easy child/difficult child's doctor called today

[rejectedmom]

She put me on speaker phone and had him listen to the answers to her questions. She said that she is trying to teach him how to discern delusions from reality. He is on Respiradol and she said he will have to be on it for the rest of his life. She said that she is going to keep him in the psychiatric ward for another week or two and them move him over to the substance abuse side because of his drinking. She said he will not get better if he doesn't stop drinking completely. She believes he is suffering from some undetermined form of schizophrenia. He will need a case worker and a therapist and psychiatrist when he is discharged. She wants him to come live with me and not return to his condo. She has stressed tto him that it is very important for him to maintain close ties to us if he is to be sucessfull in overcomming this. She is asking his work for at least 6 weeks of leave. She said that if he did everything he needs to do to get healthy he should be able to return to work at that time. Honestly easy child/difficult child lives to work. That is his life! If he cannot go back he will not do well.

She then had the social worker call me and he tried to fax me some forms but my machine won't work because I need a DSL filter now that I switched to cable phone. I called back and asked them to e-mail me the forms but they didn't. I guess I will have to put this all on hold until after the holiday since I am hosting it. I am finding it hard to put matters aside for the holiday preparations though.

It seems so unfair that this decent and good hearted young man has had such a hard life. He struggled to overcome one thing after another only to have this disease manifest at thirty. I guess I'll have to start reading the book "When bad things happen to good people" again.

 

[rejectedmom]

Oh yeah and she answered one big question for me . The one about why he had to fall into the 10% of children of schizophrenics that get this disease rather that the 90% who don't. Apparently his mother's use of thorizine during her pregnancy with him put him in a much higher risk catagory. She had hid her pregnancy till she was at six months because she didn't want to be taken off her medications. I understand that. I'm not angry with her. I am just sad that her desire to stay on her medications impacted my son in this way.

I am very impressed with this doctor and with the facility in general. We will be starting family sessions soon.

 

[crazymama30]

Hugs. What a blow. I hope he can return to work too, especially if it means that much to him

 

[buddy]

OH wow, so so sorry. Sending positive thoughts to him and hugs to you. I slip into an "its not fair" mode on and off (only allow a few mintues then move back to reality) latey. This one falls into that category. Illnesses, injuries, disabilities that cause behavior problems and difficulty with thinking are just about the meanest things I can think of to happen to someone. I am so glad he has you. What do you feel about her thought that he comes home?

HUGS, buddy

 

[rejectedmom]

Buddy, I am in perfect agreement with her and I had even told him before he went to the ER that I thought he should come home to me and rent out his Condo. He simply said "ok"

Crazy, Yes work does mean that much to him so i am pretzeling.

 

[buddy]

Great! I wasn't sure if that was just sprung on you or not.... Well, then that is a good thing. A step to help him become healthy. Good for him.

 

[rejectedmom]

I'n not sure if it was sprung from the doctor's point of view or if son told her of our conversation. Either way it is good that we are on the same page.

 

[crazymama30]

what type of work does he do? If he is determined, 6 weeks will hopefully be enough. I hope his employer will be understanding, and not pressure him and stress him out. From what I saw with s2bx, stress and pressure just make things worse.

 

[rejectedmom]

Crazy he does sales support and some computer work. I do not know how his employer is going to react to all this. They were very afraid when I met with them and I got the impression they just wanted my son and his problems to go away. We shall see. I have heard some not so good things from the spose of a former employee of this company. That employee took family leave for terminally parent and was subsequently fired. For that reason I am guarded.