Some of the pain left me last night, and I was able to sleep somewhat better before it came back around 4 AM.  I tried taking some pain medication just before I went to bed last night.  That may have been what helped me get a better night's sleep.   I just got back from seeing my psychiatrist.  He seemed to be pleased by some of the progress I have been making.  I told him one of the medications (Depakote ER) I had received from the pharmacy was incorrect.  He looked it up in his book of medicines and decided that even though I usually take Depakote DR, this would be just as well.  I do not like the idea of trying a different type of medication, but I said that I would give it a try and if something went wrong, he would be hearing from me.   He asked about the accident I had on Sunday.  The head of my Relapse Prevention Group must have told him about it.  I brought them up to date on my situation, and he said that in spite of that, he still thought I was doing well.   As I went to the elevator to go down to the lobby, I was having trouble reaching the down button because I started having some pain in my left arm.  Before I could figure out where I could get some help, the door in front of me opened and out walked "Lucy" who ran the first substance abuse program I ever attended at the mental health clinic, and who saw me on a one-to-one basis after that.   She seemed as shocked to see me, as I was to see her.  She asked how I was doing and I explained to her about the medical problem I was dealing with this week.  Although we had gone through a few weeks of not speaking to one another following the end of my counseling with her, we both seem to have gotten over that, and she actually seemed happy to see me.  We spoke to one another very easily and candidly today.  I was pleased with the way things went.   Before leaving the clinic, I stopped at their pharmacy to pay a bill I owed, as well is to try and get two prescriptions filled that my primary care physician gave me yesterday.  Unfortunately, the pharmacist told me they did not have either of the medications.  I intended to go to another pharmacy after getting home this afternoon, however the temperatures have dropped below freezing, and I do not want to roll more than a mile each way just to get the medication.  I will either have someone else get it for me later today, or else I will arrange for a ride to get me there tomorrow.   Since my PCP did not come to give me dinner last night, I called my home health care agency this morning and asked them to find someone else to help me.  I will not put up with this person any longer.   A couple of days ago, I wrote my niece and nephew and explained to them about the accident I had this week.  I said that because of that, I had not been able to get out and get any Christmas gifts, and that I would owe them some.  Last night I received an e-mail from my niece who lovingly wrote, "You are my Christmas."  She said all she wanted was to spend some time with me.  That really got to me and had me tearing up in no time at all.   I had a brief argument with my brother last night concerning the lack of care I am getting from my home health care agency and my discontent with it.  I tried telling him I was going to get another agency, and he called me a troublemaker.  He said that I was going to get a bad reputation throughout the home health care community for always complaining about something.  In some ways, he has a mean mouth just as our mother did.   Quotes of Attitude:   “An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere. The pessimist sees only the red light. But the truly wise person is color blind.” Dr. Albert Schweitzer