Only two pages on Joan Baez? That seems insufficient, I suppose.
I recently learned about her lovely connection to Mimi Farina and her husband Richard, who passed away tragically just three years into their marriage. I felt compelled to share this little discovery with all of you.
driftinggull21 said:Given she is nearly 90 years old, I doubt this is schizophrenia; it is more likely geriatric paranoia. While she certainly needs medication, her age and any underlying physical health issues significantly limit the available options. A doctor would probably start with a low dose of Haldol. You need to speak with the physician responsible for the residents at the assisted living facility. Usually, they work as outside consultants. Present the medical records to them, and they will either prescribe the medication themselves or refer her to a psychiatrist.
Thank you! I think the last time she had an episode, she was on Haldol. She is generally healthy and doesn't have any major illnesses. Yes, we will talk to their doctor. Thanks again. 😉
I don't know much about schizophrenia, so I am reaching out to those of you who might be more experienced. My grandmother is 87 years old and currently living in a senior living community. After we were away for two months and couldn't visit as often, she seems to have lost her way. It isn't that she's confused or incoherent—she actually sounds quite lucid and sharp—but she is constantly telling these unrealistic stories that seem very typical of paranoid schizophrenia. She believes the nurses at the facility are enemies holding secret meetings and plotting conspiracies to mock the elderly residents. I should mention this is a high-end facility, likely one of the most expensive in the entire state. She also claims to hear men in the adjacent room discussing trading and politics late at night, and she can't figure out what they want from her. She has stopped eating because she fears something is being slipped into her food; she looks like a skeleton right now :/ And yes, she constantly brings up some TV series and certain roles, as if she has convinced herself she is actually a character in a show or something :/ She keeps insisting that everyone thinks she is crazy, but she insists she is NOT!
The staff at the facility aren't really doing anything about it. I'm not sure if they even realize what is going on in her head, especially since she tells me she just stays quiet in front of them so they won't hurt her :/
She has had psychological episodes like this before and was prescribed antipsychotics, but once she seemed to stabilize, they took her off them.
So, I suppose I am wondering if I should alert her doctor and get her back on medication, or if I should just let things play out and see if any major issues arise. How does this usually work? To what extent can a patient (if she is indeed ill) be left without therapy? And what kind of impact would potential therapy actually have?
I saw them live the summer before last, and I thought they were quite wonderful 🙏 I haven't really listened to them much since then, though I suppose I could start again 😍
I saw them live recently in Chicago; they were actually opening for Coldplay. They weren't bad. I suppose they sound pretty good in a live setting, though they didn't particularly blow me away.
So what am I supposed to do now? Demand they abolish the male gender entirely?!
And why not just ask for nothing at all— not from women , nor from men?! I guess that’s just what happens when you’re actually a satisfied individual, regardless of gender.
That was actually my point—women fought for everything they were supposed to have in the past, and I feel content now. At this stage, I think I can only expect things from myself. Why struggle constantly, even if there isn't a specific cause left?
Keith Jones76, I agree with you, and I also agree with Graham. I guess you both have some very wise perspectives. 🙂
James Ramirez10 said:A little humor wouldn't hurt here. Why can't we just admit that kids aren't always little angels? It's just the truth of the matter.
Well, thank God children aren't angels. Adults aren't angels either, I suppose. Why should a child even be expected to be an angellet?
A child is a human being with their own personality, virtues, and flaws. I think it's quite silly to suggest someone shouldn't have children just because they won't be a tiny baby forever.!!! 😕
I guess anyone who wants a little baby for their entire life—someone who can't talk back or show any personality or rebellion—probably has some wrong ideas about what parenting is actually supposed to be about. We were all rebellious teenagers once, weren't we? And I don't think our parents should have loved us any less because of it. That seems foolish.
