Am I the only one out there who sleeps only 5 or so hours a night and even that is interrupted? There are times I go days without sleeping.My doctor has tried every medicine possible. Even my doctor has given up. Her only last suggestion is to try a sleep study. Meanwhile, I feel like some sort of freak. What I would give to sleep eight hours straight like I used to a couple of years ago and before.

Suzieq

[ February 24, 2006, 04:59 PM: Message edited by: suzieq ]

suzieq, my best friend Linda has tried everything in the book, from natural on up. She still get a few hrs of sleep. Only a few weeks ago, I found myself in this situation. I NEVER had any sleeping difficulty...of any kind. All of a sudden I was going to bed at 7:30 in the morning. The Dr. put me on a sleeping pill for depression! I didn't know this until I read the pamphlet that came with the pills. I am not depressed!!!I am sleeping but I cannot go off the pills without the Doc's approval..something about weaning off them I assume.
Are you menopausal by any chance? Linda thinks that is why she hasn't had a good night's rest in years. I think she's right.
Keep us posted on any progress. I'd like to pass the info on to Linda, if you don't mind.
chick

sezieq... you are not alone in the sleep department. I get right around 5 myself, not counting the times I'm up to go to the bathroom. I'm also thinking it's a menopausal symptom.

Chick...I would be interested in the name of the antidepressant you were given for sleep, especially if it is working. Did you start sleeping right away?
No side effects?

I went through a sleep study program and found out I have sleep apnea. I have to wear a CPAP mask at night to sleep. It provides constant air pressure around my nose so that even if my body stops breathing, air pressure is still flowing.

My sleep problems were that I kept waking up, not being able to fall asleep, feeling tired during the day. All common symptoms of sleep apnea.

I was taking various meds to help me sleep, but nothing worked well, until I got the CPAP machine.

By the way, I'm bipolar too, but we didn't find that out until after I learned about sleep apnea.

I really slept well before June of this year. Not sure if it was the heart dignosis or the menopause symptoms. Regardless, of what it might be, lack of sleep is not a good thing.
No matter how I try...a nap durning the day just isn't possible.
My kingdom for a good night's sleep.

Wow, some different stories for us night owls! I was given a drug called Trazodone on 11/23/05 I did sleep the first 2 nights but nothing to write home about. I was nauseated the first 3 days. The third night I was out a like light but groggy in the morning. Now I am sleeping(I take 1 pill at 9:30) but it takes hours to kick in still. I'm asleep anywhere between 12:00 and 2:00AM and up between 8 and 10AM.
I don't want to be on any pill, but I am going to try going off them when I see the Doc on the 22nd. I'll keep you posted.
I despise any kind of pill, except natural ones.
chick

[ November 30, 2005, 02:52 AM: Message edited by: chickadee ]

They prescribed the Tradazone for me also...like you said nothing to write home about. Tradazone started out as an antidepressant, they found it caused so much sleepiness that it was prescribed as a sleeping pill. Left me feeling like I had been run over by a Mack truck the next morning. Two pills is all she wrote, rest went into the trash.
So many of the natural herbs and such just don't go with my heart medicine's.
Right now, for sleep all I take is 1 tab 25mg, of over the counter sleep aid...just love how it reads wake refreshed and rested. I wish.

I was sleeping really badly for a while. Last summer, I had a sleep study done, but it didn't show anything conclusive. I still have nights when I don't sleep well. And times when I require more sleep than others.

I really think stress level is a major factor for me.

