Working on getting back to work

Hey, everybody, it’s been a while since the last update.

I wanted to let you know what’s going on as we approach the offseason and the draft and free agency. My tentative plans are to attempt to return for said events…

But, right now, I’m still dealing with extensive physical fatigue, which hasn’t lessened since my depressive episode began in January.

As a result, I am working both my psychiatrist and my primary care physician to address my issues.

My psychiatrist has been super supportive, and genuinely listened to my concerned, so we’ve already increased one key antidepressant significantly, which helped my mood, and we’re decreasing my “sleeper” sedative, which has been difficult, but is supposed to knock down the fatigue;

On the primary care physician side of things, I’ve been diagnosed with a severe case of anemia, which helps explain some of the fatigue, but not all of it. I’m taking Vitamin B-12 and an iron supplement to boost my red blood cell count, and I see my physician on Monday, so we’re going to update my blood work and see how I’m doing in the battle to decrease my anemia.

Throughout the last couple of months, I’ve been breaking in a new therapist, too, but she’s been great, so I’m getting the psychiatric support I need to get past the tendrils of depression that are still trying to hold me back. I feel so much better than I did in January that it’s remarkable. I have a little bit to go, but I’m not feeling like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the hill any more.

Overall, I’m not quite ready to return to work, but I’m maximizing the usage of my psychiatric, physical and psychological care options to ensure that TMR will not be going on any sort of permanent hiatus. I desperately miss working and talking hockey with you, and I just want to get healthier and get back to doing the job I love so much.

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, when MLive hired me to work their SlapShots blog, and I joined Kukla's Korner in 2011 as The Malik Report. I'm starting The Malik Report as a stand-alone site, hoping that having my readers fund the website is indeed the way to go to build a better community and create better content.

5 thoughts on “Working on getting back to work”

  1. Glad to hear that you are making progress, but it sucks that it’s taking so long. Do what you need to do to better. Your health, both mental and physical, are what’s important.

  2. Hello George,
    I’m pleased to see you’re making multiple changes to your treatment approach. Remaining under the former treatment plan without change, as I believe, can only result in the same result.
    The anti-depressant change and anemia treatments are ultra-important. Hopefully, the new psychologist (therapist) can provide a more positive thread than before.
    Like hockey, this is a team effort, one that I had to learn many years ago.
    God Bless,
    John D.

  3. Out here we are not only fans of the Wings, but of you. The best to you in your eventual recovery.

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