Thanks everyone, it's tough to reply to each post. Thanks SO much for your replies and your encouragement. It's been kind of a rough patch for me, but having everyone here has helped more than you know. Really. This group is an amazing group of people - thankyou!!!

The lyrica has kicked in, and it is making me very, very... for lack of better description, drunk. Stumbling drunk. And when they say it may impair vision and make you dizzy, they aren't kidding. I think it's helping the shingles pain - tough to tell when I'm so out of it. I can't really even feel my legs. lol When this side effect starts wearing off (I'm counting on that, being sober one day would be nice!), I know I'm going to start freaking out about getting my thesis done again. I'll be back to my normal high-anxious self. lol

But thank-you all. It's just so nice knowing that someone out there cares.