STRESS

Stress is:

• Trying to figure out how to pay for this month's expenses when it is apparent there will not be enough money to cover it all
• Waiting until Friday to get Twin A seen by a specialist for his newly diagnosed cardiac problem when the doctors all stressed that he should be seen ASAP
• Knowing that Twin A will probably require a cardiac ablation, which sounds really scary
• Realizing that Twin B, whose EKG did not pick up any problems, might also have the same cardiac issue that his twin does - and we started him on the stimulant medication to treat his ADD, the same stimulant medication that Twin A's doctor stressed that we absolutely should NOT put him back on due to this condition
• Receiving confirmation from my doctor that I have been having Premature Ventricular Contractions (meaning that I keep getting an extra really forceful heartbeat every once in a while) and the medication for it may cause fatigue - not good for someone who already suffers from constant fatigue due to Narcolepsy
• Still not being able to figure out the best treatment for my Narcolepsy, but knowing that I have to try taking Xyrem once again to help me get more restorative sleep each night, even though it keeps causing severe headaches that should get better after a week - hopefully
• Slowly, oh so slowly, recovering from pneumonia
• Listening to my refrigerator as it goes through its death throes
• Knowing that I need to complete a number of on-line courses in order to make my teaching certification active again but not being able to make completing those courses a priority due to my own health, the boys' health, and our finances
• Needing to get the house back on track after being out of it for so long from the pneumonia, but the recovery from that pneumonia taking so long that I'm not able to do too much on the house each day
• Arguing with DH that opening a fourth credit card because the other three are maxed out is NOT the solution, but also not being able to propose an alternative to cover my unexpected hospital expenses, the cost of his tuition that won't be reimbursed since he is working without a contract, and the upcoming expenses we will be incurring with Twin A's (and possibly Twin B's) potential procedure
• Seeing no other alternative but to apply for state assistance to hopefully qualify for help, and hoping against hope that we actually qualify for free school lunches and food stamps
• Beginning to fill out the on-line forms to apply for that assistance and realizing it is going to take a lot of time to finish them

I don't have any cute clip-art to insert here, and am too stressed to include any links.
I'm usually an extremely optimistic person, trying to look at the positive side of things.  I'm sure there is a positive side to all of this, but I can't find it right now.  I am going to bed and hopefully will be able to see things better in the morning.