MY LIFE HAS CHANGED by Andrea Turner

I have to say my life has changed so much.

I'll admit, I was really bad when I was younger. Drank alcohol everyday. But since my diagnosis of schizo-affective disorder back in 2007, I don't drink anymore. I don't know that much about meds, but once I was put on meds and had a clear mind, my thinking changed altogether.

I do have a social drink now and then, but not like I used to. Now, I really don't care for alcohol. I drink a lot of coffee and I know that's not good either. I don't use drugs  — only the ones prescribed. I understand about serious mental illness and remember what I went through. It's hell for the person hearing the voices. Well, for me, anyway.

I like the life I'm living today and never want to go back to my old life again. I know too many people who've passed away because they were living the kind of life I was living.

Andrea, her dad, Howard and Duke

Andrea, her dad, Howard and Duke

WE NEED HOLISTIC HEALTH CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH SMI by Cheri VanSant

My friend from church with serious mental illness (SMI), was hospitalized for severe depression about eight weeks ago. She is 67 years old and has managed her illness very well for many years. This time, however, she appeared to be having neurological symptoms that were unusual for her.

With no family of her own I, as just a friend who's also an RN, had no clout in suggesting a neurological consult. The hospital psychiatrist agreed she needed to be seen by a neurologist, but for some reason that didn't happen. After a week in the hospital, she was stabilized, psychiatrically, and sent home.

After returning home, my friend had a seizure and was taken to the ER where an MRI was done. The MRI showed that she has a massive brain tumor (growing for at least 30 years) that's operable but still very dangerous to remove surgically.

Why didn't someone do a MRI scan when my friends symptoms first appeared? Why do health care professionals think that SMI patients' problems are always psych problems? Holistic healthcare was the mantra when I was in nursing school. We were told to look at the complete person, but that's not my observation in the medical world today. People with psychiatric brain disorders are treated differently.

I'm so sad, tonight, that I didn't fight harder for my sweet friend. It's so important that we caregivers demand better overall healthcare for our loved ones.

No one cares about crazy people.

Photo credit: A New Day Rising - Stuart Williams/flickr

Photo credit: A New Day Rising - Stuart Williams/flickr

HAPPENING NOW: MY SON'S LIFE IS AT RISK by Sherry Hunter

Current update on my son, Mitchel John:
(See Sherry Hunter's post on this blog October 10, 2017: "I'm Furious at Our Criminal Mental Health System.")

At approximately 6 p.m. last night, he was released from Utah County Jail. Instead of the jail calling me, as his legal guardian, they thought it would be cool to just transport him into Provo (I live in Spanish Fork) and drop him off at the historical court house. He managed to walk to a local sandwich shop and call me. He was disoriented and had no idea where he was at. Luckily, the sandwich shop showed up on my caller ID and I was able to figure out where he was. I told him to sit tight and that his stepfather, Mark, and I would be there shortly to pick him up. Now remember, my son is experiencing extreme psychosis and has been locked up in the county jail for the past week. 

By the time we arrived at the sandwich shop, there were three police cars parked in front. My son was sitting in the back of one of the cars. According to the Provo police department, they'd been called to the scene because Mitchel was in the middle of the street without any clothes on. Nude. 

My husband and I stood there and told the officers everything that had transpired over the past few weeks. We explained that Mitchel lives with schizophrenia and has been in psychosis for  three to four weeks.  "Each facility he's been admitted to has dismissed our recommendations to keep him in isolation because he's a danger to himself and others. He's acted out at both psychiatric facilities (Utah Valley Regional Medical Center Psychiatric Unit and Provo Canyon Behavioral Psychiatric Hospital) and has been arrested at both facilities and placed in Utah County Jail with no medication."

Our lovely system at work "treating" the mentally ill. 

The police pink slipped him (detained him to an emergency hospital setting) but weren't able to admit him to Utah State Hospital because it was after hours. The only other choice was Utah Valley Regional. Again .

Meanwhile, Wasatch Mental Health crisis department is working with Utah Valley Regional giving them a briefing of my son's medical and psychiatric history. 

Mark and I followed the Provo police to the hospital and waited there with Mitchel for a few hours. They restrained him and sedated him. He's not making any sense. And, of course, without being on any of his medications for the past two-weeks, he's only gotten worse with the psychosis. 

As of right now, as far as I know, he's still on the psychiatric unit at UVRMC. I've been in touch with Utah State Hospital and Mitchel's former psychiatrist who treated him for close to five-years. We want him to be admitted to Utah State Hospital where he will get the treatment he needs. I don't know why this has to be so damn complicated. It's cut and dry. He needs to be at the state hospital. I'm tired of the run around and being told that there are not enough beds to assist him. Screw that. My son's life is at risk. If he acts out and is arrested one more time, I don't know if he's going to make it. 

The officers who were called to the scene last night were trained as CIT (crisis intervention training) officers so they know how to handle a person with mental illness. We lucked out on that. The other two times, at both psychiatric facilities, the police were not CIT trained officers. 

Oh, and according to the paperwork that was in Mitchel's bag of belongings, he had another court date set for him for this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. I called the courthouse and told them that he was currently an inpatient on a psych unit and he would not be appearing. Their response: Too bad, so sad. We'll have to put a warrant out for his arrest then. 

Everyone who knows me through my posting on Facebook for the past 5/6 years knows how sick my son has been with schizophrenia. He spent five-years at the state hospital. The voices and delusions are back and he can't function. He needs treatment and medications, although the anti-psych meds are questionable due to the Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome that he had back in January.

This is not how a person living with serious mental illness should be treated. Something's got to give. I don't know how much more I can take.  I sit here waiting for my phone to ring. The mental health "professionals" had a meeting at ten-o-clock this morning. It's 2:30 p.m. I still haven't heard a word.

 

The hospital where Mitchel is being treated temporarily. While on this hospital's psychiatric unit, Mitchel's voices told him, "Pour hot coffee all over your face." He did. Now he's seriously burned and blistered.

The hospital where Mitchel is being treated temporarily. While on this hospital's psychiatric unit, Mitchel's voices told him, "Pour hot coffee all over your face." He did. Now he's seriously burned and blistered.

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MY SON'S NEW GROUP HOME by Christi Anne

This is really happening! This is my son's new group home in Gilbert, Arizona. We just arrived for intake. This company does not charge the client room and board. They provide 3 meals and 3 snacks a day and they provide laundry soap. All expenses are covered through Ryan's insurance (state funded insurance). The other group home, in a crime and drug invested area, required 70% of a client's income.

This housing is not permanent long term. We will have staff meetings every 30 days and placement will be reviewed every 45 days. I was told that Ryan can stay as long as he needs to. A step down to a lower level of care is the eventual goal.

I prayed for this. I'm very grateful this opportunity opened up and wish there were more programs like this to meet the needs of the SMI population.

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This home is run by Arizona Behavioral Care.  Ten men share the home which is currently at capacity. www.azbehavioralcare.com