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chihuahua’s Profile
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chihuahua
is feeling Good
I think the secret of life is to just chip away at it!
Recently: 6 journal posts, 2 journal comments more …
About Me
I am divorced with 2 wonderful, grown children, and a little dog that is my dearest companion! I live on my parent's farm, in an apartment near their house. We have a garden, chickens, horses, catfish, and the pasture is leased for cows. Lots of pretty trees, grasses, and flowers here, and a bit of rolling terrain. My apartment is in an 18, 000 sq. ft. abandoned school building that my dad bought when I was a young kid. I helped him convert a classroom space into the apartment I now live in, years ago. Oh yeah, I have bipolar disorder too! But bipolar disorder does not have me :)
Interests
I'm interested in having a stronger relationship with my daughter and I'm focusing on that lately. I love my dog. I like to hike. I like to eat healthy and take good care of myself! I love to go bargain shopping (especially garage sales, thrift stores)! I like to save money and live as simply and frugally as possible. If I have one passion, I guess it would be for "simplicity". I like to push against walls: meaning that when something is hard for me, and I tend to resist, then if I find it to be worthwhile, I like to try to bring it into my comfort zone, by just steadily practicing to change my attitudes and my way of life. I like to be helpful, especially to my family. I like to cook and I make really good pies!
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Journal
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Hugbook
Hug
hugs, love & thanks, Chihuahua :) xxxx
Hug
Hey Carol, re the hiking groups, here are my thoughts. The long distance hikers generally started out alone and met others to hike with along the way. Regarding the Grand Canyon, the Sierra Club sometimes leads groups into the grand canyon. I think there are also private outfitters who lead hiking tours in the canyon. Man, this would be a great time of year to hike there!
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Hug
Hey, did a real hike this weekend. I went to the annual meeting of the American Long Distance Hiker's Association, what a group, and then climbed a small mountain yesterday. Well, it was actually a good hike, 16 miles roud trip and then a 5,200 vertical gain. And the trail was amazing, winding around cliffs and up knife ridges, very cool.
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Hug
Interesting, I wrote in my hug to you two weeks ago that I had a down week the week previous. That pegs my last depression as having lasted three weeks. Ok, I think that's over. I'm hoping the self absorbtion that comes with the downs is also over. Hey, I'm checking in with friends. Glad you guys didnt get too badly nailed by the storm. My uncle lives near downtown houston. I got an email from him saying he was ok. But, I don't know if he has power or what. Man, remember the 1983 storm that wiped out west Galveston? The photos look even worst this time! Galveston was hammered! Cheers!
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Hug
Just a hug for no particular reason at all! Hey, I had a down week last week and didn't do any hiking. Man, wasted some beautiful, sunny, cool days. Pfffft to myself, laugh. Hope you are well.
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Photos
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Support Groups
Close Bipolar Disorder
Had depression early in life. At age 35 things turned manic/psychotic and doc started calling it bipolar disorder. 12 years later, I have pretty much learned to live with it. Bipolar Disorder has turned my life upside down and I have had to adjust to many changes, some very sad changes. But I have a good attitude and it doesn't keep me down!
Treatments
- Depakote Not Working
- Awful, awful...just about killed me. Messed up my thyroid, cholesterol, triglycerides, periods, gained 100#, lost a bunch a hair, and was a zombie! Took this awful stuff for 10 years!
- Haldol Working / Worked
- It was administered to me at certain times in the hopital, very temporarily. Seemed to slowly pull me out of psychosis.
- Holistic Health Working / Worked
- The basics no matter what: sleep, nutrition, exercise. Omega3 is a good supplement. I try to keep a good attitude, which helps. Physical work seems to help me hold my head together. The 12 Steps of Recovery helps my thinking a lot! And I have very strong, compassionate, supportive family. Don't know what I would do with out them!!
- Lithium Working / Worked
- I believe this might be the missing puzzle piece. I feel normal most of the time now!
- Risperdal Working / Worked
- This has been a miracle drug for me! As long as I stay on it, I am pretty much free to live a normal life, free of psychosis...recently required tweaking!
Close Diets & Weight Maintenance
In April 2005, I decided that even if it took 10 years, I was gonna start chipping away at this problem, that developed while on Depakote. That was over 100# ago. Enjoying being a sz 12 now. Don't know where or when I will level off!
Treatments
- Atkins Diet Working / Worked
- When I first started, I lost the first 40# on Atkins. So this plan did work, but it was far too restrictive. I like a balanced diet! It was also too expensive for me!
- Eat Less Working / Worked
- After Atkins, I decided to just eat smaller portions of regular foods. I did that for about a year and lost 15 more pounds. So it worked but it was slow! Now most recently, after finishing up with Weight Watchers, I am using this method to very slowly lose the last 30#.
- Hiking Working / Worked
- I hike almost daily with a 30# pack. 1 to 2 hours a day. Seems to help with the weight loss and especially with the firming up of the body as the weight goes down. An excellent activity...both weight bearing and aerobic. I cant recommend it enough!!
- Weight Watchers Working / Worked
- In January 2007, I switched to Weight Watchers. And I really liked it! Used my old books, no meetings. Lost about 60# over the course of 1 year. Great choice of foods!
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Snapshot
Recently …
- 6 journal posts
- 2 journal comments
