Day Two

Originally Posted on my Private Blog (edited to assure anonymity) on April 30, 2010

It is so hard to sit here, all alone, and not know what is being done for Josh. He isn't able to give me much information and the nursing staff dispenses just the basics. You begin to wonder if anything is being done for him.

Well, apparently, he is in very capable hands.

I spoke with the nursing staff at the hospital this morning and they said that last night Josh's blood pressure was elevated and it was a concern that they addressed. This morning his vital signs were normal. She said he was quiet last evening and kept himself pretty much isolated.

I know my child, and I know that he is spending his time analyzing all that has transpired.

His Social Worker called me this morning to exchange information. I told her the history of his depression, the medications he had been on and stopped taking cold turkey and his general emotional state, including the pain he feels surrounding the relationship he has with his Father.

Then she had a lot of information for me.

First of all she said that Josh is very remorseful about the poor medical choices he's made for himself. "I think this was an eye opening experience for him, winding up here, and he's so intelligent, he understands now that he needs to give up control, at least for a while."

We discussed, and she will discuss with him, the importance of letting me dispense his medication and she said that she overheard him tell another patient that smoking pot is just not an option for him ever again. (It messes up the delicate balance the medication is maintaining.)

We discussed aftercare options and she said Josh will need to be under the care of a psychiatrist the rest of his life. "It's important that his medications are closely monitored and that he has ongoing support to deal with the practical and emotional issues of this disorder."

In the end we agreed that the Mental Health Facility that is on the hospital's campus would be the best option. "They have more extensive services available than any facility in this area. They run support groups and have complete inpatient and outpatient programs like the one he was in at the Stress Center. (And it's a five minute drive instead of a 30 minute drive, which will be important down the road. I want his care to be convenient for him so he'll maintain it.)

I told her my concerns about the side effects of the medication they have put him on. It can affect your blood pressure, blood sugar levels and liver function, among many other very scary things. "Will they be doing regular testing for these conditions?"

"Not usually, but what they will do is educate Josh for the signs to look out for, and you too. Like excessive thirst, etc. Now, we do a complete screen on all our patients when they're admitted, and that's the other thing I want to discuss with you."

"Josh's thyroid readings were quite high, so we've called in an internist to work with us on addressing that. This condition can be responsible for many of the things Josh has experienced. Trouble sleeping, depression, anxiety, etc."

She felt Josh wouldn't get released over the weekend, "They rarely discharge from the units on the weekend, and while Monday would be the typical day for him to go home, with this thyroid condition he may be here a day or two longer so we can get that stabilized."

I asked if he would need to be closely monitored when he came home and she said she didn't think so. "We'll know more about that as we get closer to his discharge."

She's going to discuss the Mental Health Center option with Josh and ask him if he feels like he'd benefit from being in their IOP when he's released.

I'm still waiting for a call from the Psychiatrist who is caring for him. I've compiled a list of questions for him so I'll be prepared when I speak to him.

I felt so much better after talking with the Social Worker, she was amazingly warm and knowledgeable and I felt, for the first time, that we can manage Josh's condition. I also realize what a big role I will play in this child's life as I help him navigate through all this.