I’m a planner so of course I like to try to plan Bipolar episodes. Making lists and checking them off is such a turn-on. A few months ago a friend of mine suggested I prepare a plan in case I end up in the hospital again. I jumped right on it and quickly emailed “In Case I go to Crazyville” to my husband and parents. Now the last time I ended up at the behavioral ward all I had on was jeans and a sweatshirt. No underwear or bra or bag packed with clothing. I am not about to let that happen again. My husband showed up the next day with some clothes, but most of the items had strings which is a no-no in the looney bin. I don’t think he brought me any toiletries so I was stuck using the nasty shampoo from the hospital. I didn’t have a blow dryer or flat iron. What a nightmare! I also learned the hard way that tampons are difficult to come by at the hospital. I think I waited an entire day for them.
I started my “Crazyville” email with a list of my meds, doctor & therapist info, and the hospital my doctor is associated with. I asked them to inform intake that I have Bipolar Type II with a history of psychosis. It is important that they advocate for me because I might not be able to articulate what is going on with me at the time. I asked them to try to stay calm and take care of me like I am physically ill. I might need help remembering to eat, drink, and take my meds. I’ll need their full support even if I am acting irrationally.
I then gave them a list of clothing to pack for me. I requested comfy clothes like yoga pants, sweatshirts, and sweaters because it gets chilly. I also gave them a list of toiletries including tweezers because I don’t want funky eyebrows even when I’m sick. I made it very detailed so I can be as comfortable as possible.
Hopefully there won’t be a next time, but I feel a little relieved and I’ve given my voice just in case I am not able in the future.
