None of this is your fault. Btw, star-crossed lovers is a common bipolar delusion. Anytime he says he wants something (like the couples therapy) predicate it on him taking the medication. Sending many hugs. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I finally started wearing sunscreen after a friend introduced me to Japanese sunscreen. It's so much better and doesn't leave a white cast. I use Shiseido Senka but others love the Japanese Biore Watery Essence. I haven't tried that one. That said, it ships from Japan (~2-3 weeks) and can take awhile so if you're already running low I would find something else in the meantime.

"Upstairs apartment cannot be shown under any circumstances." ​Oh, okay, they don't want the liability of someone falling through the sketchy floorboards. "Buyer assumes responsibility for the month-to-month tenancy in the upstairs apartment." What in the heck?!

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Thinking of your family and hoping for a good outcome.

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor. Perlman's favorite violinist is the late, great Jascha Heifetz.

If she's interested in fashion maybe you can point out heavy brows are very in fashion right now thanks to Cara Delevingne. But you probably need to accept that she'll want to do something about it in the next year or so. Most people with unibrows, including myself and my daughter are not fans.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Thinking of you and your family this morning.

Thanks for the update. Some people cycle rather rapidly between being manic and being depressed. Definitely mention the change to the doctor not with a "thank the heavens it seems to be over" approach, but by asking about rapid cycling. I'm not saying that's what's happening, but I think you should look into it if it appears his manic phase ended this quickly.

I've been to the UK 3 times, France twice, Germany twice, and a few other countries once. Answers inline... Considering Europe first, what countries would you suggest? It's common knowledge that some countries don't care for Americans. Do we stay out of those countries or go with a tour only? I don't have a suggestion as far as countries without more info about what you're looking for. I would never stay out of a country I really wanted to see simply because I'm an American. How many countries is reasonable to visit in say 5 days? 1 day to fly over and 1 day back. That's a starting point. One, if you're left with 3 days. What do you pack and not look like a complete nerdy tourist. Are tourists taken advantage of? Americans are stereotypically known for their fanny packs, high socks, and white sneakers, but I wouldn't worry about it to the point of buying new shoes or clothes. It's just a few days. Also Americans tend to be louder than Europeans, esp in restaurants. I don't know that tourists are particularly taken advantage of, but I would be more careful of pickpocketing in major cities than you are here, and don't take any unofficial tours from people with signs or pamphlets on the street. I've been told not to drink tap water anywhere outside of the states. I drink a lot of water. Do you buy gallons or in this case liters by bulk to carry you through? Is there a limit on anything to buy? You can absolutely drink the tap water. My sister who is an accomplished travel planner gave me some of these tips (plus she's travel abroad) and mentioned AirBNB may be a good route to go. I'm asking here to get different opinions and looking for common thought. Airbnb can be good, as can contacting agencies that rent apartments to travelers. If you have limited time and limited knowledge of a city, a hotel might be better for the advice they can give and also the ease of finding it when you arrive tired. Is there air-conditioning? Size of beds? My British friend says to expect twin size beds in London. That won't work. Would a host family/Bed and Breakfast offer large sized beds? My sister also said it's the law that no more than 3 can stay in a hotel room. Is she right? Although I don't think we would stay in a hotel. She said stay outside of any major city - safer. It would be the 3 of us. Smaller and/or boutique hotels in Europe tend to have smaller rooms than Americans are used to. Chain hotels are about the same. Never heard of the 3 people max as a general rule. It just depends on the size of the room, like here. When to travel? I don't like high heat or humidity. Depends where you go. Like the U.S., the south stays warmer later than the north.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Yes, I liked the connection between the characters and that's what carried me through more than the actual case.

Yes, I liked it very much. The last season seemed a bit off from the rest of the series, but I had a long delay in between so it could have just been my memory of it.

(((Jenny)))

I agree, but he probably can't get there from where he is now. He likely needs meds to stabilize and then therapy to come to terms with the fact that he has a chronic condition and needs to take meds willingly.

If you talk to him about the ER, be sure to tell him you and the children love him very much, and offer to stay with him the entire time and hold his hand. Acknowledge that mania can feel really good but also remind him that it doesn't come without a penalty, and this is the best time to change his trajectory; later will be harder. If he's balking about the medication, tell him he can just get an evaluation to see where he's at without having to take the medication.

If you can, see if he will meet you at the ER so you can try and make this happen.

I'm the one who suggested an Airbnb. I definitely had in mind a place he would have to himself. In my area they are cheaper by the night than hotels and more expensive than comparable apartments. I was thinking of it as an alternative to signing a long lease. Knowing the lease is 3 months puts my mind more at ease. Around here you would not be able to get a lease for less than 6 months, and even that's much more difficult to find compared to 12 months. I know manic people can trash places; I have had to clean one of those up. But nothing in the OP suggests that. The person I cleaned up after had no hyper sexuality or desire for an open marriage, but she was very focused on nesting and hoarding. Mania presents very differently in individuals; I'm assuming OP will ignore my idea if she is concerned about destruction.

Singapore. I like the way it develops number sense and gets kids thinking algebraically even if it's not explicit. Bar diagrams are great. No regrets about using it, but I do dislike all the flipping around in the Home Instructor's Guide. Sometimes I read how to teach, then flip to the back for mental math, then to another place for those answers, then back to the exercise in a different book, then another page for the answers to that, etc. I wish it used paper less efficiently but put everything in order of use.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: VC, I'm glad your kids and DH are safe. Longhorn, I'm glad you're safe.

Just a practical suggestion: Maybe he can spend a couple of weeks at an air bnb so it's cheaper than a hotel but also not as strong a commitment as a lease.

I would absolutely give it a go. If you were willing to give her the narcotics post-surgery, it's not inconsistent to also give cannabis oil a try. They are both tools which have a place in modern medicine. Many of the drugs considered "official pharmaceuticals" come from plants: aspirin, quinine (malaria), codeine (pain relief), taxominofen (cancer), etc. I have a few friends who all work for the pharmaceutical industry and there's a lot of research into isolating the active compounds in plants. Simply because it comes in a pill form doesn't mean it's not of natural origin. Cannabis oil is the same way. I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Whether you give her the cannabis oil right away or wait, if I were in your position I would want to say I had explored all options and found the most helpful medications because my 15 yo was depending on me to make the decisions, whatever those turn out to be. :grouphug: :grouphug:

I've been put of town and away from electronics for a few days so I'm just catching up. Please look into a restraining order. It's something more easily done with the advice of an attorney but you can also fill out the paperwork yourself. At least go to the county courthouse and get the papers to be filed and start filling them out. It takes some time. You may never file them, but you don't want to wait until you need them. This would be the first step in getting the locks changed. If he becomes more delusional, especially if those delusions relate to the children, you'll wish to file quickly. They generally take from 1-5 days to be issued and then they still have to be served. Also consider asking the lawyer about a legal separation as a way of protecting yourself from his debts during this situation. Manic episodes can result in a lot of financial destruction. It might be something you need to do not just for yourself and the kids, but to help him when he recovers. Chances are he will not be able to maintain the lease, either becoming unable to work properly, or losing income as a result of being in treatment. The protection of a separation will depend on your state. I'm sorry again that this is happening. Manic episodes literally affect the consequences area of the brain. He cannot think ahead to the obvious results of his actions. He may appear at times to understand and seem to be getting better, but without treatment he is most likely sliding away from reason. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

:svengo: Wow.

Take a well-deserved rest! And I'm sorry to hear about your mom's sister. When she does pass, may it be peacefully. :grouphug: