Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[007mum]

Hi @CherryBomb
The nurses are mostly better than the doctors but some of the make nurses are pretty dodgy.
They have changed his meds and he has settled down a lot. They gave him weekend leave, he was pretty anxious today but seems more settled tonight and is playing trivia games with his sister.
Hopefully he will he released soon and can start seeing a new health care team.
It's all so damn exhausting at the moment (I am hoping he has a sleeping tablet soon so I can get some sleep)
Xxx

[CherryBomb]

Sounds like there's been some improvement @007mum, though very exhausting for you. I also hope you can some rest. Did you get a massage?

[007mum]

@CherryBomb
Yes a slight improvement and seems to have some hope for the future.
I did get massage and facial and it was awesome. We also went shopping together and got some nice new clothes for him. He has just downloaded some movies for tomorrow and now getting ready for bed (thankfully).....
Hopefully he has a good weekend and they can begin to plan for his release!
I would really love a holiday on a quiet island right about now 🙂

[ivana]

You mentioned "but some of the male nurses are pretty dodgy".

If thats the case,then your son has genuine reason to fell distressed or wary and that shouldn't be misinterpreted as an exacerbation of his mental illness symptoms.

Sometimes people who are in real distress will "turn inward" and self harm because they have no other way of coping with the situation.

Its no dfifferent that when asylum seekers harm themselves because they perceive they are being treated inhumanely and without dignity.

The solution sometimes should not be to "up the meds" but to change the external factors that are causing the patient stress/distress and are not conducive to their mental wellbeing.

Ie:if there are male nurses there who are dodgy,aggressive or in otherways abusive,is there a ward director or head of nursing who would be responsive to your sons complaint regarding those certain male nurses or do they all "close ranks"?

[CherryBomb]

Hi @007mum

Can I come and join you on your quiet island? 

Very glad to hear that there's some hope for the future. It's also great to hear that the two of you got to spend some quality time together. And more importantly, that YOU took sometime out to care for YOU. 

Hope the weekend treated you well. Any updates?

[007mum]

@CherryBomb
Yes yes come to the island with me:)
The weekend was good and he defiantly seems to have lifted out of the worst of the depression. He mentioned to his dr that he was feeling very angry about an ex employee who bullied him and kind of started this downward spiral. The dr misinterpreted it to be a direct threat and basically told him it had nothing to do with the medication but that it was just his personality! We were gobsmacked as he is a placid guy who has never felt or thought like this. They won't let him have leave today to go to woodwork so he is feeling pretty agitated.
He spoke to the social worker who is going to complain about the psyc who said it.
He has a review tomorrow and hopefully he can clear things up with them.
He does seem to be doing a lot better though!
@ivana
There was a bit of an inquiry about one of the male nurses and he has not been back at work for the last 8 days...not sure why!
The care team also had a meeting with the nursing unit manager about several of the nurses trying to make patients take medication too early when it's been specifically written up that they can have them later.
I think the staff are a bit more catious because they know I will get legal advice and advocate for my son
🙂