Kryptonite
So now I know what a nervous breakdown feels like. It’s a cliché, but they happen. The doctor says that they happen to people who deal with extra stresses by pretending they are normal, everyday events and nothing to be concerned about. I think he was making a hint, but it was far too subtle for me to decipher.
Then he had the audacity to suggest that I am not superman. How dare he?
It was when the doctor talked me through recent stressful events that I realised he might have had a point:
a child diagnosed with a mental disability;
three years of autistic sleep-deprivation;
shit smeared on the bedroom walls three nights out of every seven;
the destruction of all our furniture;
having to sue a local authority;
twice;
moving house;
new jobs for Darling Wifey and myself;
not to mention becoming line manager to an individual famous for undermining colleagues.
Mind you, the doctor didn’t agree that the exhaust rattling on the people-carrier is a good reason for a temper tantrum, or that having a poor signal on your mobile phone is just cause for being upset, so he can’t be that perceptive, can he?
Anyway, superman is grounded for a few days while his blood pressure returns to normal and a rational perspective on life is resumed. Apparently the best way to achieve this is “daytime telly torture.”
“Doctor, this patient is suffering from depression.”
“He has nothing to be depressed about. Make him watch Family Affairs until he cheers up! And if that doesn work, increase the dose with a daily episode of Home and Away. That’ll make the miserable sod buck his ideas up!”
“What about his hypertension, Doctor?”
“Richard and Judy will sort that out, but make sure you don’t overdose him, nurse. We don’t want to cause brain death or narcolepsy.”
Thinking of you…
Doesn’t the NHS send people to Switzerland to take the air and convalesce properly any more?
K.
Comment by Kate — November 29, 2004 @ 11:41 pm
Been there myself several times in the last eight years and I’m there right now, in fact. My honest advise is to find something you can destroy and take your frustration out on it: ie like a log of wood. I do target shooting but thats not a viable option for you in England. Hang in there.
Robert
Comment by Robert — November 29, 2004 @ 11:56 pm
Oh heck…Words not adequate but praying like mad
Hugs
K xxx
Comment by Kathryn — November 30, 2004 @ 12:16 pm
As someone who internalizes her stress (so much that it caused an ulcer a few months ago), be glad you’re taking a bit of a breather. Am sending a lot of good thoughts to you and your family that things begin to calm down a little bit for you very soon.
Comment by Drie — November 30, 2004 @ 6:30 pm
Gareth you rock you know – and you are superman, but even superman deserves and needs a bit of a break sometime.
Comment by Humble Secretary — November 30, 2004 @ 9:38 pm
Oh, heck mate, thinking of you, look after yourself.
Comment by Darren — November 30, 2004 @ 10:05 pm
Being superman would suck — having to save the world all the time and sucking in one’s gut to always look good in spandex. Here’s hoping that the lords of sleep are good to you. (Our secret is tag-teaming who gets to go to bed early and sleep in late on various nights.)
Comment by Ancarett — December 1, 2004 @ 3:24 am
Lots of love and prayers from us. Superman or not, you are a wonderful human being and we love you lots. God bless you.
Comment by jax — December 1, 2004 @ 10:58 am
That sucks majorly. Let’s hope the union supports you in the latest of your stressful experiences.
Comment by perceval — December 4, 2004 @ 11:08 am
God Bless you and yours, Gareth. praying. +h
Comment by helen — December 5, 2004 @ 12:54 am