General Posting As A Carer And Sufferer - Healing My Son

[anthony]

Well... atleast an MRI will tell once and for all regarding the PTSD.

 

[becvan]

Huh, good point. I know it's something that I struggle with.. as I have that slim hope that the diagnosis is wrong.. hehe I just can't seem to let that hope die..

I made myself some mint hot coco and my dog gave me hugs.. and once my pills kick in, I'm going to bed. Maybe a good night sleep will help me feel less teary and sad.

bec

 

[jods]

Hi Bec

Putting on your carers hat I would be writing down any/all questions that you have about Matt's stay for when you see the doc. I know I did!

This is a hard time for you as a mum but you both made the move to do things to improve your family life. This is the start of good things to help you both!

Wishing you both the best during this transition.
Hugs to you!

 

[pandora]

bec..I just wanted to say, i hope you are having a better day! Take Care! pand

 

[Kathy]

Ah thank you for the clarification Bec; I misread and thought Matt was already in hospital. Perhaps it is good for you that he is not going in just yet; this gives you an opportunity to adjust to the idea and ask all the questions you need to. Somewhere I have a list of questions for caregivers to ask psychiatrists, and I will search for it and send it to you. Jim and I found it most helpful. Be sure you ask all the questions and get all the answers you need; be assertive. It is your right to know and their job to tell you. Sometimes psychiatrists get irritated by too many questions, however that is wrong of them and you can tell the psych I said so! Oh dear I am becoming irritated for you already! :tongue:

I agree with Anthony, the MRI is a very positive step. However, when Evie went for hers, they did tell us that even if nothing showed up on the MRI, it was not a 100% indication or guarantee that Evie did not have PTSD. Apparently the brain changes are still somewhat theoretical, though they did find changes to Evie's brain. I apologize if that complicates matters for you, however that is what we were told.

I do hope you had a good rest last night and are feeling somewhat better. Perhaps do something especially nice for yourself and Matt today? Take good care.

 

[becvan]

So far so good this morning.

Sleep does wonders for killing that shock/stress reaction.

Well, since everyone (you guys, Ryan, Nic and even Matt) feel this is a good thing, that is what I'm going with. So, I've called Matt's therapist back and left a message that it's a go, I just need some questions answered.

It really helped reading that a hospitalized assessment was an opportunity. Kinda cleared my head for a bit. There is no way he could get all those tests done in three weeks outside of hospitalization, it would take a few years for them to do with our waiting lists. Also, Nic had told me to think of it as an physical illness. If they said Matt needed to be in the hospital for tests for such a thing, how would I react? Well, of course I would make him go.

So the decision is final. Now I just have to steel myself for it.

If they put him in this week it might work out really well. As I see my psych today and will be put on new drugs. I was worried about this phase, as drugs hit me really hard. So at least I won't have to worry about Matt being properly taken care of while I adjust to the meds. So that is positive.

Jods: thanks for the idea of writing down my questions! I need to do that. Otherwise I might end up forgetting half my questions if I get stressed out.

Anyways, I'm kinda approaching all this as business like at the moment.

bec

 

[becvan]

Ohhh a list of questions would be wonderful! Less taxing on my overworked brain!

Hehe, if they had just hospitalized him without any warning, I think I would have been put in the ward next to him! lol

I think they are hoping to rule out anything physical at this point. Since I have a history of seizures they will be digging into that one quite deep. He had an EEG when he was six, but .. lol fort was handling it and I think they have about as much respect for them as I do!

Thanks for the info on the MRI. It should be interesting to see what they say. Hell, I wish I could get one done!

bec

 

[Kathy]

I am delighted you were able to get some rest last night Bec. I found the questions I was speaking of, and also a guide for family advocating for a mentally ill relative. I have posted both under [DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread5254.html[/DLMURL] so others may find them easily as well. The information is quite generic; Jim and I have tailored the documents to suit our situation specifically. I do hope hope that helps.

 

[becvan]

Thanks Kathy, those are excellent. I will be printing them off actually.

Spoke to Matt's therapist. We will sign the papers tomorrow and she is going to try to find the date of admission for me. I have the name of the SW that will be managing his admission and what not. We will get a tour by her, along with Matt's therapist, on Thursday. He will be on the adolescent mental health ward (thank god) as it's much quieter and calmer area. I will also get a brochure of the ward to help explain some of this.

So it's all going tickity-boo now.

Matt's therapist was glad to hear I went to my support system and worked out my fears and stress reaction. LOL, she said she figured that was what I was going to do and that she was going to call me today anyways as she felt I would have calmed down by now. Hehe, nice to have a therapist for Matt, that understands my reactions and time needs to calm down. Very nice. Makes working with her so much easier.


Funny, even she pointed out that I need a plan in place for while Matt is in there so that I don't go bonkers.. LOL

so it's going, I'm probably looking at Matt being admitted next week or so.

bec

 

[becvan]

I'm very angry today. Part of it is due to seeing my psych for the first time.. and getting triggered in there, part due to accepting Matt going in the ward for a few weeks. Very mixed up in my head.

I'm so very angry and frustrated with every thing right now. Will post more tomorrow.

bec

 

[jods]

I don't know if this helps Bec but I freaked out when I realised hubby was going into hospital for the first time.

I think it was just a fear of the unknown but once I spoke to his doc & took a look around my mind was more at ease.

Do make sure that you have things to do for yourself while he is in there. It sounds selfish but it gives you "me time" & we all need that every once in a while. Plan a day to do something that is all about you because you deserve it!

 

[Kathy]

I am sorry you had a difficult day Bec. I do hope today is somewhat better for you. I second Jodee; do something nice for yourself, as you do deserve it!