A brief update to my post of 29 September Mental Health: Shock and Dread.
If you haven't read this earlier post can I ask that you do so now? It is my most important post ever and is the backdrop to today's post.
"Shock and Dread" explained how we are fighting desperately for appropriate treatment but were consistently denied all save anti-depressants and a yet-to-be-received self-help book.
A few weeks ago I visited our GP about me; my stress; how I was struggling to keep going but had to keep going. Now I have an appointment with a Community Mental Health Nurse to assess my need for a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN). If successful I will accept help from a CPN. I will accept anything which wil help me and my family.
Why is the strange world getting stranger?
Whatever my needs I am not seriously ill but help from a CPN is being considered but a CPN for Mrs C was rejected by a psychiatrist, not on the basis of need but, because a CPN would probably fail to meet our high expectations of long-term therapy.
This is mind-blowing! What a way to allocate resources! There has been no assessment of need or benefit just a straightforward rejection because we think we need much more help. The NHS is saying to us, 'We'll not give you a little help because you think you need a lot of help and you'll be disappointed with a little help.'
What kind of world do these people inhabit? Is there no humanity?
Now I find that, as a carer, I am being assessed for a CPN but Mrs C can't get one. As I mentioned earlier, a CPN allocated to me will help all of us and so I would accept this help but I am left mystified by the workings of the NHS. Why am I, as a carer, deemed more worthy of help than our much more seriously ill family member? We need to find out. We will find out.
Truly this strange world is getting stranger.
Again, may I ask, if you have not already done so, that you read my key post: Mental Health: Shock and Dread.
Finally, let me thank all who have read this post and "Shock and Dread", have left comments and offered their support. You cannot imagine, and I cannot describe, how much this helps me.
11 comments:
I thought for a minute I'd found the blog of Joseph K for a minute. What an extraordinary state of affairs. Good luck in what is obviously a horrendous time for you.
You must feel like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. What is this strange healthcare system they are running there.
Maybe somewhere on this road you will find the patient advocate that you desperately need for your family.
I hope so. Remember to take care of yourself as well as the others.
regards
jmb
Ian and JMB
Somehow there seems to be a block on diagnoses being revealed to us and to treatment being provided. We need to break through these barriers as well as finding the appropriate centre.
We WILL get there, I have no doubt. When - I don't know..
Thanks for your kind comments. So often now I am thanking readers for their kindnesses.
It is sad to see medical care in the UK quickly following an American model. At least, that is what it sounds like is happening. I know that most insurance plans in the US give you a few visits to counseling, but refuse anything long term (read helpful). However, they are more than happy to feed you as many pills as you "need" and give you as many visits to the psychiatrist to get more pills.
I know it doesn't help much, but keep your chin up. There are folks out there thinking of you. Even from across "the Pond."
I deleted Falco's comment - made at 3.11am , 14 October - not because I didn't like what he said but only because he had included his full email address which could have been picked up by trawling software.
Kevin:
Thanks. I don't need wise words to help me. Simply knowing people are thinking of us is a great boost.
Calum: couldn't you have simply edited the comment? :)
Hope all is well, another sad day here.
No wise words then. But know that we are thinking of you.
LN
Don't think I can edit a comment but what I could have done was to copy (and edit) his comment into a comment of mine.
Kevin
I wonder if my comment "I don't need wise words to help me" has come across negatively when it was meant to be positive.
Kevin, if you saw it as negative then I apologise.
Didn't think it was negative for a minute. But, I could see how someone could. It is hard to express emotion in blogs, email, etc. Our technology has evolved quicker than our ability to express ourselves with it.
now don't get mad at me, because this is just a joke...
...but have you ever considered asking mrs. c to be your caretaker, in this time of stress-thereby getting her access to the care she is currenty unable to obtain?
such is life behind the looking glass.
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