My Daily Life as a Person with a Mental Disability

This is a story about my daily life as a person with a mental disability. I am at the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong, Philippines. While waiting for my sister's psychiatric examination, I decided to make the most of my time by consulting a psychiatrist myself. I thought that if I could get a PWD (Persons with Disabilities) ID for discounts, I could help ease the financial burden on my mother and sister. I am currently unemployed and often judged by people because of it. Many people like me cannot work due to various circumstances, and I wish judgmental individuals could understand how it feels.

Often, I have had to prioritize my family over starting a job, and I have no regrets about it. Over time, however, I realized that I could help more effectively by earning money rather than just accompanying my family members. Without money, it's more challenging to move. So, I've decided to prioritize job applications from now on.

During my consultation with the psychiatrist, I explained my family situation: my family has a history of epilepsy, PTSD, autism, and schizoaffective disorder. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after an one hour consultation. The psychiatrist attributed this to our genetic predisposition and my racing thoughts. I initially reasoned that I was trying to speak quickly due to limited time, but I later recalled having racing thoughts before. The doctor recommended a psychiatric examination, but I haven't taken it yet due to conflicting schedules and transportation expenses.

Years ago, I was unable to join the Army and Marines because I failed the neurological examination. In retrospect, I'm relieved since military life would have conflicted with my moral stance against killing, a violation of the sixth commandment.

May 13th 2024, I woke up early after a good night's sleep, feeling content. My usual habit is staying up late with screen time, but today was different. The first thing I did was call my dog, who is always waiting for me to wake up or come home. I then greeted my other dog, an Ehrlichia survivor with a history of biting, hoping to reduce his stress.

My first chore was washing last night's dishes, a task I took over to ease my mother's workload. Afterward, I started cooking since my mother usually waters the plants outside, especially during the hot season in the Philippines. Cooking with whatever ingredients are available, I often choose healthy recipes. Today, I made a dish with squash, chicken, malunggay from our backyard, onions, and garlic. Despite the lack of coconut milk, it was a nutritious meal. However, my mother and sister didn't seem to enjoy it, possibly because it was prepared without meat. I followed the dietary advice from The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy on sodium restriction for kidney disease.

I also ground squash seeds to mix into the cat food I was preparing, inspired by a book stating that squash seeds can prevent worms in cats. The cat food consisted of rice, chicken, chicken stock, and some of my cooking leftovers. The malunggay was harvested from our backyard, and the chicken was bought from Waltermart for P150 per kilo, with thigh parts preferred for their fewer bones.

We don't usually eat together due to our individual chore schedules. After eating, my sister washes the dishes from my cooking. For dental hygiene, I follow a book's recommendation to use toothpaste with white, red, and blue stripes for complete care. I avoid brushing too vigorously around my tooth with a mercurial filling to prevent dislodging it, as it has been replaced multiple times.

Later, I tackled sealing a sewage leak in our firewall using Flex cement mix. This task made me reflect on my reactions to products my mother buys and their potential usefulness. Opening the Flex cement bucket was challenging, but I managed it with specialized scissors my sister purchased online. I wore safety gear including glasses, a hat, a mask, double gloves, and boots for hazard protection. After partially sealing the leak, I cleaned my gear and disposed of the trash properly. I realized I needed a stronger concentration of Zonrox for the sewage issue and considered informing the neighbors problem.

After these chores, I washed my hands thoroughly and took a bath before going to bed. Despite the challenges, I managed to address the household issues, reflecting on my experiences as I concluded the day.