My dad's lost his mind.....here we go again

[Karen]

I am glad the dosage increase is helping, it is a tricky thing, as everyone's brain chemistry is different, and schizophrenia can be tricky to treat. A friend of mine's mom has it, and I am always sure to tell him (he has married and moved a couple towns away) when I see a marked change in Loretta's behavior, as it is often difficult for his dad to notice as he is with her every day.

Keep up the good work on your part, and we will all celebrate with you when the mediation and whole divorce thing is over!

[Queen of Poop]

So just a little update on my dad. He is still in care, today they will renew him for another 30 days. He has now been moved into a room with another person. The doctor felt my dad was spending too much time sitting in a chair doing nothing, not interacting with anyone, not participating in any activities, nothing. Apparently it's going ok so far. He is, as always, regimented in his schedule, always showers and cleans himself up, always on time for meals but then does nothing but sit. When his social worker tried to engage him in conversation she failed. He had nothing to say about me, my brother, my mom, home, really nothing at all. All that matters to him is himself and his own little world - nothing new here. Apparently the social worker found him hard to read, engage, understand. Welcome to our world dear. The doctor will be upping his meds a little more very soon, so we'll see what impact that has.

Thanks again all for your support in this.

My mom's doing very well. Is going to see today about getting some good winter tires on her car as this will be the first time she's had to drive in the winter time in her life!

[Freedom]

Sigh, I just don't know what to say. Sounds like your Dad was functioning with a life long issue, and now he is getting care. That is good.

This must all be so hard for your mom, and for you as well. For her, doing all these "firsts," will help build her confidence over time. But sure is alot to manage all at once! And for you, just one more thing to juggle. Prayers for all of you, and that some things do resolve so you have fewer things on your plate all at one time.

[cassiesmom]

Q of P, thinking of you this evening. Hoping that an increase in your dad's medication dose will help. (((HUGS)))

[Queen of Poop]

Another uppydate. My dad's meds have not yet been increased. He's figured out the doctor is the one keeping him locked up so he's not been speaking to the doctor for a bit now. He is still taking the meds at this point. Every day he asks if his discharge papers are ready. He told my mom that he'd be released this week, of course he won't be but the "voices" tell him he will be. He does not ask mom how she is, or ask about me or my brother. He's going to need to be in the hospital for a good, long time yet it would seem.

Thanks for continuing to check in on us!

[Karen]

Yes, a woman I know was a paranoid schizophrenic, and if she missed a dose of her medicines, she would sometimes decide the doctors or the medicines themselves were to blame, and then she would hide them, or refuse to take them, flush them, etc. It was sad, because when she was on the correct dosage, she was nice and sane and fairly pleasant. It is such a tricky disease, and our brain chemistry is fragile and often misunderstood.

[Queen of Poop]

So we have some new developments with Dad. None of them are good either.

He's requested to go before the review board. If he is successful they will let him out!!!

Going against him is the fact that he's not kept secret from his doctor or social worker the fact that he does not believe he needs to be medicated and will immediately stop taking the meds once free. Also going against him is my mom. She and I are working up her statement to be given to the review board with my dad present. She's basically going to tell them she doesn't want him back unmedicated so that he can go back to looking for bombs, believing there are people outside who are trying to shoot him in the head, dragging her from room to room and in/out side as the voices demand, not eating their food or drinking their water/coffee because they've been poisioned, etc. She's not willing to put up with that behaviour again and will defy him. Which, God Forbid, could put her in jeopardy.

I can't really see him being successful at this point, especially with his out loud admission regarding the meds. He's using the fact that winter is coming and my mom cannot function/survive without him. Surprise dad, she is all set up to manage on her own this winter - she's ALOT stronger than anyone gave her credit.

We don't yet know when he will go before the review panel.