Family member ill

[AJ]

Leila let us know how the family meeting goes.

[leila63]

Hi everyone,

Tracey, thanks for the I sure appreciate them. Interesting what you said about resperidal and periods. I don't mind not having them but I sure don't want to start growing a mustache!

Re Tracy, we had a meeting with the doctor and she said Tracy has schizophrenia. The voices she hears are auditory hallucinations. Didn't get to ask as many questions as I would have liked being that one of my stepsisters is a motor mouth spending a bunch of time badmouthing my neices and the like, but the good news is that they are for sure going to keep her past the 30 days until they are convinced she is stable. (And they're not going to let her off the ward unattended!) I asked about the depot shots and the pdoc said it is possible if Tracy gives her consent. I'm sure she will given that she is convinced that the meds make her sick and throw up.

Just have to take it one day at a time. I guess the next big crunch is trying to figure out where she lives once hospitalization is over. She has a big say (obviously) and going back to her husband could be bad news. That's all you need isn't it, mental health issues and marital issues all at once.

I'm going to hang in there, and hang out here in the meanwhile.

[A.E.V.]

I sure hope things continue to get better for you and Tracy!

[paul m]

Hello Leila63. Hallucinatios are no fun. You can actually get them in all five senses. They come in all different strengths from great like your sister has to being only hear whispers and not understand them.

Depot shots can work wonders, but they are only available in limited meds. Mostly antipyschotics and not all of them. They work so well that in some states they are mandated for some criminals with a mental disorder if they want to get of jail early. Miss a shot, back in you go.

Her meds may be making her sick and throwing up. I went through a while where abouts I was taking heavy doses of anti-ps and it was horrible. If I had to do that again and for very long, I might decide it was better to become a street person and be unstable. I'm not trying to scare you, just explain how Tracey may feel.

I'm sure it is very tough for you. Keep fighting

I will try and end this post lightly. I thought that when you have major mental health issuses that you automatically had major martial issues . Marriage is tough on A good day, mental illness is tough ANY day. Combine the two, real tough. Take Care. paul m

[leila63]

Hi paul m

Thanks for your kind thoughts and information. I didn't realize the meds could be causing her to feel sick to her stomach. We did ask about depot shots in the interest of avoiding the tummy troubles and she seemed agreeable.

It's starting to hit me about schizophrenia. The doctor says it is a chronic illness, but then so is bipolar, with different challenges. We will all have to work together to help her do as well as possible. Some conflicts I have with other family members leaked thru in my post but I think stuff like that happens in these types of situations but we all have to learn to work together. Also, it gives me an idea of what my family went through with me when I first became ill with bipolar.

[paul m]

Hello Leila63. As you know from reading my posts I have had a long difficult time with bipolar. I worked really hard to get better.

Everytime I start to feel sorry for myself I say" Life's tough, but thank goodness that I do not have a bad case of schizophrenia". (I'm not kidding)

One of the major problems most people have with schizophrenia is the medications they have to take in large dosages. If they can get past that they stand a good chance.

The biggest difference between schizophrenia and bipolar is support. With respect to this and other bipolar websites The schizophrenics blow us away when it comes to providing info, resources and support groups. Like anything it takes a while to figure out where to get started but if you want some reading.

www.szmagazine is a mag you ca read on line

http://www.schizophrenia.ca/heimEnglish1.htm is the National Organization.

http://www.schizophrenia.ab.ca/ is the one in Alberta.

Take Care. paul m

[leila63]

Thanks for the links paul m, much appreciated.

Just a heads up to anyone who has a family meeting with a doctor re a loved one, it is not a bad idea to have someone take notes so as to avoid people remembering what was said differently and some ground rules about what to share with your loved one, for example, not telling your loved one that his/her diagnosis has changed. Some things are better coming from the doctor.

Yeah, it's been a gong show around here. Only way I can look at it is that things happen for a reason sometimes and things can turn out for the best in the future even though it is hard to see it the the present.

