Friday, July 28, 2006
"What can you see, Sam?"
"I can see hatred
"and evil thoughts ..."
Sam had been staring at the wall.
Just before he had been gazing into my eyes as if he could see evil there too.
I'd just had to chase after him and bring him back home when he ran off. He wasn't running away. He just had so much energy to get rid of.
He seems better again now.
But earlier he had been so proud when telling us of how he had controlled his thoughts when it started to happen yesterday.
Today we were maybe too curt with him as we were so busy with preparing for parties for Sam's one year old cousin and eighty five year old grandad.
He'll be better tomorrow and love it all.
Whereas I'll be ...
"I can see hatred
"and evil thoughts ..."
Sam had been staring at the wall.
Just before he had been gazing into my eyes as if he could see evil there too.
I'd just had to chase after him and bring him back home when he ran off. He wasn't running away. He just had so much energy to get rid of.
He seems better again now.
But earlier he had been so proud when telling us of how he had controlled his thoughts when it started to happen yesterday.
Today we were maybe too curt with him as we were so busy with preparing for parties for Sam's one year old cousin and eighty five year old grandad.
He'll be better tomorrow and love it all.
Whereas I'll be ...
Thursday, July 27, 2006
So today I took my nephew out for a drink at lunchtime.
We sat outside a country pub and I bought him a half of bitter.
His dad drank it all but that was okay.
We talked about this and that. He sounded very persuasive although the words themselves were barely formed and made little sense. But he still made more sense than most psychiatrists I have spoken with even though he is only just one year old.
We walked back with his dad carrying him in a sling continuing our conversation later over lunch.
In the afternoon Jane and I met with members of the Assertive Outreach Team about Sam and ...
so many changes.
Not an easy meeting but everyone was so helpful and supportive. Good outcomes because of such supportive people.
Then Sam phoned this evening. He is always cynical about any psychiatric settings. However he'd had an assessment visit from another local private rehab ward today. He was amazingly positive. About all sorts of things. He might have changed his mind by tomorrow ...
.. so let's live in the moment.
We sat outside a country pub and I bought him a half of bitter.
His dad drank it all but that was okay.
We talked about this and that. He sounded very persuasive although the words themselves were barely formed and made little sense. But he still made more sense than most psychiatrists I have spoken with even though he is only just one year old.
We walked back with his dad carrying him in a sling continuing our conversation later over lunch.
In the afternoon Jane and I met with members of the Assertive Outreach Team about Sam and ...
so many changes.
Not an easy meeting but everyone was so helpful and supportive. Good outcomes because of such supportive people.
Then Sam phoned this evening. He is always cynical about any psychiatric settings. However he'd had an assessment visit from another local private rehab ward today. He was amazingly positive. About all sorts of things. He might have changed his mind by tomorrow ...
.. so let's live in the moment.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
I had this letter passed on to me today, from the Irish Examiner. I thought you might be interested:
GETTING TO THE REAL ROOT OF THE
PROBLEM!!!
Real problem may be psychiatry itself
I WAS interested to read your editorial (Irish Examiner, July 8) in which
the quality of mental health care was severely criticised.
Among the issues highlighted were outdated services, an over-reliance on
medication and independent reviews of people admitted involuntarily to
psychiatric services.
I fear that while changes in these areas may deliver some benefits for
patients, it will not alter the reality that the problem may be psychiatry
itself.
Many survivors of psychiatry view the practice as a pseudoscience based
on force and a false diagnostic system.
For instance, there are no objective medical tests which can prove mental
illnesses are caused by brain chemical imbalances. Psychiatric drugs such
as the neuroleptics, far from treating disease, actually cause neurological
illnesses such as tardive dyskinesia and tardive akathesia. So-called
anti-depressants can also make people more agitated, depressed and even
suicidal.
Some manufacturers of psychiatric drugs have also covered up unfavourable
findings that have emerged in clinical drug trials.
It is surely a human rights abuse that people can be detained and drugged
against their will when no crime or human rights infringement has been
committed by that person and all on the basis of a bogus medical
diagnosis.
Given these violations, and the horror story that is the history of
psychiatry, it is surely time to end the grand lie that psychiatry is a
branch of medicine and healing when the truth is that it is a branch of the
law and social control.
