Thank you for sharing this info with me Sheryl. I'm so sorry about your brother! My brother had several close brushes with cancer and it was so hard on the whole family. I can only imagine how tough it would be to lose him! Claire also thinks she can do things that don't seem logical although she tested out as gifted. I've suspected that she is bipolar but no one has given her that diagnosis. There is a history of depression in my family. My Mother, her brother, and her Dad had depression. Her Dad had other mental illnesses in his family but I'm not sure what. My Dad's side of the family had some hyperactive members. I remember my aunt, grandmom, and several cousin being extremely high-strung, nervous, and moody. My ex-husband, Claire's biological father, Bob, says he's probably ADHD but I won't buy the H part. He's as slow-moving as a slug! He does have anger management problems and never follows through with promises. I tend to be more hyper but rarely lose my cool. I'm rarely down either. Bob's mom is just plain mean in a calculating, vendictive way. There's got to be a mental illness related to that! She's the type you'd expect to see on the news in cuffs. To think she's a preacher's wife! When Claire was younger, before 8th grade, I didn't have as much trouble getting her to take her medication. Her grades are so much better with it and she isn't nearly as forgetful or disorganized with it, but she refuses to take it regularly. Now she won't go to counseling either. When she quit taking her Adderall she gained 40 lbs very quickly. Four years later she decided to take it again and lost 40 lbs very quickly. She quit taking it again and sure enough, gained 40 plus. Her Dad and a lot of his family are diabetic so I know the sudden weight change is a risk for her. She's only 5'1" and not physically active. Her joints bother her and she's really not motivated to exercise. Claire is moody too. She'll be so happy and sweet for a week or so and then suddenly her poor planning will get her in a pinch and she'll start tongue-lashing everyone in the house, blaming them for her situation. We've endured many years of her verbal abuse and I must say that definitely came from her father. Her younger sister has heart problems, I have an autoimmune disorder, her stepfather lost his eye in a fireworks accident and has suffered from miagranes for the past 4 years, my dad has myasthenia gravis, and my mom's in the midst of having joints repaired and replaced. But you know what? We're all alive, love each other, and muddle through fairly well all things considered. Our number one problem is lack of quality heathcare. We live in TN and run against a brick wall trying to find the care we need. I'll do as you suggested a copy and paste this from the ADD to the Depression forum.
Thanks again and take care!
Leigh |