To me, this isn't funny; it just feels shallow and superficial.
casualjackal10 said:Hannah White2 says: No—it’s more that a future man views everything through the lens of offspring. It's purely instinctive. Or do you honestly believe women living in caves were busy organizing feminist rallies? Sometimes I get the impression that certain feminists just want to surgically remove breasts from all women—anything to erase the biological evidence that the female body is designed for childbearing. I'm not targeting you specifically; I'm just laying out my train of thought. Look, I am not advocating for the idea that every single woman should have children—not at all—I'm simply sharing my observations. Personally, I believe everyone should pursue whatever brings them fulfillment, provided they stick to a principle of non-violence. I don't think having kids is necessarily the ultimate peak of human achievement, but when you look at our materialistic society—a world where the word "scientist" is tossed around with the same kind of reverence once reserved for priests—I truly believe there is no greater contribution than men and women working together as a unified community...
Ladies, please, let's not be ungrateful—never forget that feminism is the reason you have the right to vote, access to the stock market, maternity leave, and so on.
Thank goodness I have all of those rights now. I feel completely equal to men—perhaps even a bit superior in some ways, I guess.
So, what am I supposed to do next? Should I demand that the male gender be abolished?!🤷
slypuma17 said:The root of the issue lies in semantics—a linguistic trap we’ve discussed before. People say, "I want a baby." Well, obviously, nobody wakes up wanting a moody teenager who mumbles through their dinner while wearing headphones and messing with their greasy hair to some indie rock track. 😂
The standard "commercial" version of parenthood always features a radiant, glowing mother and a perfectly composed infant. It never shows the exhausted, drained woman or the toddler throwing a tantrum in the middle of a Target aisle. 😁
Kids aren't an afterthought.
They certainly shouldn't be treated as an afterthought, yet for far too many, that is exactly how it happens. 😁
👎
Maybe it really is better if you don't become a mother.
Hannah White2 said:Look, it’s simple—men look at a future partner through the lens of passing on genes. It's pure instinct. You think women back in the caveman days were out organizing feminist rallies? Honestly, sometimes I get the vibe that certain modern feminists just want to go around surgically removing everyone's breasts—just to wipe out any physical evidence that the female body was actually designed for reproduction. I'm not targeting you specifically, mind you, just throwing my thoughts out there. I'm not sitting here preaching that every single woman needs to have kids—not even close—I'm just calling it like I see it. Personally, I believe everyone should just do whatever makes them happy, provided they aren't being jerks about it. I don't necessarily think having offspring is the ultimate peak of human achievement or anything, but when you look at this hyper-materialistic world we live in—where people treat "scientists" like they used to treat high priests in old religions—I really think there isn't a bigger contribution men and women can make together than ensuring our species keeps moving forward...
👍 I agree with every single sentence.
p.s. regarding that bolded part, you feel it too, but I actually heard something very similar from a feminist once.
casualjackal10 said:I’m at that age where my biological clock isn't just ticking—it’s practically shouting at me—and yet, I still don't feel like I can confidently say, "Okay, I am ready to be a parent." I’ve spent so much time spiraling over this, wondering if it's rooted in a lack of self-confidence, a struggle with self-love, or maybe some deep-seated inferiority complex—essentially, a subconscious fear that I simply won't be "good enough" to pull off motherhood. Sometimes, the doubt even shifts toward my partner; I find myself questioning if he's truly "the one," and then the panic sets in: what if I make the wrong choice? I remember reading something profound written by someone else—they suggested you just have to "leap"—because, honestly, you can never truly predict how you'll navigate a role you've never held, no matter how much you try to simulate every scenario in your head. Being a total perfectionist makes this infinitely harder for me—it’s nearly impossible to commit to a decision when the circumstances don't feel "perfect," though, let's be real, they likely never will in my mind. btw, I absolutely adore my little niece 🙂
That is exactly how I view it too.
For us perfectionists, I think we deal with more fear than most. We worry about failing our own expectations or finding ourselves in some messy situation. But, I suspect the reality is different, and maybe we would actually be better parents than most people.
I love my nephew dearly as well. Ever since he was born, I have felt somewhat more confident in myself. He gave me the belief that I could be a great mother, just as I am already a great aunt to him.
To the women out there: please, just be brave. I am fairly certain there is no greater happiness or life achievement than bringing a new, happy human being into this world.
