Recently, I was informed by my pharmacist that there is a shortage on my focus meds, which is not a really big deal - I’m willing to try something else, but it would have been nice to know before I was completely out of medication. I was off my medication for about a week before they were able to locate enough for me to get through until my next doctor’s appointment. It was a challenging week for sure.
Stress exacerbates my ADD and makes my symptoms worse and of course as my symptoms worsen, I get more stressed. It’s a crazy, accelerated merry-go-round. Sound fun?
Off my meds, while I’m working, I continuously leave epic voice mails for potential clients. I start out scattered and then try to get clear, so I go back and try to reinforce certain points and basically end up repeating myself and then the OCD sets in and I cannot hang up until I feel that I’ve made some sense. It’s not pretty.
This is a very typical example. Not so funny when it affects my livelihood, eh?
Here is something funny:
I went to the grocery store (2 different stores actually) and spent well over $200. No big deal, right? Wrong. I wasn’t shopping for the month, or even the week. I have very little to show for it. Here is a typical day at the market(s) for un-medicated Jennifer:
Walks into the gourmet store and immediately grabs a small basket because I’m just there to buy a few things for dinner and check out the heirloom tomatoes. Judges the tiny display of heirlooms. Adds all the heirlooms to basket. Then the okra looks interesting and so does the ready-made fruit salad with the beautiful kiwi fruit, showing off like a pig on parade. Adds both to basket. Oh, adores the seafood salad at the deli counter and asks for a taste. Loves it! Adds it to basket. The pastries smell divine and I remember that I just made a chocolate cake (how lucky for me!), so I divert myself to the cheese extravaganza! We do so love cheese! Thinks of Quinn saying “Gouda is goooodahhh!”, puts Gouda in basket. Walks to front of store and switches from basket to small cart. Now, of course, I’m thinking of Quinn… She loves the Orangina, puts that into the cart and sees the mini/slender diet coke cans.. How adorable! Adds to cart. Buys a market recommended wine. Thinks of Husband, knows that he will wonder why I didn’t buy him a special beer. Buys him a nice, special IPA 6 pack. Sees the fresh spice display, thinks of making Pho Ga, gathers various spices… notices the bulk candy section and thinks of banshees. Adds candy to cart. Remembers Friday Heart-attack Burger Night and buys fancy BBQ kettle chips and pays an unspeakable amount at check stand.
Stops at the big grocery store. Why? Well, I can’t say.
Buys various things for no reason. Calls Husband and asks if he needs anything. Husband says "We need toilet paper". Adds various things to cart and checks out. Forgets toilet paper.
