A Little Zap to the Brain

As far as I can recollect, here’s what the doctor said they would do to me.

I will undress and get myself into one of those awesome hospital smocks. I will then lie down on a questionably comfortable surface. Once I’m there, they will poke me until they get an IV going. And then the real fun will begin. They will add a drug to the IV that will put me to sleep. After I’m out cold, they will give me another drug that will paralyze my entire body. It won’t last too long; 8 to 10 minutes is all. During this time they will stick a couple of electrodes onto my forehead. After that, the doctor in whom I’ve placed all of my trust, will send an electrical charge into my head with the purpose of sending my brain into a seizure.

And that’s it.

I’ll slowly wake back up, then I’ll be on my merry way.

Repeat every other day or so for about a month.

It’s called Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT.) It may sound brutal, but I am electing* to have it done to me. ECT is recommended to those who are severely depressed and who haven’t responded well to other treatments and medication. The best part about all of it? Nobody knows how or why it works. They just know that it is highly effective and has helped a great percentage of people with depression.

It’s not without its drawbacks. The most reported side effect of the treatment is memory loss. They say it’s not permanent, but it’s still worrisome. I have memory problems as it is. I also won’t be able to drive during the span of the treatment either. That’s just annoying more than anything.

I’ll admit, I’m kind of nervous about the whole thing. There’s so many uncertainties. But I guess there are uncertainties with anything in life. Just have to be brave and go for it.

Stay tuned. I’ll keep you up to date as I explore this treatment. Should be fun, right?

__________

*Provided I don’t change my mind before going in.

A Bit of the Brain Fog

It’s probably safe to assume that if I go for a while without posting something, I’m feeling ‘low.’ My brain just doesn’t seem to work right, and any creativity I may have is a whisper of its former self. It’s kinda like my brain, despite what my body feels, is sleepy. Some might describe it as brain fog. I can go along with that too.

So here I am with my foggy, sleepy brain, wishing I could write a nice and meaningful post. It’s just not happening.

Please don’t give up on me.