Monday 23 May 2011

Improvement

I've a gentleman who lived in a flat, alone, for a decade. What was curious was that he never left it. His son did all his shopping for him. His GP and dentist managed him through home visits. He'd elected to be housebound. We never knew him, then.

He moved in with his son because his son couldn't keep visiting all the time. He was was confused. He thought he had paid tens of thousands for a penthouse to be built for him. He heard spirits talking to him, from animals. He spoke to photographs of the children, because they spoke with him. Voices told him bad things. He felt worried, suspicious, afraid, insecure. He took no medication because his GP, who he saw in the living room every day, told him not to. He ate little since he knew his son was poisoning his food. He never bathed because the water was tainted and would hurt his skin, transforming it. His son thought all this was odd, asked for help, we became involved.

His son and a community psychiatric nurse invested endless hours with him. He was started on olanzapine velotabs which he took haphazardly, but then reliably. 5mg initially, then 10mg once a day. He got better.

He's now well, happy, laughing and engaged with his son and family. He's been to the shops, to town, to appointments with his son.

From being tormented and housebound to being happy and active.

A good result.

1 comment:

Alias Grace said...

That must be very gratifying. I hope he continues to do well..