Issue 013

A note from Michelle...

I almost didn't write today. It's been a long week. Actually, it's been a long 3 weeks. I stopped taking my Lexapro, which I have been on for years, but along with that came the side effects. The main side effect was not getting enough sleep. I woke up several times throughout the night, which meant my brain wasn't functioning very well throughout the day. (The positive of this was waking up super early and getting a lot of work done while my brain was wide awake!)

After a bit, other side effects started showing up - anxiety, constant worry, and mood swings like you wouldn't believe. If I wasn't super stressed and feeling angry, I was crying! Ain't nobody got time for that.

After struggling for so long, I decided it's not worth it. There's too much stress in my life right now, and now isn't the time to go off a medication I apparently need. So I decided to start taking it again and keep taking it for now.

Yesterday was the day I started taking it again, and honestly, I felt like a failure. I don't want to depend on chemicals, but I also want to be able to work and function and live life happily.

This morning, I cracked open a fresh egg from one of our lovely hens, and there was a double yolk inside. Smiling to myself, I realized that it's okay. I'm going to be okay. Sometimes we just need help, and there's nothing wrong with that. We're going to be okay because God is with us through whatever we're going through.

No matter what you're struggling with today, whether it's mental, physical, or even in your work, just remember that it's okay to ask for help. Don't quit because of pride. Don't give up because you don't want to burden someone else. Keep going and ask for help when you need it.

Sometimes we just need to curl up in bed with our stinky blanky and ratty old stuffed animals, just like Bingo.