I feel so awful I'm losing my cool and lashing out at family.

Hi Jen and welcome to the CP forum. I got tickled at your post,not laughing at you,just laughing at the familiarity of it!! I also live in a house with 3 generations,3 teenagers,a preteen,a ptsd Vet,and I rescue/foster animal's. Soo I know exactly where you are coming from. Sounds like its time for a much needed break for the sake of not only yourself but the others as well. It seems impossible for many reasons but you have to make it happen and those around you have to help. Its not easy when you are still playing games with the meds attempting to find the right combination but hang in there and rest assured if you have a Dr trying thats more than many here have. Good therapists are worth their weight in gold and also hard to come by. Do you have insurance or Medicare/Medicaid?

We have so little energy and drive left in reserve battling chronic pain that it leaves little else and having your significant other understand that is vital,men have a tendency to demand our attention long after we have depleted ourselves. Somehow you have to find a way to take care of yourself first and then you can work on the others.

My crew has finally gotten use to my sneaking off to recharge. Every now and then I do just that and I don't have to go far I just have to go! Sometimes I get a cheap motel room for the night and shut myself away in it with a good book and nothing else to do and for 24hrs I do just that,nothing. Sometimes I prefer a cabin at the local KOA,plant my rear in the porch swing,don't answer the phone,they can text and I read but if its not life and death or something nobody else can handle they know not to expect a answer for 24hrs.

I just have to take me and my pain out of the picture for a bit. Then and only then can you work on the relationships in your life. Maybe a second escape night for the two of you.

As for the animals they're the one thing that I don't have to care for but rather choose to take care of and the rewards awesome,they don't care what kind of day I have had or much of anything else and they still want to be around and they still love me.

I hope you find some answers soon and get some much needed rest,relief and answers soon and this is a good place to begin healing your spirit by knowing that others understand you and can relate.

You will need medical records proving that you have been diagnoised with a medically determined impairment. The medical records will also need to prove that you're not able to work doing jobs in the national economy if you're under 50. If you're over 50, you will have to prove that you have no transferrable skills. If you are claimiing mental impairments, you need to be seeing a psychologist or psychistrist regularly and following prescribed treatments, meds, etc. The medical records need to be detailed. Saying you can't walk or sit for more than a certain amount of time, isn't enough. If you need assistive devices like shower chair, cane, etc be sure and ask your dr to write a prescription for them. If someone helps you or does some of your activities of daily living for you, ahve them fill out a Third Party Form. Also be sure and tell your drs the details of how your impairments affect your ability to function at each visist and get copies of your medical records so you can read exactly what they write.