How are you? Some might find what I am about
to say bad news but I don’t look at it
that way. Here it is. I believe that my
mom is moving toward going into another
bipolar episode.<\/p>\n
If you have followed my emails for some time
you may be thinking, “Dave, again? She was
just in an episode like a month ago, what’s
the deal?” Well I don’t make the rules
I just play the game based on the rules
that are given to me.<\/p>\n
I do find it rather odd that my mom has
had and I have kind of lost count, I
believe 3 episodes in less than a year.<\/p>\n
I have to do some thinking and analysis
to make a decision should I be overly
concerned. I must say that I am increasingly
concerned with the volume of these bipolar
episodes.<\/p>\n
You are probably going to be surprised
why. I must say, and I am not saying
this to brag but I know how to be a
supporter so well, I really can handle
most situations from a to z.<\/p>\n
I can predict bipolar episodes. If my mom
gets really ill, I know what to do and
when. Even if she refuses treatment,
runs away, won’t leave the house, her
doctor goes off and vanishes, all doctors
in New Jersey vanish, I have a plan for
virtually everything.<\/p>\n
And then I have a plan for the “I didn’t
make a plan for this.” I call that the
Doomsday Scenario. So, strangely, I have
a plan for if I didn’t think of something.<\/p>\n
Okay but the reason why I am concerned
is because everyone around my mom is
tired of bipolar disorder episodes.<\/p>\n
I am too :). I told my mom’s sister
the term “bipolared out” and she laughed
and she said she was bipolared out.<\/p>\n
I am worried that my mom will wind up
having very few if not no friends or
possibly family members. Anyway, I don’t
want to make this a “feel bad for Dave’s
mom daily email” because I want to teach
you some stuff so you can become just like
me with knowing how to deal with these things.<\/p>\n
Why do I think my mom is going into an a
bipolar disorder episode? Okay, I didn’t
tell you this about a week, I got
a call from my mom and she was talking
fast. She said that my dad was standing and
then passed out. Now my dad is between
280 and 300 pounds so that’s a serious
problem.<\/p>\n
I asked why she said she didn’t know and
he was going to the doctor. To make a long
story short, his sugar count or something
connected to his Diabetes was really high
and that’s what did it.<\/p>\n
Now, one might think, that my dad’s stress
would cause my mom stress would trigger
a bipolar episode. This is NOT the case.<\/p>\n
My mom functions really, really well during
a crisis or major problem. It’s amazing. BUT
each major crisis leads to her doing well
but then ramping up into an episode.<\/p>\n
As soon as I heard about my dad my brain said,
“Mom will handle it super well, everyone will
be amazed. People will think everything is good.
This will possibly lead to an episode after
you start believing she is doing great.”<\/p>\n
Well after all the tests and stuff and
my dad’s medication being changed and him
having new instructions for what he needs
to do. My mom was doing great. She looked
great and sounded great. <\/p>\n
I knew there was probably trouble ahead. 99.9%
of people would have missed this sign. You may
not even understand what the sign is. Reread
what I wrote. Remember this is for MY MOM
not necessarily your loved one. I will have
more points in a second.<\/p>\n
Okay then my dad’s brother was rushed to the
hospital like a week later or maybe two
weeks. It’s hard for me to keep track of
all the dates because I have a lot of things
to keep track up. So if you catch me with
dates that are off, I am not trying to pull
one over on you. Bottom line is AFTER my
dad was sick, his brother, my uncle got
sick and went to the hospital.<\/p>\n
I got an urgent call from my mom, she
was really worried. To make a long
story short he was in the hospital for
several days and it’s his heart. <\/p>\n
He is okay now.<\/p>\n
My mom handled it well. BUT now
there are two events. SO in my head
I have a running list of TWO triggers.<\/p>\n
So I am vigilant.<\/p>\n
Okay now I remember there’s a family get together
in Texas at the end of June and early July.
My mom is all excited about this. She is doing
some planning and calling all different people
all the time.<\/p>\n
Third possible trigger. If you have my bipolar
supporter course\/system you should remember
that my mom’s first major episode in 2004, started
after going to a family reunion.<\/p>\n
So there are three triggers. This is what I am thinking.<\/p>\n
Then, I got an email from my mom at 11:15 pm one
day last week. If you have been on my list, what
time does my mom go to bed? NOT 11:15pm right?<\/p>\n
Another sign.<\/p>\n
Then I learned my mom was watching a soap opera
at 11:00pm the other day. <\/p>\n
Another sign.<\/p>\n
Then I found out from my dad that my mom skipped
church on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Another sign.<\/p>\n
Then I forgot to tell you something. I was with
my mom I think it was Saturday and I noticed
she was cleaning the house, cooking and doing
yard work all at the same time. In the past
when she does many things at once and seemingly
well, this is a sign that is bad not a sign
she is super efficient.<\/p>\n
So I have all these things in my head. When I
tested my dad to see if he has learned anything
from me, he failed. I said, “Dad how do you think
mom is doing?” He said, “Wow, she is doing great.”<\/p>\n
I reminded him of the worksheets I gave him. He looked
at me and said, “What’s wrong?” I didn’t even get into
it with him because I didn’t have the time.<\/p>\n
It’s obviously my dad doesn’t have to work to hard
at being a supporter because he just outsources
or delegates it to me which is annoying but
I deal with.<\/p>\n
Anyway, these signs are to my mom not necessarily
your loved one. Let me ask you, how many signs
do you see and miss. I must say, these signs
use to be really, really, easy to miss back in
the day. Now I have gotten really good at
this.<\/p>\n
SUPPORTING AN ADULT?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.bipolarsupporter.com\/report11<\/p>\n
SUPPORTING A CHILD\/TEEN?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.bipolarparenting.com<\/p>\n
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http:\/\/www.survivebipolar.net<\/p>\n
I have to take off for now, I will be sending
more on this this week. I hope you learned something.
If someone taught me how to read the signs
of a bipolar episode I would have saved years on
my life and saved so much money.<\/p>\n
Over the week I will tell you how<\/p>\n
What my prediction is (how my mom will do
well in Texas)<\/p>\n
What I will do<\/p>\n
When the episode will most likely happen<\/p>\n
What’s the worst case scenario and what I will do<\/p>\n
A few other things. This stuff will be sent over
each day over probably the next 7 days. <\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n
P.S. Check out my F.ree blog with copies of emails
that I have sent in the past and lots of great
information for you:
http:\/\/www.bipolarcentral.com\/supporterblog\/<\/p>\n
P.P.S Check out my F.ree podcast. Hear me give
mini seminars designed to teach you information
you can’t learn anywhere else.
http:\/\/bipolarcentral.libsyn.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
How are you? Some might find what I am about
to say bad news but I don’t look at it
that way. Here it is. I believe that my
mom is moving toward going into another
bipolar episode.<\/p>\n
If you have followed my emails for some time
you may be thinking, “Dave, again? She was
just in an episode like a month ago, what’s
the deal?”<\/p>\n