A system of mental and emotional healing based on compassion, empathy,
social support and a holistic view of the person is urgently needed for
those for suffer severe mental distress.
Sean Fleming
.....................
Meanwhile I phoned Sam this evening.
He has an assessment from a rehab ward closer to home tomorrow. He didn't know about it ...
I tried to emphasise the need to be positive about what they had to offer as when the psychiatrist from the open rehab ward recently had visited him she said he showed no interest in what they had to offer.
When I said this to him Sam was cross.
"I don't know where that came from ..."
But I think he does often give that impression. Basically he thinks if he was out of the mental health system everything would be fine.
Whilst sympathetic I guess we know it's a lot more complicated than that.
GETTING TO THE REAL ROOT OF THE
PROBLEM!!!
Real problem may be psychiatry itself
I WAS interested to read your editorial (Irish Examiner, July 8) in which
the quality of mental health care was severely criticised.
Among the issues highlighted were outdated services, an over-reliance on
medication and independent reviews of people admitted involuntarily to
psychiatric services.
I fear that while changes in these areas may deliver some benefits for
patients, it will not alter the reality that the problem may be psychiatry
itself.
Many survivors of psychiatry view the practice as a pseudoscience based
on force and a false diagnostic system.
For instance, there are no objective medical tests which can prove mental
illnesses are caused by brain chemical imbalances. Psychiatric drugs such
as the neuroleptics, far from treating disease, actually cause neurological
illnesses such as tardive dyskinesia and tardive akathesia. So-called
anti-depressants can also make people more agitated, depressed and even
suicidal.
Some manufacturers of psychiatric drugs have also covered up unfavourable
findings that have emerged in clinical drug trials.
It is surely a human rights abuse that people can be detained and drugged
against their will when no crime or human rights infringement has been
committed by that person and all on the basis of a bogus medical
diagnosis.
Given these violations, and the horror story that is the history of
psychiatry, it is surely time to end the grand lie that psychiatry is a
branch of medicine and healing when the truth is that it is a branch of the
law and social control.
A system of mental and emotional healing based on compassion, empathy,
social support and a holistic view of the person is urgently needed for
those for suffer severe mental distress.
Sean Fleming
.....................
Meanwhile I phoned Sam this evening.
He has an assessment from a rehab ward closer to home tomorrow. He didn't know about it ...
I tried to emphasise the need to be positive about what they had to offer as when the psychiatrist from the open rehab ward recently had visited him she said he showed no interest in what they had to offer.
When I said this to him Sam was cross.
"I don't know where that came from ..."
But I think he does often give that impression. Basically he thinks if he was out of the mental health system everything would be fine.
Whilst sympathetic I guess we know it's a lot more complicated than that.
Friday, July 21, 2006
As I climbed, tired out of the car and strolled across the car park to reception to pick Sam up for the weekend a couple arrived just in front of me. I assumed they too were collecting a family member for the weekend.
A tall thin young man was waiting impatiently the other side of a locked glass door. Soon he was let through and a conversation ensued. It was clear they were not family. They were social workers taking him out for lunch. There was much discussion with staff about accessing five pounds of his money so he could buy a drink. This seemed to be a complicated problem. They chatted together in a formal way as this went on. There was no real friendship or joy in the meeting.
The young man's speech was slurred and indistinct. His arms were shaking and twitching. They were not fully under his control.
I'm sure this must have been the effects of medication.
A young man possibly permanently damaged by anti-psychotic medication.
For what?
To keep him or others safe I guess would be their answer but I wonder how much it is to make it easier for his carers.
Even large doses of sedatives would keep him safe and cause less harm than the powerful mind altering neuroleptic drugs that were destroying his mind and bodily functions.
I wonder if anyone is looking out for him?
And where we are looking out for Sam - what good has it done?
A tall thin young man was waiting impatiently the other side of a locked glass door. Soon he was let through and a conversation ensued. It was clear they were not family. They were social workers taking him out for lunch. There was much discussion with staff about accessing five pounds of his money so he could buy a drink. This seemed to be a complicated problem. They chatted together in a formal way as this went on. There was no real friendship or joy in the meeting.
The young man's speech was slurred and indistinct. His arms were shaking and twitching. They were not fully under his control.
I'm sure this must have been the effects of medication.
A young man possibly permanently damaged by anti-psychotic medication.
For what?
To keep him or others safe I guess would be their answer but I wonder how much it is to make it easier for his carers.
Even large doses of sedatives would keep him safe and cause less harm than the powerful mind altering neuroleptic drugs that were destroying his mind and bodily functions.
I wonder if anyone is looking out for him?
And where we are looking out for Sam - what good has it done?
Thursday, July 20, 2006
We had a meeting with the psychiatrist in charge of the local ward yesterday morning. The one where we had hoped Sam might go. The one where it was agreed in principle. The one where they had planned to work towards Sam's admission. The one where six months later they changed their minds.
We'd hoped to meet also with Sam's care co-ordinator and the ward manager but they chose not to attend. To be fair we were lucky to be able to arrange the meeting at all and the psychiatriest was generous with her time.
She was kindly and listened and explained - but when it came to it she didn't see our point as carers in being part of the team. Our views were expressed at meetings by the care co-ordinator ...
We'd been very measured but at the end I got a little cross. We'd been told one thing and another happened. Decisions had been made at meetings and not carried through. As always in the Health Service there seems to be lots of talk but little action.
So although the consultant had been very nice and asked us to phone if she could be of help ... we were rather deflated and I was upset again just thinking of Sam and the negative aspects of his recovery - or lack of it.
So we went into town for a coffee and some retail therapy (well, Jane made me buy a pair of shorts anyway!) then to a country pub for a drink before lunch.
Then Jane phoned the local private rehab ward where Sam has been referred. She was hoping to look round. It was promised that the manager would phone back. But she hasn't. Despite a reminder. And she hasn't phoned back today either.
So Jane is a bit depressed about that. It's not a good omen.
We'd hoped to meet also with Sam's care co-ordinator and the ward manager but they chose not to attend. To be fair we were lucky to be able to arrange the meeting at all and the psychiatriest was generous with her time.
She was kindly and listened and explained - but when it came to it she didn't see our point as carers in being part of the team. Our views were expressed at meetings by the care co-ordinator ...
We'd been very measured but at the end I got a little cross. We'd been told one thing and another happened. Decisions had been made at meetings and not carried through. As always in the Health Service there seems to be lots of talk but little action.
So although the consultant had been very nice and asked us to phone if she could be of help ... we were rather deflated and I was upset again just thinking of Sam and the negative aspects of his recovery - or lack of it.
So we went into town for a coffee and some retail therapy (well, Jane made me buy a pair of shorts anyway!) then to a country pub for a drink before lunch.
Then Jane phoned the local private rehab ward where Sam has been referred. She was hoping to look round. It was promised that the manager would phone back. But she hasn't. Despite a reminder. And she hasn't phoned back today either.
So Jane is a bit depressed about that. It's not a good omen.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Sam was so angry this weekend.
I think recent decisions have just sunk in. He feels stuck there now, imprisoned, misdiagnosed.
His anger and frustration though is having an effect on his mental health. What is the point in being well if they still lock you up?
Might as well be poorly ...
at least then you can communicate well with other patients because the rest of the world treats you as mad as you are diagnosed as mad.
There seems nowhere to go now.
He's not been well this weekend. He was great on Friday afternoon. We had a really interesting game of chess and a laugh. Then he went for a short walk and on his return things just started to go downhill.
This often happens on a Friday. I guess it's the transition from hospital to home but usually he gets over it in a few hours. This Friday he was up all night so we were exhausted. Saturday morning he was almost comatose but in the afternoon just couldn't stop talking. He eventually got to sleep and was a bit up and down on Sunday. Today he got up smartly dressed as Jane had suggested he accompany her to a meeting. He contributed helpfully and enjoyed chatting with others who have recovered from psychosis.
It is possible.
It's good to hang on to that.
And the meeting with the psychiatrist on Friday - well he just did as he was told, which is worrying really. I'd like him to be knowledgeable and know his own mind rather than ramble on about an article he read last week and just do what we want. Anything for a quiet life!
I think recent decisions have just sunk in. He feels stuck there now, imprisoned, misdiagnosed.
His anger and frustration though is having an effect on his mental health. What is the point in being well if they still lock you up?
