Peter uk

Hi guys,

Great news!  I saw my pdoc today and I have been given 8 days home leave.  After which, if all goes well, I will get a further weeks leave then discharged.

For these next few days a team of pnurses wil visit me at my home to ensure all is well.  I don't envisage any problems but my pdoc made it a condition of home leave.

My pdoc talked to me today about my bipolar diagnosis.  Although the evidence thus far suggests BP11 she is not totally dismissing the possibility that I may have BP1 as I have bouts of hypermania bordering on mania.  Only time will tell I suppose.  In the meantime, apart from a little anxiety, I am feeling really well.

It is my real intention to adopt and cultivate a positive attitude in terms of my diagnosis.  I accept bp is part of my life (as is recovering alcoholism) but I am other things apart from a diagnosis.

I am, for example, a husband, step-father, History BA. etc.  What I am trying my level best to say - is that I do not want or intend to allow a diagnosis to totally consume and dictate my life to the detrement of other talents or pleasures.

I thank you all for your support and encouragement.

Take care.  Keep sharing.

Peter.

 

I think we go through a phase in which bipolar disorder defines us completely. I think it is around the time that we are able to come to acceptance with the disease.

If it helps you now, allow yourself to be immersed in your bipolarness for the purpose of learning to better control it. I think my time of being consumed by bipolar is what gave me self-awareness that my Dr., therapist, and crisis tell me I have.

I am learning that our identities are continuously changing. Bipolar gives us passion, talent, but takes away other aspects of us. For a time we may love one hobby, and lose that psddion or interest later. We must allow ourselves to have flexible identities. We have to learn to accept the parts we don't like.

In the last weeks I've been struggling. To make myself well, I needed to take time off of work, time off of taking care of my son, housework, any expectations. I had to focus on my bipolarness and nothing else. This focus on recovery made it come quickly. Now I'm back to myself. My attitude towards the bipolar part of my identity now is "oh yeah, I have this pesky little chronic illness, no big deal."

I am so excited for you and your family. It is nice to hear that you are doing well.