Sunday, January 20, 2008

"One of these things, is not like the other....."

There was a Sesame Street song that sang about four items, three of which were alike in some way, and a fourth that did not belong. When interacting with my quad on the whole Bi-Polar issue, I feel like the item that does not belong.

I understand how they can get. I understand how one can have the best-laid plans, only to have them come apart due to unforeseen forces. I've had my own rages, and depressions, and mood swings, only to look back on them and wonder what I could have done differently. I have those options, just like most people; I can imagine what it would be like to have little to no control, how frustrating it would be to have little to no options.

I read up on the subject when I get a chance. I am becoming a little bit more familiar with the pharmacy that is our bedroom every day. I cope with their moodiness, their sleep cycles, their at home habits, their health issues, and their work/career issues. These are all minor events compared to the joy they bring me; I only list them to illustrate how BP interacts in our quad.

I occasionally get from emmie and mitda the feeling that they don't think I understand them regarding BP. emmie made a comment on her blog that she wasn't sure she should talk to me about an issue she's been having because I am "very removed from the whole bipolar thing" (she did decide to, though :) ). mitda didn't like my frustrated comment regarding how she couldn't work at a $50k job if it was boring. My opinion: I take her condition seriously enough not to call it a euphemism like "psychologically interesting."

I don't have to be bi-polar to understand and support my family, the same way I don't have to be female to understand and support feminism. Most of the time, they know that. If they can put up with my occasional frustrations with them, then I can put up with their occasional frustrations with me. And vice versa.

2 comments:

AmandaLP said...

I call myself "mentally interesting" :-)

http://www.crazymeds.us is the best place to learn about the pharmacology of the medications.

Anonymous said...

Interesting to know.