Doing much better. Yesterday I felt normal so to speak. I think I'm slightly hypomanic but harmless and perhaps helpful. I have not been having depressive symptoms. I am productive at home, am socializing more (and in a hypomanic way after an episode). I notice my 'filter' is lower but I do have a little control. I'm more 'saying what's really on my mind rather than filtering it. I still have some. Ie. I almost told a friend his arms were really hot yesterday but I filtered it. He laughed at a lot of things I did say though and we had a great time. I have been meeting with my boss every other day. She kept saying 'let's go day to day' , until yesterday, and said "let's aim for next Wednesday or Thursday' which is the closest I've got to an answer on when I can go back. I am calling MD first thing Tuesda (holiday) and it's likely I will have improved more and he'll be fine releasing me from the message I leave.

A friend of mine recently said I should get SSDI. I do not want to. I undertand her saying that. I've been off work at least 5 times in the past 18 months, for at least 3 weeks a time. Plus many other 2-3 day misses. I am at a new job. I do have short-term disability but the long term is not active for 1 full year from hire. The short term is not aplicable to this episode because i have not been there 6 months yet. If I do in fact need disability, I think I need to make strong efforts upon my return, and re-establish a solid period of 4-6 months continually working. I just did 3.5 straight. I had some misses here and there related to bipolar symptoms, and in the month before I 'really' broke I was missing one day a week. I love my job. I think it's the best job I've ever have. Something I thought about though, is, if, I have trouble again this calendar year, I could potentially be ok with declaring, and then still trying to work at current company no-benefits 10 hours a week. I want to be stable and not just for 3 months. For years. I have lost 10s of thousands of dollars in the past 18 months in lost wages, medical expenses, etc.

Again, I am having marked improvements daily and it's great!!!!
I can drive. I'm eating meals. I'm socializing and having some fun as of yestreday.
I got really really sick over the course of a month and then fell off the cliff. It will continue improving. Thank-you for listening and best wishes to all.