My problem is night time anxiety. I wonder why. (I am being sarcastic. My sleep patterns were disrupted since childhood, and my mind/body has not fully recovered.) For years I suffered from night terrors. (Seems I always have a really dramatic case of something to report!) Seriously, I couldn't even sleep in my own bedroom I had to sleep in the living room, with my eyes open. (Who knew what might be lurking in a bedroom?) I had been prescribed so many heavy medications for sleep, many of which left me with the Mack truck hangover. I also tried OTC meds like Unisom, which also gave me a hangover. I hate the OTC worse than the scripts. Anyway, in the 1980s a doctor prescribed Xanax for anxiety. I couldn't take it during the day because even the lowest dose knocked me out. So I took it (the lowest dose) at night. Lo and behold, it was just what I needed to get me to sleep and keep me asleep for 8 hours without interruption. I've never increased the dose, and no doctor questions my long term use of it. And no hangover. I've also visualized and meditated on awaking with energy and enthusiasm after a refreshing sleep. Something I learned in the hospital is this: if you drink something hot when you take a sleeping pill, it helps the pill to take effect sooner, like hot chocolate or tea. I don't know the dynamics of that; maybe it's psychosomatic or the placebo effect, but it's works for me. My grandmother is 99 and the doc gives her Restoril, which is considered "safe" for geriatric patients because it does not linger in the organs. Serax and Librax is bad for the elderly because it lingers in the system and causes Parkinson type symptoms. Hormone changes and stress levels are obvious sources of sleep disorders. Flexeril is often perscribed 1) for fibromyalgia muscle aches 2) for sleep disorders related to fibromyalgia. I better stop here before I start sounding like a know-it-all hypochondriac! I hope you all get a good nights sleep. Vicki, good thing they caught that sleep apnea.

Ladies, try a hot bath right before jumping under the covers. It works miracles for me. I pray it does the same for you.

Maybe something you're not aware of is that with most antidepressants sleeplessness is a problem after you've been on them for awhile.

You might want to read the books by Doctor Peter Breggin about antidepressants. His work is a real eye-opener.

Hi all, I lit some aroma candles, turned out the lights, played nature music and took a long hot bath last night. This was around 9:00 I went to bed at 2:00, 5 freakin hrs after I took my "sleeping pill" and my bath!
I did sleep like a baby and woke refreshed at 7:30.
I don't like the sleeping pill because, I feel it affects my driver reaction time. I ran 3 way stop sign (one I always use) 2 days after I was on the pill. If anything was coming, it would have been lights out for someone. It was at night,I usually don't drive at night.Yesterday, I (who always stays 3 - 4 car lenghts behind, thank God) had to hit my brakes and my car kind of skidded/jumped to a stop. I am staying close to home until my appointment on the 22nd. I was thinking it was a menopausal thing but I think it's the pill trazadone. I want to go off the trazadone but don't know how. I am not supposed to quit cold turkey...
It makes me lose my balance during the day also. Not too bad,just an extra side step here and there. Still, too much for me to handle. I despise pills so when I get off this crap, I'm going "healthy ways" and nothing else.

chick

Unless someone has walked in the persons shoes who has depression or anxiety, they have no way of even comprehending how devastating it can be.
If, talk therapy alone works for some, that's great. But, that is not always the case.
At this point in time, I believe depression and anxiety tend to run in my family. During the teenage years my son had severe depression, and out of control behavior, and no regard to authority.
He was making bombs in his room and threatened suicide daily. He spent more than a year and a half in the hospital. Without medication, I'm not so sure he would be here now. Did I want him to take drugs that changed his body chemistry? No...but, he no longer threatened suicide, and the bomb making stopped. Today he is drug free...he still has a hard time staying with a job longer than 3 months at a time.
My dad committed suicide, by placing a gun in his mouth and pulling the trigger. Not sure this man was ever happy with his life upon this earth. Too sad. His uncle committed suicide in the same fashion years earlier.
My mom...I'm really not sure how she put up with all she did without some sort of help. Between the abuse & drinking and failing health she endured through out her years here.
My brother has faced depression for a long period of time...suffering through without any medicine or counseling.
His 17 year old son, collapsed about a month ago due to stress and anxiety.
If, counseling alone works, I'm all for it. But, if you need medication to round the next corner, or move ahead then so be it.
Today I started Zoloft, the depression and anxiety are more than I can handle... I pray for the dark clouds to lift soon.
Took Prozac for years, until it no longer worked for me, my sleep was restful, my mood was free of anxiety and depression. Hopefully, the new medicine will work just as well.
There are plenty of us who would like nothing better than not to have to take a pill.
I even fought taking my heart medicine for awhile...
But, it's not always an option.

