Progress

In 2008 my life changed forever. I was a senior in college. Life was good. I wanted to work in the fashion industry. My future looked promising. In a matter of a few weeks everything changed.

You can read more about my mental breakdown in this blog. About the devastation of schizophrenia and how I put my life back together one piece at a time. There were setbacks sometimes but there was progress.

As my best friend says “I hung in there.” As my confidence grew I realized that I had something to give the world. This blog is a success. It has been read in ten different countries. I have had articles published in Schizlife, SOMI, Centerpointe, and NAMI.

Recently I was introduced to the Board of Directors of SOMI.

Through SA I met Sister Lucindia who has agreed to be my mentor. Sister Lucindia elected me to be a Board member for Wings Across Alabama. I attended the Board meeting a few weeks ago and am now an official Board member for Wings. I am very excited to serve and represent this organization!

Last weekend I just completed training to become a NAMI Presenter. I spent three days training in Montgomery. AL. I got to live lavishly. I had a huge comfortable bed with four pillows and I got used to the unlimited non-alcoholic beverages! During my training I met some wonderful people and made new friends!

The training was exciting and fun! I was nervous about doing public speaking but the more I practiced the more I felt confident giving a speech. I am looking forward to continuing my blog which I am very proud of! I plan on writing a book about my life. I am very excited to be serving on the Board of Directors of Wings and to be a NAMI Presenter!

I want to inspire and help others like me! I have great ambitions and plans for the future. I look forward to being an advocate, a spokesperson for the advancement of mental illness awareness!

Mental Illness Awareness Week 14

This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. It is especially important to me because I have schizophrenia.

Mental illness is often put in closets or brushed under the rug. We do not want to talk about it. Family members do not want to admit it if a relative has a condition. The average person's views of mental illness come from movies or books.

There is little public education or public funds invested in educating people. Most views vary from the ignorant to the ill informed.

This is the reason I started my blog. I felt like I had a story to share. I wanted to show the world what life is like for someone with schizophrenia. That people like me are functioning and loving people who contribute to society.

In my this blog I chronicle my life. From feelings of despair to having hope. I reflect on family and friends that have been there for me.

My favorite line is “Schizophrenia does not control me, I control it!” I do not hear voices. I am not delusional. Through therapy, medications and support groups I can face each day knowing I am in control!

A Typical Day In The Life of Amy Kay

I have strange dreams. Often I wake up feeling homesick. I still feel sad over my FL best friend. I miss my brother. I miss my mom. Orlando was my home.

Even though I have slept over ten hours I still feel exhausted. I believe I have sleep apnea. I have a consultation to see a doctor about that this month.

I manage to shower and get dressed. I check my phone for texts. I usually get a few “Good morning” texts each morning.

I drive over to my AL best friend's house. I bring my computer with me. I catch up on my email and Facebook. We have brunch and talk a bit.

We drive over to SOMI club. I go to a support group. She is a volunteer over there. I practice the piano. We enjoy talking to other people.

After SOMI we usually have errands. I like to stop by the library. We go to the store. Often we grab lunch. Sometimes we run by places to pay bills.

We go back to my AL best friend's house. We talk, read, write and rest. I get back on the computer. After awhile she fixes dinner for the both of us. If I am not too tired I manage to get in an hour of walking.

Later on I drive home. Looney and Lassie (the dogs) are excited to see me! Sometimes I give each of them a treat! I go up to my room where Bear is waiting for me. I hug him and give him kisses. I shower and get into night clothes. Sometimes I read at night. I am ALWAYS listening to music. I go online and text and I fall asleep.