Dailies #9

David is in his new apartment and officially starts class on Wednesday - the first day he seemed do manage OK - my brother living so close helps, but tonight my mom stopped in to check and noticed that he had forgotten to take last night's meds and he couldn't figure out how to set his alarm - she thought him nervous and a bit manic - I know the upcoming trial of first day is working on him - I keep thinking positively and try not to worry constantly, but to say I am on edge would be an understatement - just thank the gods for my brother - he and my mom spent an hour organizing his apartment, took him out to dinner, and when my mom left my brother was busy printing out his schedule so he could drive him over and walk him through where his classes are tommorow - I will up date Wednesday -

Caregivers know from personal experience how much of a toll dealing with mental illness can be - this new study highlights some of these concerns

International Caregiver Survey Shows Treatment Disruption Has Serious Consequences for Families Living with Serious Mental Illness: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Dailies #8

Things have been busy and chaotic lately as I try to juggle getting David in an apartment (that should be accomplished before the end of the week), preparing for a new school year of teaching and maintaining the rest of the household. so far things have been going well; David was anxious to get his textbooks early and has already started reading them - he does seem a bit down this last couple of days - probably the stress of dealing with this upcoming change - I hope we can make the transition without precipitating a crisis. Myself I worry, worry, worry - I worry that his anxiety will overcome him the first couple of days - I worry that he will become lonely and depressed away from home - I worry that he will fail to take his medication. My list is never ending - but I know that for David to have a life of his own I have to stand back and walk away - of course I will still no doubt call him constantly and drive up to check on him often - but in the end I am here and he will be there and if something happens he will be alone - I have never felt more afraid in this tossing sea - I see my son drifting off with the current - he could be headed towards of tropical paradise or a brewing hurricane - either way I know I must let him go.

Another note - the following report of schizophrenia and teens is sobering and informative - something for parents to keep in mind when they struggle to understand why their kids do what they do.







PsychiatryMatters.MD

Dailies #7

I fear to even say this - I don't want to jinx myself, but things have taken a turn for the better - my husband is doing well - our relationship has been improving day by day - I have been taking him to his doctor's appointments and those have went well - The stomach doc says that he also has gatroparesis (a condition where the stomach doesn't empty fast enough) and has given him some further diet restrictions, but the time away and the diet seems to be healing not only his body, but his mind - he has gained a much more positive outlook and determination that we can get through these troubling times. And I am, as readers have suggested, going to have David, and the other children screened for Celiac. David also seems to be improving - no more comments about dreams blurring to reality or voices. We are going to get his apartment this coming week and he is very excited about that - I, of course am very nervous - but I'm sending his favorite cat, Jewel, with him and he will be living in the same apartment complex as his uncle - I am making a list of all the things we need to do to prepare - I know that for one I'm only going to give him three to four days of meds at a time - his uncle can hold the rest - and I am ordering his books for class early - he says he wants to start looking at them now - I think he is still having trouble concentrating so perhaps he can get a jump start on the reading which will help. It's raining here and gray today - remnants of Ernesto - but inside a beam of warmth and light has begun to shine - I feel happier and more confident that maybe things will work out OK - though don't get me wrong - I know with all our problems that many challenges await, but today, at least, I feel I have the strength to face them.