No one should ever just go off any medication as these drugs can have serious withdrawal effects.

Chickadee have you told your doctor how this drug affects you? Maybe he can prescribe something else or the dose is too high. If you do go off of it I'm sure your doctor will tell you how to do it gradually. Never attempt to do this yourself.

Lynnie...I'm so glad to hear you have found an aid that helps you to get the eight hours of sleep you need. When I first started taking a new antidepressant (after the vaso-spasms in June), the doctor prescribed a small dose of xanax, for 2 weeks only.
Hopefully, after the zoloft kicks in, my sleep will improve.
Counseling seems to be helping some also.
Menopause isn't a big help right now...but, I expect all to fall into place in time.
Wishing you much peace and endless love in your life...I know it's been a long road for you.

When my husband had his stroke in March I thought my "perfect world" had come crashing in on me.

I suffered with depression. My doctor prescribed Lexapro. He also gave me a "starter pack." The unfilled prescription and un-opened pills are still in the bottom of my armoire.

In my own case I had to realize that these pills were not going to restore the part of the brain that my husband lost. I had a few good shoulders to cry on and a lot of bitterness to work through. Without those shoulders, mainly our son's. I probably would've needed that medication for the mental anguish I was going through. I felt in my own case, that I needed to be as clear-headed as possible for our son and daughter. It was my own feeling that by taking the pills it would only postpone my own healing process.

What I am saying is that how each of your deal with depression is your own choice. As yepthatsme said, and correctly so, what works for some may not work for others and medication then becomes necessary. You've got to do what works for you. Do not feel that you are weak or cave in to what others tell you if you decide you need medication. It's there to help you if you do need it.

And yes, menopause adds to the problems of depression as well.

Interestingly enough, I actually decreased my depression meds while my husband was so sick last year. I was still going to a therapist until last spring, but stopped because we both thought I was strong enough to go it alone. So far, so good.

It's wonderful knowing how much stronger I am now than I was a few years ago. But I probably will never be off my meds completely. As somebady said, we all need to do what works for us. And what works can change over time.

Chromium can be very dangerous to those with heart problems, especially to those who may have heart problems and not know it. Ladybug, I can't imagine what you must go through in terms of grief. Sometimes the medications such as Lexapro keep us clear headed, but help us cope. I'm glad you were able to turn to other family members for support. You must have a close family. How are you doing now? NH, as you say, I will probably never be off meds completely. I will take Celexa to a desert island with me. If I am stuck on a desert island, I want Celexa (an anti-depressant) to help me cope. I do plan to curtail the Xanax once I get settled in our new house. My nightmares have nearly vanished completely. NH, I am so glad to hear that you can notice your own improvement in strength!

Chick, it sounds like you went through an awful lot of trouble to get to what most people take for granted: sleep! Wow, it also sounds like the med is too much for you. Why wait until the 22nd? Can you call the doc and ask to lessen the dose? This could get dangerous! Ladybug, are Breggin's books pro or con anti depressants? Yep, I am so sorry that you and your family have had to endure so much despair. I don't often hear of talk therapy alone working; it usually is helpful in conjunction with other. Talk therapy alone did not work for me in the 70s. That must be horrible for you to have to deal with a father and a son who is suicidal. My father committed suicide via hand gun, and I had a brother who jumped off a bridge. Obviously, there is a genetic component. Prozac left me mindless. Zoloft worked much better for me. I hope it is good for you. You need some relief from sadness, grief, and worry. I guess pills can help one cope, but other modes of self care can help too, like journal writing. Wishing you all lots of love and light, Lynn

Breggins books are con for the most part. He is a doctor himself and has been lobbying congress to get some of the antidepressants off the market. He's also written a few books on Ritalin and other drugs similar to it. These drugs are also on his list as needing to be eliminated because of their danger.

