On Moving, Anxiety, and 50k Blog Hits

We left Malaysia one month ago.

Our first meal back stateside: homemade sloppy joes and fresh caprese salad.
I ended up staying awake for 36 hours straight and loaded up on HC.
By the way, moving is hard! My electrical engineering mind still views life as an under-damped transient circuit. I hate the oscillation period that comes after a large life event as I try to stabilize. I want to fast forward to where I am already in my routine and life is good. That's not how reality works.

I am happy to report that there were no scary adventures on our last three flights (KUL - NRT, NRT - LAX, LAX - DFW). There was one horribly rude American Airlines flight attendant who initially refused to bring me water. Dear flight attendant, I have a chronic disease that involves salt wasting. Yes, I did bring my own water onto the plane. However, I did not expect to get trapped on the tarmac for an additional thirty minutes due to the long queue for take-off. I drank my water faster than expected. It is your job to bring me more water. Do not judge me when I ask for more water. Repeatedly. And don't you dare tell me no. I will pull the "medical necessity" card on you, because water for me does constitute a medical necessity.

"Oh, medical?" She stated in a condescending tone.

"Yes. Would you like doctors' notes to prove it to you?" I replied in a stern voice. She eventually backed down and brought me more water. The rest of the four hour flight was uneventful.

We then picked up the keys to our new apartment on August 29th.

The boxes safely arrived from Malaysia!
The Malaysian government did feel the need to steal a few things.
Apparently "camping equipment" is illegal and liable to confiscation. Jerks.
I have moved more than the average American. Each move, I wrestle with at least one full out anxiety attack. This move was better than previous ones, but not without issues. Through the years, I have learned tricks and coping mechanisms that allow me to feel safer in my environment faster. One trick is putting stuff up on the walls as quickly as possible. I do not do well in a sterile white environment.

Paint on the walls.
Also, I labeled the tanda so my guests would not be confused.
While unpacking, I discovered the experiment I started after my Nightmare of 2013. I stopped throwing away my empty medicine bottles. I do not share this photo to start a competition of "I take more meds than you!" Nor do I want to hear "Prescription medicine is a scam! You should not take any drugs!" I share the photo below to give a behind the scenes glimpse into my life. I take many pills daily so that I can remain Clearly Alive.

This represents less than a year. Little bit of a reality check, eh?
One of the last pieces in turning this apartment into our home included a reunion with my Olive Thief. It took about a week after picking up our keys, but the wait was worth it.

"Don't leave me again, ok?!"
PS- That purple collar is an anti-anxiety collar.
The little brat no longer hisses at my husband! They've become friends! ♥
Somewhere between the moving, resettling and returning back to America, my blog reached 50,000 hits! How exciting! I'm not sure where this journey will lead, but I do promise to continue sharing it with y'all.

Y'all just have to promise to join me in the fight to remain Clearly Alive.

PS- Please sign and share this petition started by AIU. Again, I'd like for all of us within the Adrenal Insufficiency community to remain Clearly Alive. Ensuring EMT's can properly treat us is crucial.

Labels: , , ,