It's Good To Be Back

I took a long break from blogging, had a nervous breakdown (could the two possibly be related?), and now I'm baaack. You may remember seeing my old blog, OkeyDokey Let's Get Started. This one's just going to be called Chapterhouse.

About that nervous breakdown. Well, killing off my old blog should have been a clue. I mean, wasn't that suicidal? Drinking wine every night was another clue. I come from a long line of alcoholics. I've spent close to a month in the loony bin and have now had five ECTs (electro-convulsive therapy treatments), also known as "riding the lightning." This morning I forgot the PIN to my bank card! That's it. No more ECTs. That's not the kind of memory loss I'm willing to sacrifice. There's this woman who takes the treatments with me and every single time she tells me and the others waiting that this is her second set of ECTs this YEAR, and that the first time around, she forgot how to drive and also something else that I cannot REMEMBER NOW that she forgot.

Can you imagine listening to this every time you are going to have a treatment? Can you even imagine having the treatment itself? Here's what happens. You lay down on the table and the anesthetist puts in a line in your right hand. The nurse hands you this plastic mouthpiece and tells you, "Bite this," while the doc swabs two areas on your head with alcohol. Then someone puts a clear plastic thingy over your nose and mouth and you don't remember anything until later when you are sitting up and groggily asking, "Have I had the procedure yet?" and everyone is saying, "Yes."

Not the best way to start a morning! But it's better than the alternative. Yes, it's good to be back.