Happenings from "The Wing"

I wrote a post in February about hope.  Sounds nice, right?  Well it wasn't.  It was about lack of hope.  It was such a downer of a post that I didn't even post it.  I want to brighten the mood from that post with one today from within the ward.  I was admitted 3 weeks ago for having command hallucinations telling me to injure myself and have been at Mesa Vista ever since trying to find a combination of medications that will curb the voices.  My mood has been excellent since starting on a medication called Abilify.  I feel good, except for the voices are still there so we have to keep trying other things.

I will probably be here another two weeks.  This will have been my longest stay, and I have been particularly resilient to the medications so we have one last one to try, a "last resort" medication called Clozapine but it requires blood tests weekly because it lowers your white blood cell count.  Not an option I'm thrilled about, but if it quiets my mind I guess it is worth it.

Tonight, it is about 7:45pm.  It is Movie Night so we will be watching the Shape of Water.  Snacks will be coming out soon too.  I love snack time.  Puddings, fruit cups, chocolate mik, cheeses, crackers and cookies, and yogurt.  I talked to the nutritionist so I get a special snack - blueberry greek yogurt and fresh blueberries and raspberries. Yummers.  Today we had some groups (art therapy, psychology group) and maybe others but I don't remember.  All these groups make me feel like I'm in school again.  Some are helpful and some not so much.

A lot of my friends that I made here have discharged, so it is a bit lonely here on "the wing" these days.  We call it that because the name of our ward is East Wing 1.  Oooooooh, the snack cart just passed by and i grabbed my treats.  One of the new medications they put me on makes me constantly hungry.  It isn't doing much for the hallucinations though, so we probably won't stick with it.
Oh, movie starting, gotta run.

Now it is tomorrow (Friday). 
Consensus on Shape of Water - weird.  I can't say I hated it, but I wouldn't watch it again.  Since there is not much to report, I'll make a list.  I love a good list. 

Here is what I have done today so far:

• woke up around 6:00am for vitals (why do they take them so early??)
• Got up, stumbled to the main room where some other people were up.  
• "What's the happs guys"?  Sat down and joined in watching TV
• Got a coffee (yes, COFFEE.  Those who know me know I don't drink coffee.  Who am I these days?  Desperate times call for desperate measures, and caffeine was a must because I was up until 3am.)
• Put TONS of creamer in coffee to make it bearable 
• Watched Dogs 101 (great show)
• Had some breakfast: biscuits and gravy and some eggs
• Took a nice long nap
• Patrolled the halls for shadow monsters (a new hallucination of mine)
• Skipped lunch because I was still to full from breakfast
• And here we are.  I'm listening to some tunes as I write this.

Later, I might go to a group or two.  Maybe have a snack.  Maybe read my book.  I have no solid plans.  Such is the way in the Wing.  

Anyways, that's all for now.  My spirits are high (my spirit, not THE spirits) and hopefully I'll be out of here soon.