Side Effects

I found out yesterday that I passed my second exam, actually getting a score that was above the average.

This was no small feat.

You see, I have side effects from the medications that make schoolwork much harder than it is when I'm off the medications. Mainly, I have very intense memory problems. I can study for 8 hours, sit down at the test and forget everything that I learned. What normally took me 2 hours to study now takes about 15 hours. My memory was kind of thrown out the window with the medications.

So why take the medications?

Because they cause me to be stable and take away my mental illness, my psychosis and some of my paranoia. In order to function, I need to take the medications, even if they make things harder.

Yes, it's frustrating, but I know that if I work hard enough, I will be able to pass my classes this semester in order to graduate.

Last semester, I was challenged with many hospitalizations. This semester, I have had no hospitalizations but I am being challenged with the medication side effects.

Needless to say, I live for challenges. Being challenged makes successes all the more meaningful.