Might as well be poorly ...
at least then you can communicate well with other patients because the rest of the world treats you as mad as you are diagnosed as mad.
There seems nowhere to go now.
He's not been well this weekend. He was great on Friday afternoon. We had a really interesting game of chess and a laugh. Then he went for a short walk and on his return things just started to go downhill.
This often happens on a Friday. I guess it's the transition from hospital to home but usually he gets over it in a few hours. This Friday he was up all night so we were exhausted. Saturday morning he was almost comatose but in the afternoon just couldn't stop talking. He eventually got to sleep and was a bit up and down on Sunday. Today he got up smartly dressed as Jane had suggested he accompany her to a meeting. He contributed helpfully and enjoyed chatting with others who have recovered from psychosis.
It is possible.
It's good to hang on to that.
And the meeting with the psychiatrist on Friday - well he just did as he was told, which is worrying really. I'd like him to be knowledgeable and know his own mind rather than ramble on about an article he read last week and just do what we want. Anything for a quiet life!
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Tomorrow we're going to meet with the psychiatrist about medication.
I'm quite nervous.
I'm not sure, though, whether I'm more frightened about confronting him or what Jane might say to him!
I'm quite nervous.
I'm not sure, though, whether I'm more frightened about confronting him or what Jane might say to him!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
We've had a few telephone conversations with staff on the ward last night and today. All very amenable.
We finally got to talk to Sam this evening.
He seemed really well. Chatty, very rational and extremely worried that it might be the tree that will get the blame.
They're talking of having it cut down which would be a great shame.
Sam would promise not to climb it but he knows at when he has a blip and becomes irrational that he might not be able to keep that promise. It really is a bit like Jekyll and Hyde at times.
We finally got to talk to Sam this evening.
He seemed really well. Chatty, very rational and extremely worried that it might be the tree that will get the blame.
They're talking of having it cut down which would be a great shame.
Sam would promise not to climb it but he knows at when he has a blip and becomes irrational that he might not be able to keep that promise. It really is a bit like Jekyll and Hyde at times.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
So Sam fell out of the tree tonight ...
and got taken to hospital.
He rang from there thinking he was several hundred miles away and that his mum had visited today ...
Following the meeting on Friday lots of new structures got put into place - that should have been there from the start - and Sam was given some additional leave.
So what did he do with his leave? Go on, guess.
He went to the pub and got drunk.
But when he came back he started with one of his psychotic 'blips'. So now he was psychotic and drunk and possibly concussed, having fallen out of the tree.
I bet they had fun at the hospital trying to distinguish between concussion, inebriation and psychosis.
Or maybe they took one look and sent him back!
I'm sure he'll be fine in the morning - but with a headache no doubt.
Though I'm sure somehow it will be all turn out to be our fault ...
and got taken to hospital.
He rang from there thinking he was several hundred miles away and that his mum had visited today ...
Following the meeting on Friday lots of new structures got put into place - that should have been there from the start - and Sam was given some additional leave.
So what did he do with his leave? Go on, guess.
He went to the pub and got drunk.
But when he came back he started with one of his psychotic 'blips'. So now he was psychotic and drunk and possibly concussed, having fallen out of the tree.
I bet they had fun at the hospital trying to distinguish between concussion, inebriation and psychosis.
Or maybe they took one look and sent him back!
I'm sure he'll be fine in the morning - but with a headache no doubt.
Though I'm sure somehow it will be all turn out to be our fault ...
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Sam was great yesterday and we had a super day.
In the morning Nell came in to Jane and I whilst we were still in bed. I was trying to report back on the meeting the day before and we were trying to discuss next steps. It was difficult and emotional. Nell was brilliant at trying to help us pick out the positives to look at rather than dwelling on the negatives. I was worried though that I couldn't see 'out of the box' and contempate imaginitive solutions. Although I've been so much better recently I'm afraid at times and have difficulty in finding the energy to keep up with some of Jane's wonderful and imaginative ideas. I then feel guilty at not having the srength to do what we know is needed to help Sam. If we were both stronger - well me especially - there is so much we could do.
Sam went swimming with Nell in the afternoon. In the evening we went for a meal with friends before we went on to the cinema to watch some nonsense. It was loud and active and I wondered if it might affect Sam but he enjoyed it.
