WHE-E-E-ERE is Badi Al Zaman?!!

[Swan]

Ohhhh I am SO sorry to hear about your year... I've had similar... not on meds, thank heavens (other than blood pressure meds) but yeah, it's been a rough year for everyone it seems.

Currently a very dear friend of mine is slowly perishing of vascular dementia... and is witnessing his own life nibbled away one stroke at a time... so yes, it is very hard. I could deal with my body having a fatal illness....... but knowing my *mind* was going *first* ... >SHUDDER!< but he is showing such grace under pressure, I admire his courage!

Let Badi, and his sister and friends know we love and miss them... we also love you Greyhaunt! Sometimes I forget to mention stuff like this BUT.... while I am not a regular poster to the group, I DO swing by regularly to look in on everyone....

Greyhaunt... it's your work and dedication that keeps this website going and I THANK YOU!!! You toil away, often unsung, and keep a bright corner of the Internets glowing softly for those of us who come in, tired of the cold icky realities that surround us...

And for all of you... K2, KD Bunchanumbers, AlmySidaKay, Victoria, CirqueMom, and ALL of you who are not named in this THANK YOU for sharing your dolliehs, your writing, your ideas, your creativity, your time, your efforts! I'd name all of you but just as sure as I did, I'd leave someone out... I love you ALL!!! You are all lights in the darkness! You all share for the love of sharing and yes... we NEED each other!

I need you. I need Anna Marie, I need Yukiko, I need Berri Delicious, I need Badi, I need Locke, I need Hazel, ALL of your wonderful delightful dolliehs because in EVERY dollieh resides the spark of YOUR creativity!! Your stories, your jokes, your drama, your creativity and your wonderful WONDERFUL sharing! I thank ALL of you! For your girls, boys, nekos, kitties, foxes, puppies, nagas, plushies, critters, tinies, dragons, fairies, djinns and yes... Vlad the Octopus too!!


and if you, reading this, don't see your name or dollieh here... YOU TOO!

THANK you EVERYONE... and thank you Greyhaunt for making all of this POSSIBLE!!

Now... to your cameras, everyone! Because we all need MOAR!!!!

Hugs!

Swan

[Trethowan]

I tried anti-depressants once. I was so coked-up I lost 20 pounds and pretty much conquered the world. Apparently my issues were not chemical but were actual issues that I needed to sort out so I got off the meds. I was okay once I settled the issues. I'm not saying everyone should go off meds, don't take that the wrong way. It just didn't help in my case. That's part of what drove me to study to become a counselor today. I'm still nowhere near full certification but I've completed basic training and am able to volunteer and help folks with minor issues unsupervised. I have 3 more week-long training sessions to complete (and they only come once a year, gah), and a truck-load of certification exams. Wooo!!

And to be on doll-topic, I've never met Badi. I'd like to see him.

[Greyhaunt]

Swan: Thank you - I appreciate the support, truly I do. I promise I will post some Badi somehow tomorrow Though I have to confess, I'm not sure where Hakfa has gotten to right now....probably hiding...

Trethowan: I wish it was just issues, but I have actual chemical problems It's a tossup whether my anxiety disorder causes my depression or if it's the other way around - but if I go off of medication it's not good. Its just that with life kicking my ass right now, even meds don't help much

As for Badi al-Zaman hehehehe, he is the ORIGINAL short guy with an attitude....I thought I posted his photostories here when we restarted the forum, I'll need to check and bump them for ya if they are here. But anyway he's a bundle of trouble that would give Ivan a run for his money at any size!

[richila]

I'd love to change meds, but I need to at least get through my current slump first. It truly has been a miserable year. I spent from September of last year until May watching my best friend die of cancer - because she refused any form of treatment, essentially committing suicide by cancer - trying to get her ex-husband (worthless piece of shit) back. After she finally passed on June 6th, a week or two later I learned my very much beloved cat, whome I raised from a month old kitten, was dying of renal failure. I watched him go from a fiesty 10 pounds to a weak and tottering 5. Two weeks ago I sent him to his rest. For the first time in 22 years I have no cat. While I love my dog...it's not the same... Sometimes I can't believe I still have any tears left in me after what this year has been like, but they still hit.

While I hate Cymbalta (for god's sake DON'T EVER TAKE IT) and I'm convinced it is the main reason why I am alway lethargic, I don't dare wean myself off of it right now as it at least keeps me stable. sigh....in a week or so I'll get a new kitty, and that will start me on the road back up I'm sure

Meanwhile Badi is flattered by the attention (I avoided anything that appeared to be mocking) and has made me swear upon my life that I will photograph his response to his adoring public at some point tomorrow

Oh, and in some answer, no, Badi does not have a girlfriend - but he does have a sister named Raha Henge-Renge and a brother named Zahi al-Hawass

Grrrr-don't get me started on Cymbalta. I went cold turkey off of it because I am the 1% it gives almost constant migraines-going cold turkey was not my best idea. I am on Lexapro now and I love it. It helps with my crowd anxiety as well.
I have a doctor prescribed lap kitty. My bloodpressure goes up without a cat to pet. Cats definitely make my life better. My cat, Cordelia, herds me to bed on time at night. My husband and son laugh at me being bossed around by a pile of fluff.

[Greyhaunt]

Oh man Richila - I tried Lexapro once and within no more than 3 days had to stop because my head literally felt like it was going to explode! I don't think I ever had headaches that painful before in my life I was on Effexor for a while, but after a while it wasn't working very well.

A prescription pet - maybe that's what I need

[Swan]

Prescription pets work! We have two dogs, Gryphon and Lillie and they are definitely good for what ails us! Four-footed love!

If I EVER get off the stick and get my camera fixed and so on, I still have two dolliehs sitting on my desk... the twins, Swan chibi and Phoenix chibi Ah well, some day. I have not been able to AFFORD any dolliehs at all lately... declared bankruptcy and am crawling out from under the financial rubble. Ow.

Love y'all!

Swan

[Dark Angel]

Oh Greyhaunt!! *hugs* I'm so sorry. Just hang in there!! And I think a new kitty will help, just make sure you've given yourself enough grieving time.

[catshem]

Oh god Greyhaunt Sounds like 2010 for me. I had my 10 year old cat die, and then a newly adopted 8 month old kitten die. I had gone through the worst depression and God hating I've ever been through. Do whatever it takes to get you back on your feet! If it wasn't for Dr. House, my new cat, I probably wouldn't have perked back up as soon as I did.

Your dolls, your dog, and us are here for you. Though, I'm sure you knew that already

[Mary Kathryn]

First of all....(((GH)))

While I hate Cymbalta (for god's sake DON'T EVER TAKE IT)

.
.
.
.
ooops. It's what I was switched over to because Lexapro pooped on me. It has done some strange things to my body - specifically it seems to be triggering a very early menopause. Also, for the first time ever I forgot to take my morning meds two weeks ago. It's one of my morning meds. By 6 pm I was in full withdrawals. Screaming and wanting to peel my skin off.
So yeah. Too late. But if it keeps messing with my innards I'm going to have to come off of it and I'm so excited about the discontinuation syndrome I could just shit.