I think it's important to read up on a drug your doctor plans on giving you just to know all the facts. It never hurts to be an educated consumer.

I hope no one thought I was being flip by offering the simple suggestion to take a warm bath.

I went through a period of depression years ago and sleepless nights were a part of it. My doctor prescribed a mild sleeping pill and told me to use it religiously. He said it's the only way they work. The mind/body needs to be retrained. It needs to set the healthy pattern again of sleeping through the night. It made sense to me, and it worked!

Dotsie,

I didn't think you were being flip at all. Sometimes that's all I need to relax me too. Sleeping pills have never worked for me because I'm too stubborn to take them regularly. I can generally sleep through the night as long as I make sure I'm tired enough when I go to bed. After 10 minutes of being awake, I get up and do something quiet. I know my sleep pattern isn't completely healthy, but it's the best I can do for now.

Dotsie, I didn't think you were being flip either. Some of my menopause books also advise a hot bath before bed as a good way to relax.

In fact, I love a hot bath almost every night after I take my walk.

Lynnie, I am much better now thank you. You see I was always good at hiding hurt and disappointment. My kids once asked me how come I am always so happy? They had no idea and they are amazed now at how well I covered up my grief.

The strongest support I had was from our 20 year old son. My husband's stroke occurred on his 20th birthday. We spent it in the hospital not knowing whether he was going to live or die or what the outcome would be.

I knew I had to be strong and get on with our lives as best as I could because they were looking to me for that strength. It did bring my son down. He had terrible chest pains for awhile. A check-up showed he was just fine but suffering from the stress of it all.

[ December 01, 2005, 06:40 PM: Message edited by: ladybug ]

Dotsie...no way did I think you were being flip.
Really appreciate all the ideas I can get right now. Only wish a warm bath would do the trick.
Started the new antidepressant and it doesn't do thing one to help with sleep. Every night my eyes fly open at 3a.m., don't even have to look at the clock anymore.

Maybe, that will change in a week or so.

yepthatsme2, give it time, you say you just started it? That's probably why it hasn't kicked in yet.

Yikes, I know what you mean about waking up in the early morning and it's not even close to the time you have to get up yet. I hate that too!!!!!!!!

Lynnie mentioned 'night terrors', there must be a variety of reasons for them to happen, i would just like to share that they also afflict men.. My husband used to frequently have terrible 'nightmares', which he always said he 'couln't remember', he would suddenly move violently about, shout, swear, get out of bed, do strange things, for example, once he had all the rifles off the wall in bed beside us, once opened the windows and looking all around outside searching for something, another time holding up the wall with all his might rifles beside him, this went on until his fifties. Then he found out that we found out, he as a boy had been abused by a pedophile and that was something to come to terms with. I dont think it is a coincident that he has never had a 'night terror' or 'night mare' since.

it is good to hear that antidepressants can also have positive effects . My mom was on antidepressants from her early forties, until she died at 84, but it seemed she was always still 'down', never angry, (and she had reasons at times to be angry), but so few, few times happy, never joyful, or excited, or curious....just flat. We have pictures of her in her thirties, and it is strange, like who was this woman with the broad wonderful smile ? We dont have a picture of her smiling in any years after her mid thirties.

Lynnie, I am callin in the morning or going over there to ask Doc how to wean off the sleeping/antidepressant. Thanks for suggesting it. I am having nightmares.
Dotsie,I knew you weren't being flip. You have mentioned a hot bath on occasion. I started a few nights ago and have had a bath every night since. I am glad you mentioned it and I 'finally' listened. BTW do you remember the sleeping pill that you were prescribed?
Yepthatsme, I was the same way, Eyes just flew open around 3:00. I read about your Dad. I am so sorry.

