Wednesdays are usually where I write about TMS therapy (transcranial magnetic stimulation) and how wonderfully I’ve reacted to it. (You can read about it here.) It has changed my life. Then I had a horrific snafu with my doctor and pharmacy. Long, long, LONG story short, I’ve been trying to get my prescriptions refilled since January. We have a new … Read More
TMS: Halfway Through!
I hit the halfway point and I can honestly say that everything has changed. I’m sleeping an average of six hours a night instead of two or three. My PHQ-9 score went from an unsustainable 23 to a 5. Can you believe that? Every day they ask me, “What word would you use to describe your mood?” and I’ve gone … Read More
TMS Therapy: The First Week [video]
We did brain mapping and then it was time for the first session. The magnets were next to my skull, but not actually touching it. They would click loudly (wear earplugs!) for four seconds, be silent for 11 seconds, and then click for another four seconds. Rinse and repeat for about 20 minutes. Even though nothing was touching my skull, … Read More
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy: Brain Mapping
Brain mapping. Frankly, I didn’t know exactly what to expect and the sound of it was terrifying. In reality, it was no big deal. TMS targets the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is the area of the brain that is most known for executive functions like working memory, decision making, and motor planning. It’s also connected to other parts of the brain that … Read More
Miss Murder Starts TMS Therapy: An Introduction
TMS stands for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, and it’s a technique used for medication-resistant depression. Hello. I’m Mercedes and I have clinical depression. I’m a wife, a mother, a writer, and a friend. I love pets and I dance in the rain and I struggle with suicidal ideation nearly every single day of my life. It’s a bit of a juxtaposition. … Read More
A Stampede of Happiness: Williams Syndrome
A friend turned me on to Jon Kent’s A Stampede of Happiness, which is a 43 minute long documentary about Williams Syndrome. It’s showing on Amazon Prime. It was quite fun to watch, and I realized I was grinning through most of it. I’m familiar with quite a few of the people shown in the documentary, and it’s a good … Read More
Surviving Tomorrow: A Charity Anthology to Fight Covid-19
It’s out! It’s available. It’s more important than ever. I’m so delighted to donate a personal essay to the Surviving Tomorrow anthology. All profits go to send Covid-19 testing kits directly to the front lines. You can purchase this anthology on Amazon or from the Surviving Tomorrow website. There is no wrong way to help. <3 Surviving Tomorrow is a charity anthology of … Read More
Christmas in the Time of Covid
It hasn’t been easy, has it, my darlings? It’s been…exhausting. But I do want to share the drive-through party that our church had. It wasn’t the annual traditional party with dinner, a program, and a visit by a certain Jolly Old Elf, but it was still sweet and touched my soul. Different organizations set up in the parking lot. I’m … Read More
2020 = Z0Z0
I made a meme. It’s a PSA. Obviously we’ve been mistaking the Z’s in ZOZO for 2’s. It isn’t 2020 at all. Simple error.
Holiday Gifts for Children with Special Needs
It’s that time of year again, and so I’ll share what I believe to be one of my most helpful posts. Happy Holidays! This is a toughie. It can be downright hard, because there are so many emotions tied up with the holidays. We have expectations. Holidas are supposed to be a time where we express our love and gifts are … Read More