Just when you thought my Depression posts where over…PART II has arrived…. Another post to brighten up your day with. Actually, my symptoms were quite comical (serious, but comical), so feel free to laugh — that would be just one more silver lining….

In My Depression Post, I didn’t talk about all the people who were instrumental to my survival. So, here are a few of them, and some more of my wacky questions for your laughing pleasure….

Ali. Ali. Ali. One of the best things that could have happened to me during my tumultuous pregnancy was dear dear Ali, whom I like to call “Leeshy,” or “Best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me- when-I-was-pregnant-at-work.” She was pregnant with Bella at the time; our due dates were a week apart. I walked in to work with my ultrasound pictures and my big ol’ announcement, and, a week later, in walked Leeshy with hers! We totally bonded over this.

Several times a day, I’d trot over to Leeshy’s cubicle and lay my wacky questions on her:

“Leeshy, is it okay if I eat peanut butter?”

“Yes,” she’d reply, always with a smile, gesturing to her own half-filled jar of peanut butter.

“Leeshy, the microwave?”

“You’re fine.”

“Leeshy, Jo-Anne just gave me a static shock on my belly. Do you get static shocks? Is it…is it okay? Can I photocopy?”

“You’re fine, Haley.”

And, she always smiled and giggled with me. I have to ask her if she realized that there was something not-just-a-little wrong with me. I wondered if everyone knew? For I hid my insanity under a veil of humour and hyperactivity. At least at work.

In between questions to Alicia, I’d run to a private room and call Adrienne, the assistant director at Motherisk — she kindly gave me her private number early in my pregnancy. She specializes in pregnancy-related mental disorders. I’d ask Adrienne the same questions, and more:

“My coworker told me the almond I almost ate was half-eaten by a mouse and a weevil! It was in the bag with all the other almonds I ate! Is it okay?”

“My cat’s paw touched my cheek! Did I catch toxoplasmosis!?”

She’d always answer my questions (well, she wouldn’t always answer them) with a dose of tough love, “Haley, you’ve called me 4 times in the last 2 hours! I’m busy! You’re fine! Bye for now!”

Adrienne and I continue to keep in touch. She’s since written an article about me that was accepted into a prestigious journal of psychiatry. She’s busy preparing herself for my next pregnancy. But, let’s all hope my next pregnancy is better, right? Y’all will probably sense if I get psycho again….

There are so many people who helped me who I can’t name for privacy’s sake. Doctors, parents, siblings, inlaws, friends, and JOSH! Josh couldn’t have been more understanding and supportive — coming with me to doctor’s and therapy appointments and accepting my freak-out calls 20x a day. That’s love — in sickness and in health. I’ll never forget it.

If you or anyone you know are experiencing depression during or post pregnancy, please email me. I will always be grateful to Jennifer Lawrence of TOMAMA and MUBAR — who went through a similar experience during and after her pregnancy. My psychiatrist, Bev Young at the perinatal psychiatry clinic at Mount Sinai (yes, there is a clinic just for this!), led me to her. It was so healing to speak to someone who understood exactly what I was going through and what I needed to do. I am so grateful to her for making herself available to me. Now, it’s my turn. Email me if you need someone who understands to listen.