I honestly think Dana Stewart6 isn't some outlier here. She’s just like most people—terrified of the actual responsibility that comes with motherhood, even if nobody wants to admit it out loud. It doesn't seem like she's against having kids per se; from what I can tell, she just doesn't feel ready. And frankly, she needs encouragement. Who isn't intimidated by the weight of parenthood these days? Fear shouldn't be the thing that makes us walk away from our dreams.
Look, I wasn't putting words in anyone's mouth regarding how they feel. These people said it themselves. I’m simply stating that it’s okay to feel however you feel. You shouldn't have to "fix" those feelings with justifications or by denying obvious fear. People deserve peace on this subject and, more importantly, understanding. Trying to force this idealized version of motherhood on everyone—insisting we all just "conquer" our fears to solve the problem—is nothing more than harmful propaganda. And what if she doesn't do it? That's my question. Does that suddenly make her any less conscientious? Not at all. That's my point.
That is also my point. However, if someone avoids parenthood out of fear, I suppose that is cowardice. It seems to me that anything we refuse to pursue simply because we are afraid falls into that same category.
slypuma17 said:Here we go again, another cliché. 😁 How long does a "baby" actually last? Not very long—they grow up. But being a parent? That's a lifetime commitment.
Fair enough, but right now, there is a baby 😉.
Do you honestly think people will just stop loving them once they get older?! 😕 I guess love grows alongside the care you provide, so it should increase rather than diminish.
I am not trying to push clichés. I just want to offer some encouragement to women who might be nervous about becoming mothers one day. If someone chooses not to have children because they prefer their current lifestyle, that is their right, and others should respect that.
Honestly, I think many children end up neglected or unhappy because their parents didn't truly consider the weight of parenthood. They just wanted a "little baby," or worse, they had a child by accident. I guess you have to wonder—how could anyone with a sense of responsibility raise a drug addict? I highly doubt it.
In my opinion, nobody should have a child just because society pressures them to, nor should they do it out of fear. Fear is a natural emotion, but I suppose a person is a coward if they let it dictate their life.
A dear friend of mine felt unready for a long time, though she was already married. It was incredibly irritating how people would constantly nag her with comments like, "So, when are you having kids?" It’s as if it were anyone's business but hers. When she finally decided she was ready and started "trying," she became completely focused on it. When she didn't get pregnant right away, she was absolutely devastated; she couldn't even wait for it to happen (even though just a few months prior, she wasn't ready at all). She has a beautiful baby now. Things were quite difficult at first, but as time goes on, she seems happier and more devoted to her little one than ever. 🙂
Ladies, I believe that because you are thinking about this so conscientiously, you will end up being much better mothers than many others out there. Of course you will look after a little one; it's just how we are wired. No one is claiming it’s easy, but what else is there? I suppose motherhood is one of the greatest blessings we women have been given—the chance to bring new life into this world. I realize I am starting to sound a bit like a preacher here. In truth, I think I am mostly just trying to reassure myself, as the thought of such a massive life change is quite frightening to me too.😉
James Allen6, please don't worry. I think if you talk through your fears with your boyfriend, they might start to feel less overwhelming. If you feel like this anxiety stems from some past trauma, maybe reaching out to a therapist could help. It really can be useful.
redharbor9 said:Nah, redharbor9 just hasn't cured his allergy to people who assume everyone knows what they're thinking and then expect anyone to take them seriously😍
I suppose jealous27 isn't really any different from anyone else. She seems to be just like most people—simply afraid of the responsibilities that come with motherhood, though perhaps she won't admit that out loud. It doesn't seem to me that she lacks the desire for children, per se. Rather, I think she just doesn't feel ready. Maybe she needs some encouragement, because honestly, who isn't a bit intimidated by the weight of parenthood these days? Fear shouldn't really be a reason to walk away from our dreams.
redharbor9 got upset because you keep confusing his profession with medicine.🙂
I honestly don't understand what we are even supposed to say to you. Your IQ seems quite low, I suppose, since driver's license exams are designed for people who are below average, rather than just average. Maybe try taking some tests on the Mensa website; perhaps then you might realize you were simply having an off day. And if you aren't, well, it doesn't matter. Social and emotional intelligence seem much more important for life than the "pure" kind they measure.