re: Dealing with family/loved one with a mental illness--Update Page 11

They downvote because they have no idea that there are many levels to group homes.

Look up Brookwood out here in Houston. Houston in the broad regional sense. Lol

It is a churchy organization which may put people off but they take in people and it is their own community.

I can't imagine Arizona wouldn't have something similar. Or is all of the money spent on inpatient drug rehabs for those with resources?

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His own psychiatrist told us to take him to the ER so he can get admitted to inpatient psych to stabilize while they adjust meds.

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I mean he can FVA into a psych unit or Medicine can consult psych to adjust it while he's on the medicine service.

I would honestly talk to the consulted psychiatrist if you hadn't that way you can express your concerns and his issues as well.

Maybe at the end of the day he does need neuro, but I've yet to see a consultant not want to talk to a reasonable family member when it comes to gerrys

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thought you had a daughter?

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No. We’ve been trying for 5 years with numerous different fertility treatments with no such luck.


Update on my father. His medical condition has taken a turn for the worse. He was very lethargic yesterday and his potassium shot up. Would only wake up for a few minutes. He didn’t get any of his usual home meds because he couldn’t stay awake long enough to take pills and they didn’t want him to aspirate. Also didn’t eat for same reason.They have no clue why. They did a head CT that was normal. Gave him meds and more IV fluids.

Consulted neurology who ordered an MRI and EEG. Think they will do both of those this am (they might have done MRI last night after I left).

He woke up more when I saw him last night after work. Could answer questions and knew we were there. But just really sleepy. And he hasn’t gotten any meds (like his psych meds) since Tuesday night that would make him sleepy.

Got a call last night right before I was gonna go to bed from his nurse that he went into a fib on his heart monitor. He has no history of ever doing this. So now cardiologist consulted. He already sees one...but only because he kept having chest pain....cardiologist we saw a few months ago said everything ok with his heart and chest pain from anxiety.

So no answers for now. Wondering if he’s been going into a fib all this time and was just never caught the times he has had an EKG.

Spoke to his psychiatrist yesterday and filled him in. He said let’s get him medically stable. Contact him when my dad will be discharged and we will see him and work on changing his medications.

When I talk to his nurse or reg hospitalist today I’ll ask about if he needs psychiatrist consult while inpatient to manage meds.

To make matters worse....now I’m starting to feel sick. Don’t know if I’m actually sick or just cause I’m so stressed out and tired. But if I still feel bad later today I won’t go visit my dad after work so I don’t risk getting him sick.

I’ll update more later on if I can. I’m also insanely busy at work this week so can’t really post.

Bless it. This is so much to manage. I understand how difficult this can be no matter how hard you work on it. Take especially good care of yourself during all of this. These situations will wear you down more than most realize. I’m sure you know this.

You’re being an exceptional daughter. Ignore the downvotes. God bless.

Another update:

My dad still in the hospital. He's still really weak, PT couldn't even get him up to walk today. He will wake up enough to eat and talk with us...but mostly sleeps. His kidney function is better. Head CT and MRI were ok. His EEG was abnormal and I think they are gonna repeat. Nurse said in his progress notes they are saying he had acute encephalopathy but aren't sure origin of it(guess they are doing another EEG to monitor that). He's still on oxygen and getting breathing treatments every 4 hours. Just was taken off IV fluids and his potassium has been fine. Last GFR was 49 (which is really good for him..he was 43 last time his nephrologist saw him). Also has not gone into a fib since that one time he did Tuesday night.

Psych wise...he's kinda sorta back to being more his baseline. He's very negative and thinks he is never getting out of the hospital and will never walk again. You can't convince him otherwise. Case worker has again said he does not qualify for inpatient psych so we will just have to address his psych issues once he is medically stable and home with his psychiatrist (who is aware he is in the hospital).

I'm just aggravated cause I haven't talked to an actual doctor since Tuesday. Today we were visiting for a little over 3 hours and was told the hospitalist was there and rounding on patients. But hadn't seen my dad by the time we had to leave. Only getting updates from nursing staff.

We did run into my dad's nephrologist that he has been seeing for over a year. She was seeing other patients and her partner had been seeing my dad while he was in the hospital but she knew he was there. Was able to briefly chat with her and tell her everything going on. She said she will talk to the hospitalist and fill them in on my dad's baseline (she is well aware of his anxiety and can tell them how he usually is at appointments). That actually made me feel a lot better...seeing someone that actually knows my dad and can speak to his baseline.

I have to keep reminding staff that 1) my dad normally walks at home and only uses walker outside of home 2) no he is not on oxygen at home 3) he is usually very with it at home and capable of doing stuff for himself, even checking his bank balance over the phone or paying bills or requesting med refills over the phone.

We will go back tomorrow and see him again and hopefully will catch the doctors this time. Case worker is now recommending that my dad be discharged to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) once he is medically stable before coming home so they can help get him more mobile. I'm not against it..but am worried how that will affect his anxiety...but also know it could be helpful so that trained staff can work with him to get some strength back before he goes home. Just got to see what all his insurance(medicare advantage plan) covers and which SNF has a bed and all that.


I keep posting updates cause it is helpful to me and also...many of you have been so great to me in this thread I feel like you deserve to know his progress. Again thanks for the kind words and support here. I have irl support of course...but sometimes it is nice to have an online outlet to vent to.

Love you guys

Good luck to your dad & the rest of your family.

I would be worried about the SNF & his anxiety as well, we went through it with my grandmother.
Bringing pictures & a favorite blanket / throw helps to make it feel a little more familiar.

I would also appeal the inpatient psych request (if you haven’t already).

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Love you guys

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we love you

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Is there any way you can talk him into getting up and walking?

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I think he is physically really weak right now from everything that has happened. I know he did get up and walk some with the nurse on Tuesday. That was before he went into a fib and his whole neuro episode on wednesday. I have told him that he really needs to work with PT and not just say he can't do it but actually fight back and try his hardest to do it. Tried to remind him that other times he had to stay in the hospital he got weak from being in bed all day but that he was back to walking like he usually does a few days later.

Rock On Nursie

Bless your heart. You are gong through such a difficult time.

I really hope it all works out okay. It’s so similar to what we went through with my Father earlier this year.

You’re doing a wonderful job taking care of your father. Hang in there.

Hugs