My Mental Health Advocate: Medication Slip Up

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Medication Slip Up - There are No Second Chances

I can only imagine. When all that I do is only worship you. Dear God. That even in the good times something like this could still happen.

I nearly killed myself this week and I didn’t even try. I wasn’t depressed. I wasn’t despondent. I loved life. I was enjoying getting ready for the next Bible class. I was working on the next Writers workshop I was going to give on May 3^rd.

I’m working on developing a new business for a trauma therapy.

So, why am I on pseudo-suicide watch from my husband? Why am I not allowed to do certain activities? Why am I not allowed out of my husband’s sight? Why am I not allowed to make decisions?

Why did I take a nearly quadruple dosage of Topomax for nearly a week?

Because I didn’t pay attention when I got the instructions from my doctor. And then I again didn’t pay attention to the instructions from the pharmacist when I picked up the medication from the pharmacy.

Listen and listen well, people. You only get one chance to listen to your doctor and to your pharmacist if you are the only ONE in your life. I am so lucky I have my husband in my life. He realized something was wrong with me and contacted my doctor by e-mail.

We are so lucky I keep what I call a Wellness Recovery Action Plan. In it is a list of all my medications, the dosages and when I’m supposed to take them. Somehow, even though I got all the other instructions wrong, I got the instructions right enough to put them in my book. I updated my book. Thank you, dear Lord God.

Between my husband and my doctor they figured out that I had mixed up my medication. They made a plan between the two of them for the rest of the week and I’m going to see the doctor in a week.

I scared my husband to death.

He is taking it out on a new water heater.

I’m scared.

I’m tearful. What if my husband wasn’t watching me close enough?

I love him with all my heart. He is my everything.

We now have a new medication plan. Together we put my medication together for the next week. We double-check each other.

I’m still feeling the effects of the medication overdose. I’m taking things slow. But, with perseverance and faith, I am going to be back, better than ever.