Norma, I am also saddened by your story of your Mom. I appreciate you posting it here. ((Hugs))

A peaceful night to all...

chick

Sometimes coming face to face with our terrors and the fear that others will "find out" what happened can work to soothe or erase those terrors.

Once we know that others aren't judging us and sympathize with our pain then the true healing can begin.

I think that's what happened with your husband Norma. My former neighbor was sexually abused as a toddler by a step grandfather. She is constantly battling depression but has overcome the fact that it was not her fault. So often sexual abuse victims feel as if they are to blame for this happening to them. Of course they aren't.

Yepthatsme2, when I woke up around 3:00 a.m. I thought of you. The way I get back to sleep is to visualize my cat Benny's face. It works for me nearly all the time. I think it's hard to "turn off your mind" once you wake up in the middle of the night. Menopause plays tricks on our brain and magnifies the smallest problem until it has us going bonkers! I find myself worrying over stuff that never would've bothered me when I was younger. I have no doubt it's why many of us do need antidepressants. As we age we've got to deal with all sorts of new problems and when we combine them with menopause and a lack of a truly goodnight's sleep I think we have a recipe for depression. We're not going crazy, it's our brains way of dealing with all the turmoil around us.

Did you know that when you take an antidepressant your brain creates more chemicals to fight the antidepressant? That's why it make take longer to work or create more side effects.

Just know what works for you and don't be afraid to question your doctor and tell him if the pill he has prescribed isn't working or some of the side effects it's creating. He'll never know unless you tell him.

Well, you should have called Ladybug, I was up at 3:15 a.m. this morning, discovered my daughter wasn't awake yet. She works at Starbuck's... early shift this week.

My second day of Zoloft, brought several side effects, upon arising this morning my blood pressure was 160/92, pulse 93...normally it's 115/64. Seemed like I hit the bathroom, ever hour on the hour.
Stiff neck, fuzzy eyesight, and throwing up. Last night I was so agitated and nervous. Not sure I will continue, if the blood pressure continues to rise.

Tried to call the doctor but, it takes him 3 days to return a call. After being on hold, for 30 minutes this morning I just hung up.
This is the reason, I really would like to have a mental health doctor prescribe my medicine.

I was in therapy for several years back, and we hashed over all the events mentioned. Even took Prozac at that time no problem.
But, then again I didn't have high blood pressure then.
Maybe, it's just menopause.

Of course right now there is so much stress in this house. Most of it coming from my 20 year old daughter.
She has found the "only man in the world that understands her",... again!
Quit her job a couple of weeks ago, just so she could keep a eye on who comes and goes when he is at work. He's a tattoo artist and she now has 2 more tattoo's and a belly ring.
She thought she would be able to get money from her dad and I for her gas and such. Borrowed 100.00 with the promise to pay it back on payday. We didn't see her for a week after payday,and by then she had spent the whole check.
Has since gone back to work.
We then started filling her tank with gas, (for work we assumed) to find she was only running it out going to Springfield 40 miles away where he lives. By the way he does not own a car, and works here in town.
She did this very same thing about 4 months ago. He was another..."only one who understands me". Just so happens he had 3 other girlfriends, he was juggling.

She was home 2 weeks ago, needed to go to the emergency room said her period had started again and she felt real stressed out. Didn't want her dad or I to go with her.
She told me it was all because... of my being sick. Tended to think that might be true for awhile until I saw my therapist. She said if she was so concerned she will more than likely be home with me, but since she isn't...that's probably not the case.
Her medical runs out on her birthday Dec. 26. Hasn't been at Starbuck's long enough to have medical. That really worries me.

