Getting back into the saddle

Did my time for Uncle Sam's Canoe Club got out and became a street cop. After 4 years of bad city politics I went OTR with CR England and got the mentor from hell. Jumped truck and hauled pneumatics locally for a year then signed on with Swift OTR for 2 years. Got out of trucking completely after starting college and earning my Nursing License. In 2009 I started having unexplained anger issues, rage actually, to the point I was not safe to be around patients as I had the belief that the really sick ones actually wanted to die and I needed to assist them. Went to see a shrink who after testing me every which way but loose had me committed to the psych hospital suffering from full blown psychosis and bi-polar disorder. Lots of meds and counseling and meds and therapy and meds I have finally been stable for a year. Living on Social Security Disability of $1,096.00 a month just doesn't cut it with 1 kid in college and another starting the senior year of high school in 2 months. I called Swift to see if I was still employable as I really liked my time there and was surprised when after a few days wait they said yes. I did the application, online CDL class and am just waiting for me to decide when to start the academy. It's a big scary step. I had been home bound for close to 2 years being over medicated but under control. Now I take 1 med twice a day and except for having trouble quieting my mind to sleep I no longer am delusional or hear voices. Cool! I'm not looking forward to the close quarters of the mentor program but understand it's a necessary step to my recovery and getting back to work.

 

I was told by Swift to get my own DOT physical and be CDL permit test ready on Monday morning. Isn't that how everyone does it?

The med I am taking is called Geodon. It's an atypical antipsychotic. Non sedating. I am also on Ativan 1mg at bed time but I am weaning myself off because I think it's a no-go with the DOT.

If the DOT wants a letter from my psych doc I am screwed. He thinks me not working is the only way to be. He could care less that we lost our house and are living with my 72yo mother, on food stamps and medical. All he cares is that I am under control. Control is the key in the psych world. Let a heart patient shoot up the town and no one looks at his cardiologist but let a psych patient do it and the psych doc is in court being asked why he allowed the patient to become out of control.