About Me
Hello, friend! I am super anxious (and excited) to welcome you to my blog, The Mental Health Momma. This blog is a place of support for all mental health moms (and dads if you’d like to join). It is all about my personal journey living with anxiety and depression while raising my 5 mini mental cases, all with their own special needs and triggers!
I created this space to support and encourage others who are riding the struggle bus just like I am. It is my hope that we can build a community for all moms who might be going through similar experiences.
Whether you’re a fellow momma navigating your own mental health journey or raising a child with unique challenges, I invite you to join me in this rollercoaster ride of life filled with laughter, tears, and everything in between … like blood. Seriously, why is someone always bleeding?!
A little about me
Before we dive into my crazy world of mental health challenges and special needs superpowers, let me share a bit about myself.
I am a proud momma to five amazing kiddos, two high energy dogs and four hermit crabs! I’m also the wife to a husband who is frequently traveling out of state for work, a daughter, sister, auntie, volunteer youth minister and Certified Occupational Assistant by degree.
Like many of you, I juggle many different roles daily and face my fair share of challenges. Although I tend to face these challenges with a smile on my face and a “we can conquer anything” attitude, I am usually filled with anxiety, self-doubt, and fear. Couple all of that with a bad bout of depression due to an unexpected injury, loss of career, 2 surgeries and more medical diagnoses for the kids (all during Covid) and I was ready to toss in the towel.
Since then, it’s been a whirlwind of emotions, but I’ve learned so much about myself and have worked hard to rediscover the joy and blessings in my life.
A little about my crew
The Mr.
My husband and I have been married going on 20 years this September. He is a wonderful husband and father and a loyal friend. He works hard to provide for our crew and is typically the calm in the storm for several of our children. That being said, our storm has taken us on a bit of a wild ride lately as he has experienced the traumatic loss of both of his parents unexpectedly in a 5 week timeframe and has also made the huge and sudden decision to decline his promotion which was moving us 15 hours away and has now left his career options in the air.
Hello, chaos!
We are doing our best to take things in stride but the last few months have been very trying as we navigated major losses while preparing for a relocation and now face the uncertainty of our future with his company and career. Nothing stresses a momma out like constant last minute changes and no control over the current situations!
The Kiddos
We have 5 beautiful kiddos who are the loves of our lives and the reason I go crazy every day!
Louski
Our oldest is such a sweet and sensitive soul. She wears her heart on her sleeve and wants to make everyone happy (except for her siblings). She is also our child with the most complex needs. Lou has been diagnosed with anxiety since she was 7 years old and it became progressively more debilitating as she got older. She developed non-epileptic seizures when she was 10 and by the age of 12 started showing signs of having motor and vocal tics. After years of being shuffled in and out of hospitals, through numerous practitioners, many misdiagnoses and being told her issues were “all in her head” and even more upsetting, “attention seeking”, we were finally connected to the right medical team who listened to our concerns and helped with the appropriate testing. Guess what friends? it turns out that she is actually autistic and has Tourette Syndrome! These diagnoses were so freeing for us – it gave us the answers we needed and she has embraced her uniqueness in a beautiful and inspiring way.
The Dynamic Dou – M&M and P-Paul
Next up are our twins, M&M and P-Paul. This dynamic duo is one to behold. They are polar opposites yet so connected it’s sometimes scary!
M&M is the oldest by 2 minutes and she doesn’t hesitate to let anyone know. She is the dominant twin and has a conquer the world attitude. She also has anxiety that can cripple her in seconds. It can get so bad that she can’t make decisions and would choose not to eat at all because she couldn’t decide what the right thing was to have. Her anxiety can also present with OCD tendencies which is equally (not) fun and exciting.
P-Paul, on the other hand, is the passive one and has a more laid back, go with the flow attitude. It is a wonderful trait to have with the exception that he also has inattentive ADD so he is more like a lost soul who wanders the house leaving milk on the counter and cabinet doors open all of the time. I always know where he has been! P-Paul also struggles with dyslexia, anxiety, asthma, and vestibular migraines with weather triggers so he is a hot mess in his own right!
Peanut
Peanut is our next kiddo. She is a drama momma and an emotional mess. She is a good mix of the older kids – she is emotional like Louski, has anxiety like M&M, and ADD and suspected dyslexia like P-Paul. Peanut has the kindest heart and a patient soul. Unfortunately, her heart breaks easily and she is usually sad or crying about something. She is a mother hen, always concerned about others and wanting to take care of something or someone. We are currently on a waitlist for neuropsych testing including dyslexia, learning disabilities, and autism to get her the appropriate accommodations she needs for a successful school year.
Keek
Rounding out the team is Keek, as his younger cousins call him. Keek is quite a funny little man with a witty sense of humor and hilarious facial expressions. He is too smart for his own good and pretty much lives in imagination land where he lives and breathes all things vehicles. His current obsession is pick up trucks and what brand they are. He was diagnosed with ADHD and has energy for days and enough crazy ideas to last a lifetime! Keek is also autistic and doesn’t do well with transitions, unexpected changes in plans, or someone messing with the order of his cars so I always have to be one step ahead in hopes to make things go more smoothly.
Why I started The Mental Health Momma
The idea for this blog was born out of my desire to help other mommas who are struggling like I am. I have found that the more I share our story, the more comfortable other moms feel reaching out to ask for prayers or support. These mommas are vulnerable, sharing their tears and their fears as they watch their children struggle. They feel helpless, full of mom guilt and heartbroken that they can’t fix these challenges for them. Thankfully they know that they are not alone! They know that they have someone who they can call at any time who understands and who will listen without judgment.
It was during one of these phone calls recently that I realized that there are countless moms out there going through similar experiences, and needing a safe place to share their worries and fears. I want to create a community where we can come together, share our stories, and learn from one another. My hope is that The Mental Health Momma becomes a sanctuary for moms just like us who need a listening ear, a virtual hug, or a much-needed laugh.
What to expect
First, I want to point out what The Mental Health Momma community is not.
This blog and community are not medical practitioners. We are not offering medical advice or recommendations. I wholeheartedly encourage every person who I talk to about our mental health challenges to seek medical attention from the appropriate practitioners for their children’s and their own needs.
It has taken many years, four cities, and several different doctors to find the right team for my oldest three. Yes, it can be overwhelming spending hours on the road driving the kids to different specialists but we wouldn’t be where we are today without each one of them.
Instead when you visit you will find heartfelt and humorous stories about my experiences with anxiety, depression, while raising children with their own mental health challenges and special needs. I’ll also share tips and resources that have helped us along the way.
Final words of encouragement
If you’ve found your way here in a fit of desperation and pure exhaustion, I want you to know that you are not alone. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or feeling overwhelmed by the demands of raising children with or without unique challenges, there’s a community here that understands and supports you. Together, we can face the challenges of mental health and parenting, while embracing the hardships, finding the humor, and celebrating the beauty and strength that lies within each of us.
Thank you for joining me on this journey, and I can’t wait to connect with all of you! Let’s share our ups, downs, and everything in between, as we embark on this path towards healing, self-love, and growth together. So, buckle up, grab a can of Pepsi and a chocolate bar and let’s navigate the beautiful chaos of life, motherhood, and mental health together!
P.S. – Don’t forget to subscribe, so you never miss a post, and feel free to reach out with your own stories, questions, or suggestions! Let’s make The Mental Health Momma a true community where we can all learn from and support each other.