Afterwards it was late and as I politely started to decline an offer to go back for coffee Sam jumped at it. I slumped in the corner as Sam joked and socialised more confidently than I've seen him for ages.
I crawled to bed exhausted and then this morning realised my ME symptoms were playing me up. I had slept for nine or more hours yet was still exhausted. My limbs and back ached and I could barely drag myself out of bed to the bathroom.
I lay for another couple of hours before going down for some breakfast then went back to bed for a little while.
On the way I heard Jane on the phone to someone about what is needed in the training of psychiatrists.
I sadly realised I coudn't engage with that.
I just wanted to love Sam better.
I know he's not a five year old anymore who has just fallen over and grazed his knee. Loving him better won't work any more.
It's just that sometimes I think that's all I've got left to give.
My parents came round for a late lunch. It was difficult getting Sam up as well. I think he was exhausted too by the busy day before. After lunch Sam and I went for a short walk although we were still both tired and aching. The noise and chatter was just too much for each of us.
We walked round the corner and sat on a bench looking at the view and chatted a bit. I was open with Sam about how I was feeling. I was close to tears but didn't want to upset him. We might have got some solidarity on the similarities of some of our symptoms. To me these are debilitation at times. For Sam they are just the minor ones that barely get a mention as he is castigated for not attending an OT session.
We walked on through a light drizzle that had started to fall.
We both felt a little better for the short walk.
I was trying to remember what was happening tomorrow.
We've had lots of discussions about it. I'd been worrying about it. Part of it is a possible visit to a proposed alternative rehabilitation ward - where they seem reluctant to have parents visiting. It was blanked from my mind. I couldn't even remember who was supposed to be taking Sam back.
I worry about my memory (or lack of it) often.
In the morning Nell came in to Jane and I whilst we were still in bed. I was trying to report back on the meeting the day before and we were trying to discuss next steps. It was difficult and emotional. Nell was brilliant at trying to help us pick out the positives to look at rather than dwelling on the negatives. I was worried though that I couldn't see 'out of the box' and contempate imaginitive solutions. Although I've been so much better recently I'm afraid at times and have difficulty in finding the energy to keep up with some of Jane's wonderful and imaginative ideas. I then feel guilty at not having the srength to do what we know is needed to help Sam. If we were both stronger - well me especially - there is so much we could do.
Sam went swimming with Nell in the afternoon. In the evening we went for a meal with friends before we went on to the cinema to watch some nonsense. It was loud and active and I wondered if it might affect Sam but he enjoyed it.
Afterwards it was late and as I politely started to decline an offer to go back for coffee Sam jumped at it. I slumped in the corner as Sam joked and socialised more confidently than I've seen him for ages.
I crawled to bed exhausted and then this morning realised my ME symptoms were playing me up. I had slept for nine or more hours yet was still exhausted. My limbs and back ached and I could barely drag myself out of bed to the bathroom.
I lay for another couple of hours before going down for some breakfast then went back to bed for a little while.
On the way I heard Jane on the phone to someone about what is needed in the training of psychiatrists.
I sadly realised I coudn't engage with that.
I just wanted to love Sam better.
I know he's not a five year old anymore who has just fallen over and grazed his knee. Loving him better won't work any more.
It's just that sometimes I think that's all I've got left to give.
My parents came round for a late lunch. It was difficult getting Sam up as well. I think he was exhausted too by the busy day before. After lunch Sam and I went for a short walk although we were still both tired and aching. The noise and chatter was just too much for each of us.
We walked round the corner and sat on a bench looking at the view and chatted a bit. I was open with Sam about how I was feeling. I was close to tears but didn't want to upset him. We might have got some solidarity on the similarities of some of our symptoms. To me these are debilitation at times. For Sam they are just the minor ones that barely get a mention as he is castigated for not attending an OT session.
We walked on through a light drizzle that had started to fall.
We both felt a little better for the short walk.
I was trying to remember what was happening tomorrow.
We've had lots of discussions about it. I'd been worrying about it. Part of it is a possible visit to a proposed alternative rehabilitation ward - where they seem reluctant to have parents visiting. It was blanked from my mind. I couldn't even remember who was supposed to be taking Sam back.
I worry about my memory (or lack of it) often.
Friday, July 07, 2006
It's been a demanding day.
