Here is a typical example of one of my days since this whole ordeal began:

0400 – Can’t sleep.  House feels weird and brain won’t stop

0600 – Get up and get ready for work

0700 – Work – a few hours till my break

0930 – Hospital calling – it’s my daughter – (usually a good sign if it’s her)

0945 – Break over – work again

1300 – Lunch break / Counselor from hospital calls.  Update on progress or lack there of

1330 – Work again – pray phone doesn’t ring – hate the afternoon calls.

1500 – break – check emails/ phone messages.  Call hospital.  Why?

1630 – work done – stay longer and get extra stuff done

1800 – head to hospital for a visit or head home…….or stay and work some more.

2000 – call my sweetie and hope he’s able to chat

2100 – dinner.  Talk with hospital.  Update from my daughter and nurse.  Discuss any plans/appts for the week. If I’m not at home already, head home

2200 – laundry, scan fb, dishes (yeah right), answer emails, plan the next day

2230 – son home from work – chat for a bit – pray no call from hospital

2300 – accidentally doze off in my chair

2330ish – head to bed.

When I look at it, it sounds like just another day.  Mix in there calls from psychiatrists, extra clinics, nurses asking questions, escalations, consultations on medication and treatments,

Things have changed a bit now.  We’re working on the new program, and I have to do the driving at first, so we could add in a trip to the city and back in the morning and late afternoon.  Family counseling.  Group counseling.  Trips back and forth to ACH. We have some weird stuff happening with my daughters feet now too, and that means trying to get some attention from a different Dr., which can be like pulling chickens teethe.  Mental note to self – call hospital again in the am and ask for the consult again.

This is a little of what you will go through while you’re engaged with the Mental Health Unit.  How much or how little you’re involved is up to you, but I will tell you, the more you engage in the treatment, the more you will learn.  There is just so much to learn.

Don’t give up.  Things will get better.  Reach out for help.