Off Work Again and Other Crap

I guess I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted and a lot has happened since that last post a week and a half ago. I heard back from my therapist later the day I called her. She said she was going to write me off work for a while again. So now I'm off until November 30 (Monday after Thanksgiving). That's about 5 weeks off; 6 if you count the week before when I only worked 2 hours. It appears that this FMLA/disability claim will include that week, making it a 6 week break from work, less the two hours. I was hoping I wouldn't have to be off again, but then again, the team at work deserves to have consistency one way or the other instead of me being in one day and out the next. So in one way it's disappointing and in another it's a relief. I also met with my psychiatrist and she wound adding one new medication (that's make 5 total I'm taking regularly now, 3 of which are for depression) and she increased the dosages of the other two I was already taking.

Last Friday, the 30th, we hosted R&B's annual Halloween party. There was pretty good attendance and a ton of fun. I definitely needed that. It was fun to hang out with our friends from the class and play games and eat. We played two games of Mafia. I was nothing the first game and one of the two mafia the second game (which we won). Then those with kids and a couple of others left. We put our girls to bed as well and then played Apples to Apples after that. That's another great game to play. it can be really funny, which is good when you've been feeling the way I have with all of this.

I forgot...before the party, I took Courtney to Disneyland to meet up with my best friend Eric and his girlfriend Stacey. We had a lot of fun hanging out and going on rides. This was my second time at Disneyland that week. Traci and I met up with our friends Jake and Jenifer, who were celebrating her birthday on Wednesday. We went and hung with them for a couple of hours while both girls were at school.

I was hoping the time off would give me time to try and get better, this past (Halloween) weekend proved otherwise. I started sliding downhill at a Halloween party Halloween night. It was at our friends' house. We didn't dress up like most other people, and Courtney and Skyler, but it just started getting to me. First of all, I'm never comfortable when there are kids and alcohol at the same place. Secondly, and the main factor I think, was that I didn't know anybody and figured everyone was happier and in a better place than I was. This is my competitive spirit (comparing myself to other) coming out at the wrong time. This is something we have talked about at my last two therapist sessions.

By the time we left the party, I was feeling pretty down. Fortunately, the rest of the night was fun...trick or treating with Courtney and Skyler. They have been looking forward to it for so long and were very cute and cooperative the whole time. First stop was at Traci's parents' house. Second stop was at Traci's grandparents' house. Third stop was my parents' house. Then we came home and walked the neighborhood, which has been pretty good and fun every year we have gone trick or treating. The girls loved getting so much candy. However, the damage of the day had already been done.

I had hoped Sunday would be different since it was a new day, but Saturday's bad feelings carried right over into Sunday. Going to church really didn't mean much. I was singing empty words during worship and couldn't pay much attention to Pastor Bill's sermon. R&B was fun because it was with people we enjoy being around and we did lunch after class which is usually fun, which was the case this time. Then at home things continued to go bad as I was in a really bad mood the rest of the day. Courtney acting up didn't help much, but by no means is an excuse for my attitude. I wound up staying home from a Halloween/housewarming party because I just didn't feel like it. Plus, I knew there were going to be at least two families there that I don't really enjoy being around. Sunday just sucked in general.

Bring on Monday, right? It has to be better that the previous two days! Wrong again. The feelings continued to dominate me as I was in a bad mood all day again. I was mean to the girls and didn't treat Traci much better. I got especially upset when Courtney purposely locked both bathroom doors and then closed them after she had used the bathroom. This pretty much put me over the edge for the day and the weekend. I was sarcastic and mean to Courtney and pretty much everybody in the house. So much so that Traci told Courtney to join her our bedroom so they could watch TV away from me.

I contemplated leaving the house at least a couple of times during this past weekend, but never did, except to borrow some tools from my dad to try and get the bathroom doors open. Eventually, Traci's dad came over and managed to get it open. I think Courtney learned her lesson the hard way since Traci and I both had words with her.

Yesterday was a good day...FINALLY! I took Skyler to Disneyland, just me and her. I figured I had already gone with Traci and Courtney individually and with my pass expiring today, I figured I should go with Skyler as well. It was fun and Disneyland was dead. Our longest wait was 15 minutes during the 4 hours we were there, and that was for Alice in Wonderland! It was great and we both had a good time.

Today has turned out to be another good day. I let Traci rest since she is sick and took both girls to school and then picked them up later. I also took Courtney to the dentist, which went well. I also found out I shouldn't be doing any work while at home. I just have to check e-mails and voice mails though. I don't want to spend my whole first week back going through voice mails and e-mails...not fun.

A couple of miscellaneous notes about the past few days. My parents bought plane tickets for Susie, Adam and Bella to come out for Thanksgiving weekend. That should be a good weekend as long as our "friends" don't try to monopolize their time while their out here like they have the last couple of times. That's my sister, brother-in-law and niece and I should be able to spend a lot of time with them!

Then I learned that a friend and former co-worker passed away on yesterday morning. I worked with pretty closely when I was the Global Category Analyst for Catalysts & Chemicals before my current position. He was a really good guy to work and talk with. I know his family (wife and kids) are probably having a really hard time right now and I will keep them in my prayers.

So life goes on, each day different the one before. At this point, I have given up trying to figure out how I'm going to feel; it's useless. I just need to be able to roll with the punches and adjust as things come and/or change. Hopefully I can win this fight eventually, although I have a feeling this will always be with me and be a struggle. I just need to adjust to the new me and try to learn how to live with it, even though it sucks.