Spread the Word!
Get a DS flyer to post
DS Store is Open
DS t-shirts and more

themctier’s Profile

  • Image of themctier

    About Me

    I am a disabled Desert Storm Veteran and have recently become a part-time volunteer art teacher at a small Catholic elementary/middle school. I am teaching K5 through 8th grade. I stress out easily so I am taking this volunteer job day by day (sometimes hour by hour). I was married twice before to two abusive husbands and had one child from each of those marriages. However, I am now happily married (over 16 years) to a wonderful husband who has never abused me in any way. He adopted my daughter, is my best friend, and the love of my life. I have two grown children (married son 30 & single daughter 21), one stepgrandson(11), and a one-year-old granddaughter (both my son's). My daughter just got diagnosed with PDD-NOS, a form of Autism. I've know that something was wrong with her all her life but it is comforting to have a good diagnosis now to work from.

    Interests

    Helping and being helped by DS friends and family. Teaching kids art at my elementary/ middle school. Singing (mezzo-soprano, church choir). Artist. Camping in my RV (when we can go). Computing. Yardwork (when I'm not in too much pain).

  • Recent Activity

    Wednesday

    • themctier gave dkimball a Hug 3:09pm

      long, slim, slimy ones; big, fat, juicy ones; itsy bitsy teeny tiny wuh-uh-uns. I've sung that song many…  

    • themctier gave dkimball a Hug 3:06pm

      Thank you for your hug! It is so sweet of you! {{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}…  

  • Journal

    • This entry is private

    • This entry is private

    • This entry is private

    • This entry is private

    • This entry is private

    Read Journal

  • Hugbook

    Give themctier a hug

    • Hug

      From dkimball Wednesday

      So very glad you are feeling better...

    • Hug

      From iexist Tuesday

      dear them, thank you so much for the letters, they mean so much to me, i will never forget you, joey.

    • Hug

      From freestylegrrrl October 6

    • Hug

      From AzureIndigoSkies October 5

      gentle hugs.....

    • Hug

      From TMR72 October 5

      thank you you are nice:)

    Read Hugbook

  • Photos

  • Goals

    Lose weight

    Progress

    45 %

    Current Weight (Lbs)
    180
    View all in progress Goals

  • Support Groups

    • Close Depression
      Type: Clinical (Major) Depression

      I ride an emotional roller coaster. I have a poor image of myself. In the past, I tried to take on the problems of the world but I crashed and burned. I thought that I had learned not to do that any more but it seems to haunt me forever. It bothers me that I can't reach out to others without being sucked into a deep depression over it--but I'm hanging. It especially bothers me that I can't volunteer or work anywhere without pain, depression or anxiety.

      Treatments

      Celexa Working / Worked
      Just increased to 40 mg daily. Seems to be leveling out my roller coaster ride.
      Clonazepam Working / Worked
      Works for most of my anxiety. Occasionally, though, some anxiety spills through and I get knots in my stomach.
      Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Working / Worked
      When I start getting panicky and stressed out, I distract myself by playing a computer game or going somewhere (Wal-Mart, etc.)
      Effexor Working / Worked
      Worked for years but toward the end I was on the highest dose and it wasn't working.
      Positive Thinking Working / Worked
      If I can get myself to do this, it works.
      Prozac Not Working
      Tried. Didn't work.
      Psychotherapy Somewhat Helpful
      Sometimes I leave feeling more depressed than when I arrived.
      Risperdal Working / Worked
      Helps with the voices telling me that I'm a bad person or someone else doesn't like me...etc.
      Support from Friends & Family Working / Worked
      I would not be here without their support, especially my husband and psychotherapist's support.
      Trazodone Working / Worked
      Used to take it for sleep but I changed psychiatrists and he didn't want me on it.
      Wellbutrin Not Working
      Tried it. It didn't work.
      Writing Somewhat Helpful
      It helps when I remember to do it.

    • Close Chronic Pain

      I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and I have several bad discs in my back from my neck on down my spine. I end up taking Hydrocodone at least once a day, sometimes twice. I stay as active as I can to keep my spirits up, but some days it is really hard.

      Treatments

      Acupressure Working / Worked
      Husband gives a wonderful massage that includes acupressure.
      Chiropractic Adjustment Somewhat Helpful
      I think tincture of time is what actually worked.
      Flexeril Working / Worked
      It puts me to sleep for a day-and-a-half. I take this only when I am in dire straits.
      Heat Working / Worked
      If I get cold, I hurt. The heating pad stops the pain.
      Hydrocodone Working / Worked
      It works but I'm slowly having to go up on the dosage to get the same pain relief. This sucks!
      Massage Working / Worked
      My husband gives the best massage! It really helps me when my muscles are spasming.
      Mobic Working / Worked
      Wal-Mart offers this drug for $4.00, so I just started taking it again. It worked before, so I am hopeful that it will help again. I'll keep you posted.
      Naproxen Not Working
      It was like taking water.
      Neurontin Working / Worked
      I've started back on Neurontin 300 mg TID and for some reason it is working now. Hooray!
      Physical Therapy Somewhat Helpful
      If I stand up too long, I hurt. If I sit down too long, I hurt. If I walk too long, I hurt. I just can't do the things I used to be able to do.
      Support from Friends & Family Working / Worked
      My husband gives the best deep massages!
      TENS Not Working
      It worked for a little while but not any longer.
      Topamax Working / Worked
      This worked but the VA won't prescribe it for me since it isn't listed as a "pain reliever." Go figure.
      Writing Somewhat Helpful
      It helps to write but hard because it is painful to look down when I'm handwriting and painful to look at the screen when I'm typing.

