My Introduction

[Guest guest]

Name, State you live in? My name is Tilly and I live in the ACT in

um.. Australia

1. What is your diagnosis? I was diagnoised with late onset,

Juvenile temperal lobe Epilepsy in early 2001 (3 days before my 18th

birthday!). I have also suffered with manic depression and eating

disorders since i was about 13. But it seems the most debilitating

disorder i have is agoraphobia which has gradually intensified over

the last few years.

2. Are you taking any medications? I am presently on Lamictal for

epilepsy (my neurologist wants to put me back on Epilum too). At

the moment I am not taking anything for the depression as it seems

that nothing i do take works. I have tried quite a cocktail

though... Zoloft, Desyrel, Prozac, Luvox etc etc...

3. How are you presently feeling? I feel lonely at the moment, I

can't find anyone to chat to. My boyfriend is great but there is

only so much he can do.

4. Have you been hospitalized? Not for quite a while... thank the

gods!

5. Have you attempted suicide? Thought about it during high-school,

have had the feather scratches on my wrist, but never went through

with it (obviously).

6. Are you a self-injurer? Not on purpose, but i have this tick that

happens when i get nervous where i wring my wrists and often rub the

skin off. I don't even notice doing it until it is too late and the

skin is red raw.

7. Are you married? nope, everyone around me seems to be getting

married though... sigh... always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

8. If so, how long?

9. Do you have any children, or plan on having children? I don't

really want kids (so i keep telling myself). I have been told by my

doctor that " with my condition it is not advised to try " . I had a

miscarrage last year, it was proably for the best, but it still

knocked with the selfesteem a bit.

10. Do you have a good family support system? My boyfriend is great,

my best friend is just that... the BEST friend you could ever want,

my dad is in denile and my mum thinks the doctors are on crack and

don't know what they are talking about (all 4 of them?).

11. What do you feel will best benefit you from joining our group?

Support and friendship.

12. What are you looking for the most in a group? I need someone to

chat to, someone who has a (however small) understanding of what i

am going thru.

13. Do you have hobbies? Reading is a big one, camping, climbing and

caving (there is something satisfying about being alone in a very

tight " squeese " 60ft underground, in the dark, and all you can hear

is the pounding of your heart in your ears)

14. What do you do for a living, if anything? I am a receptionist at

a medical centre and soon to be a student (i hope... i think) at the

University of Canberra studing nursing. (I want to be one of the

nice nurses who really cares about you when you are all by yourself

in the hospital bed staring at the white roof)

15. Are you on disability? I am on a low income health care benefit,

so i get my medicine cheeper and doctor's bills arn't as nasty.

Well, that is me...

I hope someone, anyone, responds.

Tilly