. It's a non-profit run by volunteers and part-time instructors and offers about 100 different kinds of dance/martial arts classes. I think I'm going to be signing up for the Zumba/Bellydance class that meets every Wednesday night. Most classes are drop-ins where you pay the instructor directly ($9-$14 a class), but some have deals where you get a discount if you sign up for a whole session. In short, it's completely awesome and needs to be checked out by anyone and everyone who wants to get in shape but have fun while doing so.

I'm currently listening to 98 Degrees's album "98 Degrees and Rising" on my Zune media player, one of many CDs that I finally got around to burning into MP3s. Man, I miss these boys. Cincinnati-bred, all of them!

Okay, I'm out. Stay healthy and be well, y'all! And remember to take all medications as directed by your Doc. :o)

Read
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale
Fables: War and Pieces (Volume 11) by Bill Willingham
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara by James Gurney

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