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Shep
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Joined: 8 Apr 2013
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Posts: 219
Location: Akron, OH

17 Oct 2017, 4:07 am

It's been over a year since I last posted? Huh, March of 2016. Alrighty then. Let me recap what's happened briefly. Seems like I was just on here yesterday, didn't realize it was so long...

Still married to WitchsCat. She turns 30 in just over a week, if I wasn't so jacked up I'd have made this one the birthday she'd never forget. Knowing her, she doesn't forget a thing anyways, but god I lover her to pieces. Mind of an elephant, body of a princess, but can put dates on things too. The number of times her own parents ask her "When did we get married?" and then get all shocked that it's been that long and remember no wait, that's right :lol:

(I don't know if WitchsCat shared her first name, I'll avoid using it and just say "Wifey" or something in lieu of that.)

Car accident #4 was on 10/8. Yup, just over a week ago. Apparently I left right around accident #2, so I'll recap all four real quick:

#1 - Rear ended, total loss of 10 month old car. PTSD, but physical injuries minimal due to mechanical failure of the seat
#2 - Rear ended, still out my $500 deductible
#3 - Rear ended, hit and run. Lots of back injuries.
#4 - T-Boned, I lawyered up, can't talk details yet. Pretty banged up, that's my norm by now.

December 2016 started my descent into a quarter-life crisis. First job took a completely separate direction that was five more years of the same crap, so December I transitioned to one that paid 40% more (and threw in a 3% pay raise later on also), but quickly crashed and burned.

Biggest, scariest news: I am officially, as of April 2017, diagnosed with bipolar. I thought the stigma behind autism was bad, sweet jesus it's a walk in the park compared to bipolar. I've never felt so isolated in my life, and everyone just stereotypically says I "rage out" now that they know. I thought it would be on par with autism, but everyone just assumes they know everything about bipolar and they don't.

I started taking meds to help control it, and I haven't yet been found in the metaphorical wreckage from that crash and burn. I was hospitalized voluntarily, but they cost me my job, so I've been out of a job since June / July. It's 5 AM here and I'll only go to sleep at 5:20 AM because I kinda-sorta-intentionally skipped my meds hoping and praying to get a good sleep, and I can feel that drowsiness kicking in as I write this. Thank God seriously, my mind doesn't know when to shut up sometimes.

Out of a job for four months sucks, but waking up every damn day at 12:30 PM sucks even more. The business world shuts down at 5 PM, cramming everything into the 4.5 hours from me getting out of bed is sucking big time. Also the "being up until busniess are almost open" bit too. (okay, I lied, 5:08 AM, it's not that far off and I am getting exhausted, finally, I've needed this).

I'll check this tomorrow, but I got a busy day between docs and my chiropractor. Who knows, maybe I'll meet some bipolar friends too, but you guys have always been nice to me and my wife. Can't believe she'll be 30 so soon! Crap I'm getting old too then 8O



kraftiekortie
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17 Oct 2017, 10:54 am

Yep....so much has happened. I'm sorry you're going through this.

At least you're still married to your lady. She's a nice lady. I wish she'd come back. Not everybody will be mean to her here.

Have your injuries prevented you from trying to get a job?



Shep
Sea Gull
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Joined: 8 Apr 2013
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Posts: 219
Location: Akron, OH

17 Oct 2017, 4:14 pm

kraftiekortie wrote:
Yep....so much has happened. I'm sorry you're going through this.

At least you're still married to your lady. She's a nice lady. I wish she'd come back. Not everybody will be mean to her here.

Have your injuries prevented you from trying to get a job?
Thanks for the kind words! I've talked to her about coming back, she's hesitant. I can understand, lots has happened and right now she's giving me strength when I need it, while I calm her about geopolitics (won't get into geopolitics here though, online was never a good format for that to me).

My bipolar has prevented me from having a job more than anything. I found a forum for bipolar, the guys seem nice there, so both that forum and this are my support group. But waking up at noon in a career field where that's mid-day puts me in a very difficult bind. I'm capable of working, but cannot function with others. The whole social aspect and timing is a crapshoot, and the best way to get fired is to stroll in at 1 PM



BeaArthur
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20 Oct 2017, 12:18 pm

A lot of people don't know this, but a diagnosis of bipolar disorder is one of the fairly sure-fire diagnoses for automatically qualifying for Social Security Disability. That doesn't mean no bipolar people successfully work, but it does mean that SSA recognizes how serious the illness can be.

I recommend you apply for SSDI immediately. (Because it takes time to go through their process.) If it turns out you get a job and keep it, you can simply withdraw your request. But you need to get into the pipeline if you ever want the financial support.

Good luck with everything you have going on now. It's nice to have you back (even though I didn't really follow you before). I hope you can get needed support and information here.


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Shep
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Joined: 8 Apr 2013
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Location: Akron, OH

20 Oct 2017, 6:54 pm

Way ahead of you on that one! I've already applied and almost got it approved, it's looking good. Asperger's, Bipolar, PTSD, Scoliosis, my physical limitations alone would almost qualify me.



Shep
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Joined: 8 Apr 2013
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Location: Akron, OH

22 Jan 2018, 8:34 pm

Coming back with a quick update, shorter than last time.

Disability approved! And literally just for bipolar, not for scoliosis. They plopped down a megaton of money right before Christmas, and right as my credit score started tanking and my credit cards were about to be maxed out. Talk about the best Christmas gift ever. (By the way, BeaArthur, I have to say that I read your post in Bea's voice -- hard for me to see the picture or name next to something and not mentally read it in their voice. Gilmore Girls did have its moments, even if I'm 27! :lol: )

Also my parents did something extraordinary and wow, I just... there's no level of words I can express for the gratitude I show for them, they know it, but still, let me paint the picture. "Stuck in this apartment" is no longer a thing. As of today, they won the bid on a new house of our dreams. Now before you think "wait, they bought you a house?" no no, hang on -- they own their own home, but we (WitchCat and I) worked with them to find the house of our dreams, and they put in bids for it and now they won it! But they took out a mortgage on the new house, which we will be paying. It's lower than our current rent, which both saves us money and also lets them be our landlords, with an extra benefit: if me and my wife are struggling to make a payment, they can, then when we're able to, we pay them back for it.

It's a beautiful house, I don't have pictures handy but I will soon! And hopefully an updated picture of the two of us, we haven't taken a good shot of us since I got Lasik and she got her new glasses!

By the way, my eyes are now SUPER sensitive to bright lights after Lasik, broad daylight has me squinting behind sunglasses -- I totally just realized I'm in the perfect spot for asking if anyone has a source on darker-than-normal sunglasses? By "normal" I mean the kind found at a local pharmacy. Polarized would be ideal as well, more options the better, I almost want something in person but I haven't the faintest idea where to go for that. Cleveland/Akron OH area if it matters -- we're moving back up north soon.



BeaArthur
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22 Jan 2018, 8:47 pm

Wonderful news about the house and the disability income. Thanks for letting us know!


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