@HALLIEBETH87 your family is really missing out. You're an amazing person, and I agree with Victoria'smom that you are a huge inspiration. Despite all these challenges, you got a freaking MASTERS! You've overcome so much, and if your family can't see that, fkkk 'em.

@Scooter9 awesome pic of the comet! What do you use for a camera or have any recommendations? I'm pondering getting something that isn't my phone haha.

I hope you feel better, @raspberrytorte. It's up to you if you're giving more lamictal another chance, but didn't you say when you went back to the lower dose you felt a lot better? Or has that changed? I understand the idea of "do what your doc tells you," but I also believe genuinely doing things within reason that work better or the same with less harm when a pdoc doesn't live in our minds and bodies, but merely observes it for a short every 2 weeks to 3 months (or so). (Also take my med-managed-*** word with discretion. I might just be jealous of having control over meds hah)

Welcome @ghostsinthehouse! It's always a pleasure to see someone new join in

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A few months ago I went hiking and my pdoc kept telling me about the importance of a whistle and bug spray (I think mosquitos crave bug spray based on this summer), and med nurse this morning was talking about that so I told her to tell my doc that, yes, indeed I have two whistles--one for my overnight pack and one for my day pack. I know if I forget something it's going to be a whistle (I clipped the original whistle to my overnight pack and it's easy to forget to take off since it's not actually in the pack with other stuff).

Told med nurse my next hike is probably going to be Mt. Cabot, but I didn't tell her it's like a two hour drive in good weather, a 6 hour book time hike (average hiker (me), good weather (not for another 6 months)), and the gates are only open 8am to 4pm so I'd probably either turn it into an overnighter (there's a shelter on one of the trails to protect you from weather) or at least find a cheap place to stay in the area the night before. Winter hiking is actually easier for the most part just because footing doesn't suck and it's easier to bite into ice with spikes than get traction on wet rocks with normal footwear. And the rocks are covered in snow. That makes things sooooo much easier. Just heavier packs and a real risk of hypothermia on some mountains (looking at you, Prezis!)

Working on picking out some pictures for a calendar I'm getting my mom for xmas (yeah, going through on that idea). It's going to be cat themed!