Documenting my journey through the mental health system

I managed to sleep with the assistance of the following medications: melatonin, vistaril, gabapentin, and ativan. That was Thursday – I went to bed at about 4pm and woke up at 10:30pm, getting a whopping six hours of sleep, and I only woke up once in that time.

Then I went and picked up my brother from work, he gets off at midnight. I went back to bed at 1am after taking more sleeping meds, adding lunesta to the vistaril, melatonin, and gabapentin. I did not take another ativan.

I slept till 6am, getting another five hours of sleep, and I only woke up once.

Friday I was busy – I saw my supported employment case manager and told him about the interview I had later at another hospital. I rambled on and on about some of my issues – hypomania, flashbacks, bad sleep, bad dreams. We practiced a little bit of interviewing skills.

When I got home, I had the interview. It’s for a nurse assistant position in the renal unit of one of our local hospitals. They just so happened to have a part time position open on my exact days off. It’s rotating, so every other weekend. She only asked me a few questions during the interview, like my experience and “tell me a little about yourself.” A couple hours later, I got an email with a job offer. That was a little fast, I thought suspiciously. But I know everyone all over the country is desperate for nurse assistants. I just don’t do nursing homes.

I’ll take the job. I need the money. It’s only every other weekend. I’m not totally broke but my mother is expensive and it’s impossible to save lately.

Which I why I took on two shifts this week for an agency. I haven’t had an agency shift in awhile so when they called, I jumped on it. The money is pretty good.