Most of all my other kids went thru this when they were 15-16 years old. Not nearly 21. Know she wants to be more independent, but this is not the way to go. Someone told me last week, she had actually run out of gas on I95, and they went to give her money, to put gas in the car. By the time they got there the car was being towed.
So, we have decided to put the car in her name and make her get insurance for herself.

Would it be so wrong for her to just listen? She's headed in the wrong direction...I feel so helpless right now to help her.
Caught her dad crying last night, I know he's not alone...Ive shed my own.

So what comes in the mail this week? A credit card in her name. She just happened to be here and collected the mail.

Sorry for the long winded vent.

I know worry doesn't help one thing...so why do I still do it???

Ladybug, don't you just love the way we think of our boomer sisters at all hours of the day and night?

Chick, keep taking those baths right before you get under the covers. It's awesome. Especially now that the cold weather is here. Sorry, I don't recall the name of the sleeping pill, but the anti-depressant I was taking was Serzone. I've never heard of another soul taking it but it worked miracles in my life within a few days of taking it!

Norma, my mother and MIL both took antidepressants for years. My husband is a doctor and he said I'd be amazed at the number of people taking them at midlife. I'm hoping more boomers can learn other ways to cope.

Now don't get me wrong. I know they have their place, but just like other meds, I think they are over prescribed.

Yep, oh the trial and tribulations of raising teens! My thoughts and prayers are with you girlfriend. You may want to post about this in the Children's forum. Perhaps someone will have some advice for you and your daughter. Some of us recall being that rebellious teen and may be able to shed some light on the subject.

Also Yep. I don't think the Zoloft makes you vomit. You might have something else going on there.

I had to just stop helping my daughter. She needs to learn how to struggle just like the rest of us do or did. Seems that's the only way they learn.

If, they could only see the help for what it truly is....love.
But, your so right, they do end up struggling.

It's so hard to watch. My eldest daughter said to me, "if they didn't live at home, you wouldn't know their business and worry so much".

I'd worry anyway.

Yes, Dotsie, I do care about these ladies. It amazes me how much we have in common and how we feel the same about so many things.

I haven't slept for more than 4 or 5 hours straight for about 10 years...I really think it has to do with Menopause...at first I used to feel frustrated and so angry that the world was sleeping and I was staring up at the same 3 nailpops on my ceiling..but one night I tiptoed downstairs and cuddled up on the sofa with my puppies and thumbed thru a magazine or two..next thing I knew I was waking up to the sunshine streaming thru the window...now I almost look forward to my quiet time with my pets in the dark and have accepted the fact that my body must only need this amount of sleep...I never really feel "tired"..although sometimes after dinner if I sit down to watch the news with my Hubby I nod off for 10 or 20 minutes...

Dotsie.......The medication you were on was taken off the market. I'm not sure if you are spellng it correctly, and I can't remember how to spell it. I was taking it, and when I went in for one of my many surgeries when the anesthetic took hold, I went into a Vasal Vagel attack, my blood pressure hit the floor, and I stopped breathing. I woke up hearing the doc saying he wasn't operating, and to get me to recovery.
Went in the next time, the doc looked at my records and saw what had happened before with the anesthesia. He noted that I was on that medication, and he asked if I was still taking it. I told him I was. He told me that I should have been told that I wasn't to take it for two weeks before the surgery. I found out why. It seems the anesthesioligist from the other surgery was so worried about not getting any lunch.(That's what he told me)That he failed to read my records to see that I was on that medication. Everyone told me to sue him, but what for. I just wrote a letter to him, the hospital, and the AMA. That works a lot better!!!!!
They found it caused many heart problems with the people who took it over a certain period of time. Thank God, I'd only been on it a few months. Was no problem to wean off of it. So......if any of you out there are on this medication, talk to your doc. You shouldn't be using it!!!!!!!!!! Don't stop taking it without talking to your doc. You have to wean off of it.
I'm also not needing the hours of sleep that I've needed since now going thru menopause. I get about five hours a nite. Used to sleep up to eight. Don't seem to need any more sleep. I remember my Grandmother telling me when you get older you don't sleep as much. She was right!!
Lynne

