And just like that, freshman year is over...

From the very first page of this thread ...

Springtime in the asylum is beautiful... It’s Saturday, the sun finally broke through after a rainy morning, and the fountain—which looked like some bizarre frozen sculpture all winter—is happily bubbling away again... I want to send my best to Junior, who is being released permanently after four years. His mother sold their condo in downtown Chicago and bought a little farmhouse out in the suburbs, so he’s thrilled... He keeps telling me all about how he's going to raise chickens and rabbits; he even holds the door open for me and invites my old man over...

When he appeared at the top of the stairs (they’re letting him wander the grounds completely solo and unsupervised now), looking neat and well-groomed in a plaid flannel shirt, corduroys, and a suede vest—that one from Scarf Co. (Junior has outgrown his old ones)—with that shy little smile, the day suddenly felt even brighter. 🙂 There was almost no fidgeting, his head was held high, no erratic movements... he even had a bit of color back in his cheeks 🙂

We headed out for a "picnic"—that’s our little code for ducking into a wooded corner of the facility grounds where there’s a single lonely bench, just so we can settle in with some fruit tea and cookies...

But... something felt off. For the first time in forever, I noticed him straining his ears, hyper-vigilant, listening to every little sound in the surroundings... Then he warned me to lower my voice and stop laughing, claiming there were malicious people lurking who might try to kick us out just for being loud...

I could practically taste the bitterness rising in my throat, and that nasty, cold sweat started setting in—that unmistakable feeling that something is about to go wrong...😢

I tried to talk him down, attempting to pivot the conversation toward a joke, but it was useless... He insisted his former roommates had chased him away simply because he dared to say the soup tasted bad. He wouldn't listen to a word I said; he just rushed back to his room.

I walked him back to his room before heading straight to the nurse on duty to report my concerns... She seemed a bit worried and mentioned she would alert the attending physician.

The next morning, he called me three times, sounding absolutely frantic. He was claiming someone at work stole his watch—even though he doesn't even own a watch while staying at the hospital, let alone on a Sunday when he isn't even helping out in the washroom—and insisting I had to rush over immediately because he wasn't sure if he'd still be alive by the time I arrived. He started rambling about some hit squad arriving...

Then, I overheard someone pick up the receiver and speak to him in this calm, soothing tone. Shortly after, the attending physician came to see me. She explained that, unfortunately, there was a sudden exacerbation that simply couldn't have been predicted or prevented, and they had to sedate him for the time being. 😢

I asked if I should come down, but she told me there was no point; it would just be hard on me, and he wouldn't even be aware of my presence.

I found out this morning that things have improved slightly. They switched him over to injectable Haloperidol, but he’s still very much "out of it."😢

I’m honestly at a loss for words here... maybe saying nothing at all is the best move... 😢 😢 😢
Hang in there...

Keep your head up!
Life is just one long series of peaks and valleys...
Things have got to look up eventually.

I’m convinced things will take a turn for the better 🙂

The past year alone has proven that even in the most severe cases, significant progress can actually be made 👍

But, of course... my people are losing their patience... they're thinking, "We've kept this man in a psychiatric facility for a full year, burning through massive amounts of money every single month, and now he's right back where he started" 🙄

Kenneth Hernandez67 said:I really believe things are going to improve eventually...🙂

Even this past year has proven that we can actually make a significant difference, even with the most difficult cases out there...👍

But then again... my own patients are just losing patience... like, I've been keeping a man in a psychiatric ward for a whole year now, burning through massive amounts of money every single month, only for him to end up right back where he started...🙄

Hang in there, Kenneth Hernandez67, and don't let the frustration get to you...

What else is there to do—just give up on him?

I know deep down I'm doing exactly what's best for him...

👍 👍

Honestly, this kind of thing can happen to anyone, believe me...
Just try to stay by his side, just like I'm sure he'd do for you if the roles were reversed...
Hang in there.🙂

😢

It’s honestly pathetic how quiet they are. But look, you just gotta keep grinding like you have been—it's the only right move left.

🙂

I really hope he starts feeling better soon! 😘

Wishing you nothing but the best!
🙂

🙂 😉 😎

Don't let it get to you, Kenneth Hernandez67. You know how it goes with these kinds of illnesses... unfortunately, he's likely never going to be fully healthy again. The main thing is that he’s in the hospital now, getting professional care instead of being stuck in the situation he was in before you stepped in to help. Once this phase passes, he'll hopefully transition back into a better facility.