[A.E.V.]

"things can turn out for the best in the future even though it is hard to see it the the present."
I love the way you said that... I have to keep reminding myself of it!!

hang in there,

Anne.

[paul m]

Hello Leila63. I read your post and you made me laugh.(in a good way) So I am not trying to be sarcastic.

When I first had major problems my family would have only needed notes for the exit doors . My normally staid wife, cranked up over my actions and my relatives helpfull hints, actually got banned from the shrinks office as she wouldn't listen to what he wanted for me, but what she and the family wanted for me. It's the only place she has ever been banned from.

So when you said it had been a gong show around there , it really made me say, Yup, that's a good description.

I wouldn't say that I agree with you about everything happening for a reason, but I still have my wife and a measure of sanity left, so perhaps your right . Take Care. paul m

[Woody]

You mean not every family is not like the Brady Bunch?¿?

Leila, how has your Tracy reacted to the new Dx
Did the Pdoc say what the coarse of action was going to be?

[leila63]

Technically Woody we are supposed to be like the Brady Bunch since it is a blended family. I remember hitting on a guy and trying to explain my family as being like the Brady Bunch and he didn't have any idea what what I was talking about because he was too young. (And no, I didn't get the boy).

Oddly enough, Tracy being told the dx is making her curious and she is making a list to ask her doctor about. Hope the doctor doesn't stop talking to us but I guess there are blabbermouths in any family so it won't be outside her realm of experience.

Course of action is to keep her past the 30 days which is good because she is still hearing voices. No one has asked her what plans are yet but she did ask Mom to take the crafts she made in recreational group out to my parent's house so maybe she is planning to go there and not back to abusive husband.

There have been some twists and turns to this but I'm still keeping the faith that things will turn out well in the long run.

[paul m]

Hello Leila63. I am glad tracey is somewhat adjusting. Your quite right about not discussing things as long as she is still hallucinating voices which means she not able to make rational decisions yet.

Talking about families. My wife's neice has 4 kids by 4 different guys, she just mrd a guy with 2 kids by 2 different women, of the 6 none are older than 15 and everybody has at least partial custody. This also means their are 8 direct parents involved and some of those have spouses.

Thanksgiving, Christmas etc are almost impossible to arrange. If I found myself in that position I would just join a monestary. Take Care. paul m

[Woody]

Doh! When I made the Brady Bunch comment I completely forgot about the fact that she is your half sister and all that. I was thinking more of the family interaction aspect related in the series.

The fact that she is making a list of question to me sounds like a positive thing. As for telling her or not... I was just thinking about John Nash. Even in the peak of his delusions, the man was a brilliant mathematician. The other thing that comes to mind is that if my Pdoc was to come up to me and told me to take this pill and he did not tell my why... even though we have a good relationship, I would be more than hesitant...

Another positive, if they are already thinking about extending past the 30 day, they are not going to rush her out of the door.

[uni]

Hi Leila; I'm just catching up here after being gone, and it sure sounds like you've had a lot going on regarding your sister. I'm glad things seem to be progressing in a positive direction, and that you are taking care of yourself as well. Your postings have given me more insight into schizophrenia than I had before; thanks for sharing.

[leila63]

Saw Tracy today. She seemed a bit subdued. She asked the pdoc about her dx that she learned from her sister and the pdoc said that she had not made a a final dx and that her dx could have other comorbids (though she didn't say it that way but you know what I mean). She also said that she didn't want Tracy reading 25 books on schizophrenia. Blabbermouth stepsister claims pdoc told Tracy her dx but Tracy forgot. Talk about lame.

She is still not allowed out unaccompanied which gives me hope that they're not going to cut her loose until they're sure they're stable. Actually been thinking about the family meeting and you know I think pdoc's interns were making notes about us! I suppose a family has to accept and adjust to an illness the same way the patient does.