Lynne, what an experience and thank you for sharing it so others will have a heads up on it.
I am down to 1/2 of my TRAZODONE and already I feel better. I am weaning them out of my system completely. I am just going to beat myself out, like Smiles said and have that bath closer to bedtime, like Dotsie said. I was bathing too early.
I went job hunting and got full time at a Grocery store that is less than a minute by car, practically in my backyard. I start out as Bread Manager and will be promoted to customer service(My fav)in a few weeks. The store is brand new and the Grand opening is on the 14th(approx). I start next thursday.
I am going to TRY to beat this no sleep thing without drugs.
chick

Wow, congratulations on your new job Chickadee!!

All these positive improvements to your life are going to be making you feel like a sparkling star!

You are proof of what a positive attitude can do for a person. That is, to improve your life without expecting someone else to do it for you.

Chick, what great news!!!! My youngest son just took a job as front end magager at a grocery store. He has an all female crew working under him and he's making me laugh, telling me stories. Luckily, he was raised in an all female household so he understands women...or thinks he does.

The surgery story gave me the creeps. How absolutely awful. I had a small tumor on the side of my face and the doctor thought it would be a very minor surgery...15 minutes at the most but when he got in, he found the tumor had sent feelers out that had wrapped around the nerves. They hadn't planned for such a long surgery and I actually woke up in the middle of the operation, screaming from pain. What a nightmare.

Chick,
Congrats on the new job!
I'm looking for one myself. It's hard at this time of year. LOL I feel like we are living almost parallel lives, only I'm about 2 steps behind you!!!

Dianne,
That is awful about the surgery, did it leave scars?

Congrats on the new job Chick...I think starting a new job in a brand new place is ideal...that way no one feels like the "New Kid"...it makes for instant commaraderie among the employees..I hope you love it and also that it helps you sleep much better as well...

So many changes Chick...have I told you lately, how proud I am of you?
Good luck with you new job.

TVC, luckily I had a great surgeon and you can't see the scar unless you're really looking for it.

Oh that is great Dianne.
You were lucky to have such a good doctor!

Wow, I kinda snuck the job in there, but I appreciate all the congrats. I just have to do more than stay home. I am going to beat this menopausal crap, if I am the first to do so.

Yepthatsme, I appreciate your kind words. You are an inspiration.

Yesterday, I purposely left at 8 AM and got back around 5PM. I was beat to a frazzle, but I only took HALF the script and slept like a dormouse To bed at 10'ish and up at six - normal for me. Yoo hoo, life is good!

Ladybug, thank you for your kindness and encouraging words, also. I have to get back to MY normal, it's what works for me.

Dianne, I bet your son has lots of stories to tell. The waking up in surgery? I'd just faint and they could carry on...not a good feeling, I'll bet.

TVC, you said, "I feel like we are living almost parallel lives, only I'm about 2 steps behind you!!!" Well girlfriend, I make up for it by being 2 steps behind you in some areas, so we are equal and balanced. I like being on the same level as you What type of work are you looking for, TVC?

Avalon, Thank you. Do you think I will be considered a new kid or an old new kid? I think a brand new business has many advantages. I love working with the public so I can't wait to do customer service. It is my all time favourite thing to do. Most people are usually nice but the meaner they are, the better I'll make them feel. I have that knack. Make em smile, I say.

chick

[ December 04, 2005, 11:10 AM: Message edited by: chickadee ]

Ladies, can't you just feel how Chickadee is beaming and bubbling over with good feelings about life??

I love what I'm reading here dear Chickadee, now it's off to decorate that Christmas, Holiday tree today. Woke up to several inches of snow and 26 degree weather, no morning walk today.

Chick...definitely a NEW new kid... and go get those "meanies" kill em with kindness is the way to go...hope all goes well....