    • Open Thyroid Cancer
      Type: Papillary Carcinoma

      I had a cold thyroid nodule diagnosed 2 years ago. It started growing and more nodules were found in both lobes of my thyroid, so they decided to do a total thyroidectomy (Mar 2007). The nodule had a 1.4 cm focus of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Borderline criteria for radiotherapy so the docs opted to follow me with routine bloodwork and thyroid medication. They are keeping me slightly hyperthyroid to keep any remaining thyroid tissue inactive.

      Treatments

      Thyroidectomy Working / Worked
      The total thyroidectomy for a multinodular goiter is what found the cancer. The pathologist stated in his report that he felt it had good margins. In other words the surgery got it all. I used to work as a pathology transcriptionist so I know this is not always true.
      Support from Friends & Family Working / Worked
      My friends and family have stayed with me through thick and thin.

    • Open Physical & Emotional Abuse

      I grew up in a dysfunctional family. My grandfather sexually molested me around age 12. I married 2 abusive men. Now I am happily married but I still abuse myself emotionally when I screw up. Sometimes I even physically abusive myself when things are really stressful.

      Treatments

      Abuse Counseling Working / Worked
      It was really tough but I persevered and am a better person because of it.
      Art Working / Worked
      Doing something creative (writing, painting, drawing, pastels, meditation) takes my harmful thoughts and replaces them with good thoughts. This is VERY beneficial.
      Divorce Working / Worked
      I divorced both abusive husbands. I had to use Safe Homes (a safe house for abused women) to help me leave my second husband. Getting out of the abuse was very important.
      Forgiveness Somewhat Helpful
      It is hard to forgive. I'm still working on this.
      Group Therapy Somewhat Helpful
      The groups I have been in were not very helpful to me.
      Leave Working / Worked
      Sometimes when I'm really stressed, I seclude myself to calm down. But I have to be careful because sometimes that is when I harm myself (pinching, scratching, hitting, and biting myself)
      Psychotherapy Working / Worked
      I am still in therapy. I do not stand up for myself and still berate myself for imagined wrongs. I am getting better, though, little by little.
      Talking Working / Worked
      It works as long as someone guides me positively through it.

    • Open Anxiety

      I suffer from chronic anxiety, sometimes to the point of having panic attacks. The anxiety is compounded by clinical depression, fibromyalgia, and an extremely poor self-esteem. I've been this way as long as I can remember. I'm just now realizing how severe it is. In fact, I think I've become paranoid, obsessive, and somewhat psychotic because of my chronic anxiety. Life's a bummer.

      Treatments

      Breathing Exercises Somewhat Helpful
      Not able to concentrate well without the help of the meditation CD.
      Klonopin Working / Worked
      This works well most of the time. Sometimes I have breakthrough anxiety attacks over stressors I can't foresee.
      Meditation Working / Worked
      It works when I use it. I've got a CD with 3 different guided meditations. They are like taking journeys. I wish I had more like these.
      Trazodone Working / Worked
      It was working but for some reason my doc took me off it.
      Celexa Working / Worked
      Helps with depression which goes hand in hand with anxiety.

    • Open Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

      I used to be a medical transcriptionist (18 years) but as the workload increased, so did my wrist pain, tingling, and numbness. My workplace had me jumping through hoops to prove that my CTS was work-related. I wasn't at a place where I could handle the stress that fighting the system entailed, so I had to quit working. If I do not type long on the computer, my CTS rarely flares up. But so much relies on computers now that I find CTS flaring more frequently.

      Treatments

      Ibuprofen Working / Worked
      Used to work. Not now.
      Wrist Splint Somewhat Helpful
      Helps for awhile but after awhile it seems to aggravate things.

    • Open Diets & Weight Maintenance

      Currently I am 194 lbs. My ideal weight is 156 lbs. Most of my weight came on within a year after thyroid surgery. I've got to get a grip on this. I'm determined to lose down to at least 170 and hopefully to 156.

      Treatments

      Counting Calories Working / Worked
      I am down to 177 pounds! Hooray!
      Eating Healthier Foods Too Soon to Tell
      Eat Less Working / Worked
      Physical Exercise Too Soon to Tell
      I am unable to exercise much because of medical problems but I am trying. I will keep at it.

    • Open Asperger Syndrome

      I believe my daughter has Asperger Syndrome.

      Treatments

      Prozac Somewhat Helpful
      She has OCD anxiety and depression. Just recently had to go to 40 mg daily.

  • Groups

  • Friends

  • Snapshot

    Recently …


About Us | Testimonials | Crisis Hotlines | Help  
» Popular Support Groups
· Bereavement
· Bipolar Disorder
· Depression
· Physical & Emotional Abuse
· Breakups & Divorce
· Diets & Weight Maintenance
· Anxiety
· Alcoholism
» Top Treatments
· Psychotherapy
· Paxil
· Prozac
· Zoloft
· Wellbutrin
· Effexor
· Physical Exercise
· Lexapro
» New Support Groups
· Trying To Conceive
· Life After Divorce
· Time Management
· Body Modification
Content on DailyStrength.org is for informational purposes only. We do not provide any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. More info
Copyright 2008 DailyStrength, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Report Abuse