AppalachianBookDust

Not an option, unfortunately. Transit is a BIG issue where I live. There is limited bus service...but it can't cross county lines, let alone STATE lines. Unless you have Medicaid, which does provide medical transit. The public transit which I use does provide some medical transit but it has age and income limits which I currently meet. (I keep telling the supervisor that they are one ADA lawsuit waiting to happen on this. He laughs....nervously.)

So. Here's my horrid mental health care system story. Community mental health care centers were supposed to be THE answer, yeah? Serve those in need, yadda yadda....well, no. They serve THOSE who qualify according to income....I have an effing MAJOR MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS AS MY QUALIFYING DISABILITY, have been fairly in crisis lo these past three years, yet I can get NO HELP from the vaunted mental help services offered by the those who were set up to serve just the population in which I fit. Why? B/c I lack MEDICAID. So they turn me away. I literally have too MUCH income for them. Never mind I've been struggling with acute suicidal ideation. Never mind that I've been struggling with onmipresent political depression and anxiety. Never mind that I can't find a therapist. What do I do, wait until I have a psychotic break from the stress of it all, a bad med interaction, combo of the two, or decide EFF THIS, I've had it, and try somehow to kill myself? That seems to be their message. You get in severe shape, THEN we'll see about using some resources to help....but only to transfer you to some facility in a DIFFERENT PLACE. That's all. Clear I'm not "in their catchment." My life healthcare-wise is lived in this gray zone. I make just enough to knock me out of qualifying for any aid. But not enough to let me pay for anything. So I'm pretty much screwed.

First of all, let me say that I'm not a adoctor or other medical professional, nor do I play one on TV. That being said, I have been warned by MY medical professionals (the UVA neuro docs) that should I, or anyone presumably, develop a RASH whilst taking LAMICTAL to RUN, not walk, to the nearest Urgent Care Facility or ER, whichever is closer. This is apparently a known rare but could be serious side effect of Lamictal. Not saying that you have developed that. But you DO NEED TO GET IT CHECKED. IMO. And sooner rather than later.

here is my beloved companion, my whippet. Her name on her AKC papers is Hermione (no, not thinking of Granger or Harry Potter in ANY way when that name was chosen-came from an entirely diff book altogether, lol.) IT gets shortened to Miners/Miney, but most know her as Miss P for the prancing pampered princess she is. She wants her own Insta account, being a total media diva who is featured on #whippetsofinstagram and HER posts get waaaay more likes than mine. But thus far I'm resisting.

Not YOUR responsibility. The docs office screwed up and MAJORLY violated ANOTHER patient's HIPAA rights bigly in a yuge way. IF you wish to be nice, you can destroy the records thoroughly by shredding, burning, or other some such fashion. The doc's office now has to notify (or not, if they are acting in bad faith and attempting a cover-up) the other patient to inform them of the inadvertent data breach, for such that was. I'm sure there is a form letter to cover such eventualities. Sigh.

Very glad I stopped in on this portion! JUST the thing I needed, being sick. Danke!

I'm a noob here so don't know your journey. But it sounds like you've been through it. Glad to hear that you are feeling a difference...in a good way. Changing body and mind simultaneously can be liberating, if done with the right practitioner. And good that the med changes are helping and not hurting. Sometimes those can wreck you. Very hopeful to read about this new chapter!

Sure! This is my adaptation of a Washington Post recipe. Mine is a bit more user-friendly (I think) and contains ingredients I could find at my local grocers. 12-15 dried mushrooms (any kind will work- I used oysters) 2 cups warm water 32 oz chicken stock (or veg. stock, if you are vegan) (opt.-included in WaPo recipe-4 oz pork loin sliced into thin strips) 11/2 tsp dry vermouth 3 tbl cornstarch combined with 1/4 cup water; 11/2 tsp additional 11/2 tsp salt 3 Tbl balsamic combined with 3 Tbl cider vinegar 1-2 tsp sambal oelek 10 slices fresh ginger 5 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed 2 Tbl tamari (use soy, if you don't have gluten issues) 1/4 cup bamboo shoots, drained and sliced into match sticks 8 oz extra firm tofu, drained and sliced into 1/2 inch cubes 1 egg, beaten 1 spring onion, sliced Rinse mushrooms and place in a bowl with warm water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes. If using the pork, place that in a med bowl with the vermouth, salt, and 11/2 cornstarch. Toss to coat. Let sit for 20 minutes to marinate. Drain the mushrooms; reserve the water; chop the mushrooms, removing any tough caps as needed. Take the water, broth, ginger, garlic, and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. You can remove the ginger and garlic now if you wish. (I leave them.) Add the mushrooms, tamari, bamboo shoots, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Give the cornstarch mixture a stir, if it has separated, and add it to the soup. The soup will thicken slightly. Add the pork, including marinade, if using. Cook for 10 minutes or until pork is no longer pink. Add the tofu, taking care the broth doesn't splash. Finally, add the beaten egg, stirring the soup constantly with a wooden spoon or chopstick. Turn off heat immediately, and add the vinegar mixture. Serve garnished with chopped spring onion. Serves 4-6. Can store leftovers in the fridge. VERY good for colds/flu.

As you know by now if you've read any other my other posts, I'm a community activist and organizer. Being mentally interesting makes this interesting at times. But sometimes I encounter someone who makes me seem EXTREMELY sane, even when I was locked in the psych ward having however many jolts fired into my brain. THIS person has become my bete noir (and that of all my orgs). They (using plural to mask identity, even though it's extremely unlike they will show up here) are rabidly liberal in bent, esp. on the subject of environmentalism. This is proving problematic, for they have attached themselves to every progressive org in town (except Y.A.P.-too old for this group-lucky them!) and now are given to appear haphazardly at events claiming to SPEAK FOR THESE ORGS! Yikes! Usually this can be contained, and folks in the community just kindly ignore them. But once in awhile an outside person gets trapped who does not realize this person is unbalanced and does not not speak officially for anyone. This happened yesterday in our Congresscritter's office and had us all soh. They jumped onto this delegation, the organizer had no reason to suspect anything, and then out comes the Susan Smith imitation right there in the office.....it was mind-boggling. And the thing is, this person has NO awareness of how they are perceived. They apparently believe themselves to be, ala Don jr maybe, an eminent individual, outstanding and respected by all, as well as a self-proclaimed academic genius. I call them occasionally to do a welfare check. (Despite having lived here for more than 8 years, no social network.) And I have to limit my interaction. I listen a lot. But it's like listening to someone talk extensively about, oh, Idk....chemtrails. After awhile trying to follow that kinda thing gets exhausting. Basically I wanna know: Are you safe; do you have food, heat, and water? That's really why I'm calling. The rest, I can hear for a bit. Then I have to clear my mind. But they are a persistent item of concern. Sigh.