jmcummins3

I am so sorry you are going through all this. I don't know which meds are safe to take, but your doctor should. If you don't think you can wait until tomorrow, call your doctor ASAP and see if they can get you in today or at least prescribe something to help you now. You WILL get through this! It's a stressful time of year financially, but just do what you can and be creative.

I don't know how old your children are, but if they're too young to know the difference anyway, don't stress yourself out too much. If they're a little older, you can make them cards with the promise of a fun day together after Christmas (when you have a little more money). You can tell them what you have planned or give them little hints and keep them guessing. Kids are really cool, though, and will be happy just spending the day with you, no matter what you do. The dollar stores have some fun things for kids, cool pens, etc. and they don't know how much you spent or didn't spend. If you have a thrift store/Salvation Army/Goodwill, etc. store near you, you can find all sorts of things there that look like you spent a fortune but they're really cheap, even stuff for kids, especially around the holidays. If something is a little more than yo wanted to spend, they're usually willing to bargain there. One year when things were really tight financially for me, DH and I (we weren't married then) made each other a card and "gift" with the theme "if money wasn't an issue, for Christmas I would buy you..." That was one of the best Christmas's we've had! The year before that, I made him a coupon book for a special date that I would take him on and surprise him each month of the following year (I spread out the money I would have spent on a gift because I just didn't have it with a DD to shop for). We had more fun on those dates than whatever I would have bought him for Christmas. We did things like going to see ice sculptures in January, a romantic picnic at the park in June ending with a nice overnight at a bed-n-breakfast far enough away to be out of town, but not an all day trip to get there or the cost of airfare, we drove. My brother was short on money one year and he decorated a mayonaise jar and filled it with memories that he had growing up with my parents. My mom thought that was the best gift she could have ever gotten. If you have a big extended family, suggest drawing names this year, I'm sure other people will be relieved as well. If you normally buy for friends, do the mayonaise jar idea of memories you've had with each of them or write them personal letters telling each of them how much they mean to you. No real friend would want you to stress yourself out and spend money you don't have just to get them a gift, and besides, wouldn't you rather receive a heartfelt letter telling you how special you are from someone who really means it than some gift someone picked up at the store? You can put your thinking cap on and be creative. You can do it!

Your babies need you, so hang in there! Definitely call your doctor and be honest with them about how you are feeling today. The appointment setters can sometimes work miracles to get you in to see the doctor when you really need to. Or, worse case scenario, go sit in their lobby and I guarantee you'll be worked in. Your health and mental health are most important!