Hang in there, 🙂.

Kenneth Hernandez67, you are seriously my hero😉 Drs, look, you’ve done way more than anyone else ever could, and now everything is finally sitting in the hands of the doctors and your uncle. There’s going to be ups and downs, obviously, but you can handle this—just try to pass some of that responsibility over to your dad and sister for once. You have genuinely accomplished so much already. Don't beat yourself up about it; honestly, you’ve probably reached the limit of what one person can do. The main thing is that he’s safe and living a decent life now, and who knows, if you hadn't stepped up, things would have gone south fast, so you better take some credit for yourself.😘 :hug:

Look, Kenneth Hernandez67, this is just what spring does to people... we all struggle with the seasonal shifts, but those dealing with mental illness have it even harder. Manic-depressive episodes tend to spike during the spring, and while I don't know the exact specifics regarding schizophrenia, I'd bet they aren't having an easy time this time of year either. 😢

It’s actually a good thing he’s in the hospital; at least his medication was adjusted in time.

He’ll be fine eventually, but that's just the nature of this disease.

Don't let the old folks' comments get to you. You know as well as I do that this is the best possible move for your uncle.

👋

granitebadger25, can you break down more about manic-depressive psychosis for me? I’ve got this friend from back in my college days who’s been checked into the psych ward at places like Johns Hopkins a few different times now. She seems pretty steady these days—mostly—though she’s a little disconnected from reality sometimes, but honestly, I feel like that’s just because her parents are super overprotective. They hover so much it’s crazy. Because they’re always hovering, I don't even dare ask her for the gritty details about her diagnosis... it’s like they’re sending this unspoken message that the whole topic is off-limits to anyone else. Oh, and she’s put on quite a bit of weight since starting her meds—is that just an unavoidable thing with these treatments? Or what?...

It’s easy to hand out advice like this over the internet... I’m not sure how much comfort actually helps you right now, but... look, you know it gets better eventually. You just have to hang in there.
If anyone has the grit to pull this off, it’s you.😉
I just hope you don't let the doubt get the best of you. Stay strong and keep moving forward.
You've got this.😘

Hang in there, Kenneth Hernandez67—I really don't want to sound like a pessimist, but sometimes caring for people who are seriously ill is just incredibly draining. I know how hard it is for them to come to terms with everything, especially when things were going so well just a little while ago. Keeping you in my thoughts.

Kenneth Hernandez67 said:Oh, sure... my patients were just dying to wait... like, I spend a year keeping a guy locked up in a psychiatric ward, burning through massive amounts of money every single month, only for him to end up right back where he started. 🙄

Seriously, this totally set me off!!!

Kenneth Hernandez67, don't let them get to you! Forget about the people who care more about "what the neighbors will think." 🙄

Honestly, you're my hero!🙂 😘

Kenneth Hernandez67,
haven't read your thread until now.... had two friends—my brother and sister, both in their twenties!—deal with schizophrenia. I've seen firsthand what happens when people lose all sense of where they are, what time it is, or even who's around them. One friend actually wandered out of my place in the middle of the night, left a note on the table with the bill settled (she was visiting me, and I don't charge for that!) plus cash for a room, headed to a hotel, and then kept calling me every thirty minutes while I had zero clue where she was... that was like 8 or 9 years ago...
since then, both her and my brother (his stuff hit about a year or two after hers) have fully recovered. She managed to finish college and get a job... he’s working too and in a solid relationship.

I know she's constantly on meds (not sure which ones) and puts in a ton of work on herself. He isn't quite as disciplined and hits those anxious patches every once in a while.
they don't live in the same city so I don't see them much, but we talk regularly and from what I know—they're doing good.

honestly, mad respect to you... most people don't have half the empathy needed for their own family, let alone an uncle... and don't even get me started on how people treat strangers.

wishing nothing but the best for you and your uncle.

Thanks so much... everyone 🙂

You know, when I started that first thread and kept posting, people claimed I was just doing it for attention... and I'm sure this topic will face the same criticism
.
But honestly, it’s tough, and reading even a single word of support makes things easier, because in my real life, I have absolutely nobody to turn to.

And trust me, you have no idea what kind of obstacles you run into when you actually try to help someone like this.