Just getting myself together and in a fit state to drive to Sam's hospital as a start. I'd tried to go through my notes first and Jane had made some more suggestions. But I'm not good at mornings and wasn't sure I'd really got it.
I was preparing imaginary conversations in my brain as I dodged the lorries on the motorway. I was still driving as the two minutes silence started to remember the London bombings a full year ago.
Do visit my link to Holly Finch on the sidebar and her post today on the Guardian "Comment is Free" blog.
I got there in time to take Sam out for lunch before the meeting. He told me of the meeting with his nurse who had gone through the report. She had explained their recording of "incidents", of his lack of involvement in the OT programme, of their recommendation that the local rehab ward would not be able to cope with him.
So I told him of the outcome of this report - that the local rehab ward will no longer take him. Well, not at the present time anyway.
I showed him the letter I had written to the doctor suggesting we meet to discuss it further - and the fact our knowledge had not been considered valuable enough to collect.
He liked it.
I explained the possible alternatives.
He wants to come home.
Of course he does.
I say "of course". I think we are privilidged that he should want to come home.
I talked through my notes for the meeting and he was fine about me saying those things. I asked if there was anything else he wanted to add but he could think of nothing.
Sam wasn't looking forward to the meeting - in fact he hates it. Can you imagine being there with a group of people passing judgment on you and your mental faculties and being expected to contribute?
We went for a short walk after lunch. Past an old village church and a farm nearby that looked like the old manor house. We walked through a field full of cows then retraced our footsteps.
I left just enough time to get back to ask for the CPA report and to skim it through. I was rehearsing my arguments for when they refused to give it to me. Last time it even had printed on the front not to be given to parents. Probably because it libeled Jane!
This time they just gave it to me. But Sam had asked to stop outside for another cigarette before going back in so my skimming time was about thirty seconds.
The consultant wasn't available so a deputy was there. The same for the Occupational Therapist.
I won't go into it all now. It's far too convoluted and painful.
Suffice to sat that after a few minute of the nurse talking I blew my top and just ranted. I'd got this plan for calm considered questions that would just show them up.
But instead ...
How could she possibly say that ... ?
What nonsense ...
So I ...
Just went off on one basically.
Well wouldn't you?
Fortunately Sam's care co-ordinator is very sensitive and skilled.
"Perhaps we could hear from Sam?"
Of course ...
So I shut up.
For long enough to marshal my thoughts and get back into manipulating aspects more carefully and powerfully, back to what I had planned to do. I was much more effective once I had got out of rant mode.
But the rant did me good and probably helped me do the rest so much better.
Sam and I were both drained by the end.
Then the interminable motorway journey on a Friday afternoon. It was just so slow and took us over two hours.
I had drink and Sam had a ciggie.
Then he said he wasn't feeling so well He had heard different words coming from the voices of children playing in the street. He knew things weren't going well.
He wanted to go for a short walk to a special place of his nearby to relax and get in control.
So with some trepidation I said yes.
When he wasn't back in half an hour I searched for him and discovered him laying face down on the grass staring at a piece of heather.
We got home, had a take-away meal (we'd planned to go out) and chatted a bit. At times he could converse. A bit.
He's been quite calm though difficult to converse with. Jane and Nell went to bed. I hoped to get Sam to do so also. He claimed not to be tired and then insisted on a conversation about how he could see evil in people, could see my spirit and was insistent that I needed to believe.
Now he's dozing on the settee as I write this listening to music.
I'm exhausted and hoping he will be ready for bed soon.
Just getting myself together and in a fit state to drive to Sam's hospital as a start. I'd tried to go through my notes first and Jane had made some more suggestions. But I'm not good at mornings and wasn't sure I'd really got it.
I was preparing imaginary conversations in my brain as I dodged the lorries on the motorway. I was still driving as the two minutes silence started to remember the London bombings a full year ago.
Do visit my link to Holly Finch on the sidebar and her post today on the Guardian "Comment is Free" blog.
I got there in time to take Sam out for lunch before the meeting. He told me of the meeting with his nurse who had gone through the report. She had explained their recording of "incidents", of his lack of involvement in the OT programme, of their recommendation that the local rehab ward would not be able to cope with him.
