Author: Kitt O’Malley

  • Hunger and Headaches

    Now that I’m on a higher dose of Depakote (valproic acid), I’m always hungry and have a headache. I cannot satiate my hunger, and I tire of popping ibuprofens to relieve the dull ache in my forehead. My body has adjusted somewhat to the increased dosage, no longer struggling to stay awake during the day,…

  • Mosaic Tile Shelf

    My son designed this mosaic tile shelf which I recently made. Having ordered a box of random broken Talavera tile, I ended up with a lot of yellow tile. Apparently yellow was not as popular as other colors. My son and I looked at the tile array and he suggested sun and sky. It mirrors…

  • Mind Slog

    Depakote (valproic acid) dosage increased. Thoughts slowed way down. Now slogging through my mind. Inspiration gone. Where is my muse? Know I needed to slow down, to catch my breath. Know this increased dose is temporary, that my mind will work better, quicker in the near future, after a month or two. Goal is to…

  • Inspiration

    So now that I am no longer hypomanic, the big question is will I continue to write? Where will I get my inspiration without the push of manic thoughts and my need for catharsis?

  • Balancing Priorities

    Motherhood is difficult. Over the years, I have felt torn between mothering, being a devoted wife, working outside my home, studying in seminary, and volunteering in my community. I have found myself repeatedly taking on and then reneging commitments due to conflicts in my responsibilities, the primary one being motherhood. On top of it all,…

  • Living in My Head

    I live my life in my head, in thoughts, in daydreams. My thirteen year old son, sitting next to me in the car, sees me gesturing to my internal monologue and urges, “Mom, stop it. Live your life.” Yes, when I daydream, I am not living in the present. I must practice mindfulness, and remember…

  • Compassion Meditation

    May sharing this Compassion Meditation bring peace. May I be held in compassion. May I be free from pain and suffering. May I be at peace. May you be held in compassion. May you be free from pain and suffering. May you be at peace. May all beings be held in compassion. May all beings…

  • Obsessive Thoughts

    We never really know the content of others’ thoughts, if they think in the same way as we do, in words, conversation, images, or impulses. When I was in my twenties, I sought and received psychotherapy for depression, but didn’t know I had bipolar type II disorder. High achievers, those with racing thoughts and workaholic…

  • The Window

    Years ago my father-in-law made this gorgeous stained glass window to fit a port-hole window in our house. We’ve moved a few times since with that window boxed up and stored for later resurrection. This past August, I decided it was time to frame and hang it. I ordered a custom frame from Northern Hardwood…

  • Siren Song

    I have heard the siren song of alcohol and marijuana. Craved the quieting of my thoughts, the slowing down. Prescribed medications do help immensely, but I still understand and am wary of alcohol’s hold on me. I have that Irish gene, that propensity to become an alcoholic. I can sense it in me and fear…