Couch 218: Northern Minnesota 2050

H interrupted my session L was not happy grrr

Yeah, would you have been on your way by now, or was that just a practice trip?

I wonder what sets her off, smells? Blowing of the AC? Is her harness too tight? Maybe you can try a tray of catnip in the car or in her carrier. Block the windows of the carrier so she cant see outside, just the interior of the car? Dont feed her before you leave but have food in the car?

Cats are usually quite sensitive to any change and when they become upset, they can make themselves quite sick and those around them miserable. Animals also can have motion sickness (I have a dog right now who has motion sickness which leads to panic when he is placed in the car even with motion sickness meds - he associates car with torture). I have had over 15 cats in my life time and only 1 was not a complete wreck in the car - even drugged to the gills - the cats are still miserable.

Maybe they gave her PCP or LSD by mistake? Or it could be a case where some sedatives have the opposite effect on here, like how Benadryl makes most people sleepy (myself included) but makes other people wired?

It's funny how illuminating things I say to my T can be about my childhood, without even being on that topic. I've been in a lot of pain the past few days, muscular stuff (neck and throughout body), which might be stress or the weather, but could also be reactivated Epstein-Barr (as I've been diagnosed with that before and had a sore throat last week) or possibly Covid (no fever or cough though--and I can still taste and smell). T was being really empathetic and caring about it. Yet I apologized a couple times for whining about it so much, that I know it's likely nothing compared to what many deal with, but that it's really affecting me. I was taught as a child to minimize physical (and mental) health issues, and it was coming out loud and clear in session. Continuing topic for Monday, I think. Especially as I'll be spending some time at the beach with my parents the following week...

major therapy hangover. ugh. quite an emotional session, going to take a nap.

Sitting outside my therapist's bldg an hour after session. Scared to go home because I want to sh right now. Emailed him about it and I feel like a pest. This sucks.

You are not a pest, NP. I am sure your T would rather you were safe than went home in distress.

Are you still there?

It's perfectly okay to contact your T when you're feeling very distressed. I hope he responds to you quickly.

I can't even cry right now. If I could cry it would help.

God, it's actually been two hours. I've lost it.

Hugs, NP, you're not being a pest. Please stay safe as best you can...

You're doing your best to stay safe right now and that's what's important. It can be scary to be in that head space and I wouldn't take that as a sign of losing it.

Keep talking if it helps.

You haven't lost it...I've sat in the car outside ex-MC's, ex-T's, and Dr. T's office for quite a long time before. I know you sad you emailed your T. Could you call or text him? Especially knowing you're his only client right now (I think that's what you said?), so he's not in session, maybe he could get back to you soon?

He called me and we spoke for 20 minutes. I feel a little less desperate. Maybe I'll go get something to eat.

I'm glad you were able to talk and that he helped. If you're thinking about getting something to eat, that sounds like a good thing (at least, I know when I'm really upset, I can't think about eating).

Would have been there by now.

I tried the AC on and off. She was in a carrier but she does have a kind of jacket I can attach a leash too. I put her on that for a bit to see if helped and she explored a little to look out the windows but panted constantly. She’d been fed (she doesn’t get motion sick, even on an airplane).

She is going to have to travel at least to the vet’s in the future so I hope this is not going to be her new schtick. Maybe I should try putting her on a leash and letting her explore the car. I have a friend who puts her cats in the car in carriers 30 minutes before she leaves, so they have time to get used to the idea that this is happening.

HUGS @@ both of my kitties meow like crazy when they are in their carriers and in the car. Even Esther who isn't really big on vocalization. Amelia on the other hand meows whenever she walks into the room, like announcing in a prima donna sort of way that "I'm here! Pay attention!" I've not had one that pants or gets motion sick. I do put them in the carriers early like your friend does. They cry like crazy and Amelia throws herself against the walls of the carrier to try to get it to bust open. But eventually they get with the program and just meow pitifully every few minutes in the car.

Tonight we order dinner in to support local restaurants. I'm trying to decide what I want to eat....

Rascal (diabetic cat) howls pitifully pretty much all the way to the vet and back home too every time we take him to have his blood sugar checked. Doesn't matter if he's in his crate or roaming the car, he howls. It's maybe a 15 trip each way. He doesn't go on car rides except to go to the vet, so that may be partially why...

@@, maybe show her some of this pair's videos. Im not sure who's the boss here.

Does anyone feel rreally guilty about calling sick at work even if you can hardly drag yourself out of bed? Or calling to say you cant come in because you are flooded in. I used to all the time wheni worked. But i remember i was forced to go to school when i was sick because my mother never believed me.

I don't think you've lost it either. You're doing what you need to for you. I'm glad you were able to talk to him on the phone.

My almost perfect attendance in school completely backfired when it came to my adult life, when it REALLY mattered. I used up all my juice by the time i was 21.