So I told him of the outcome of this report - that the local rehab ward will no longer take him. Well, not at the present time anyway.
I showed him the letter I had written to the doctor suggesting we meet to discuss it further - and the fact our knowledge had not been considered valuable enough to collect.
He liked it.
I explained the possible alternatives.
He wants to come home.
Of course he does.
I say "of course". I think we are privilidged that he should want to come home.
I talked through my notes for the meeting and he was fine about me saying those things. I asked if there was anything else he wanted to add but he could think of nothing.
Sam wasn't looking forward to the meeting - in fact he hates it. Can you imagine being there with a group of people passing judgment on you and your mental faculties and being expected to contribute?
We went for a short walk after lunch. Past an old village church and a farm nearby that looked like the old manor house. We walked through a field full of cows then retraced our footsteps.
I left just enough time to get back to ask for the CPA report and to skim it through. I was rehearsing my arguments for when they refused to give it to me. Last time it even had printed on the front not to be given to parents. Probably because it libeled Jane!
This time they just gave it to me. But Sam had asked to stop outside for another cigarette before going back in so my skimming time was about thirty seconds.
The consultant wasn't available so a deputy was there. The same for the Occupational Therapist.
I won't go into it all now. It's far too convoluted and painful.
Suffice to sat that after a few minute of the nurse talking I blew my top and just ranted. I'd got this plan for calm considered questions that would just show them up.
But instead ...
How could she possibly say that ... ?
What nonsense ...
So I ...
Just went off on one basically.
Well wouldn't you?
Fortunately Sam's care co-ordinator is very sensitive and skilled.
"Perhaps we could hear from Sam?"
Of course ...
So I shut up.
For long enough to marshal my thoughts and get back into manipulating aspects more carefully and powerfully, back to what I had planned to do. I was much more effective once I had got out of rant mode.
But the rant did me good and probably helped me do the rest so much better.
Sam and I were both drained by the end.
Then the interminable motorway journey on a Friday afternoon. It was just so slow and took us over two hours.
I had drink and Sam had a ciggie.
Then he said he wasn't feeling so well He had heard different words coming from the voices of children playing in the street. He knew things weren't going well.
He wanted to go for a short walk to a special place of his nearby to relax and get in control.
So with some trepidation I said yes.
When he wasn't back in half an hour I searched for him and discovered him laying face down on the grass staring at a piece of heather.
We got home, had a take-away meal (we'd planned to go out) and chatted a bit. At times he could converse. A bit.
He's been quite calm though difficult to converse with. Jane and Nell went to bed. I hoped to get Sam to do so also. He claimed not to be tired and then insisted on a conversation about how he could see evil in people, could see my spirit and was insistent that I needed to believe.
Now he's dozing on the settee as I write this listening to music.
I'm exhausted and hoping he will be ready for bed soon.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Another new more local private rehab ward is being mooted for Sam.
It's supposedly better because it's new and trying to create a good reputation rather than desperately try to cling to an older one like other private places Sam has been incarcerated in.
So Jane rang yesterday to see if she could visit.
No.
Only if Sam had been referred there.
Jane explained very politely that if one was looking at possible schools for a child one wouldn't wait until the LEA had allocated a school and then look round. One would want to look round first.
But they couldn't just let any Tom, Dick or Harry look round.
Jane escaped that she wasn't a Tom or a Dick or even, come to that, a Harry. She was Tom's mum and in that context very important to him.
But no.
When he is referred.
So I am hoping to sneak in with some of the local Assertive Outreach who visit on Monday if I can get Sam back and race along the motorway in time.
We'll see.
Meanwhile we discover that Sam's current hospital sent a copy of a report for tomorrow's CPA meeting to the local rehab ward. In it we understand they recommended that a move to the local rehab ward would not be appropriate because of the "incident" last week.
We still haven't seen the report. I doubt we will. We haven't received an official invite to the meeting. Jane can't bear to go as she knows she will just loose her temper with them. Somehow I feel calm about it and want to go. But when I get there it may feel very different.
I can plan for it today. It's my birthday. (21 again in case you're interested!) What else would I plan to do on my birthday. At least it's better than last year when Sam was being sectioned on our return from France.
I'm sure the staff on Sam's current ward are very professional. I'm sure they couldn't possibly have recommended that Sam is not fit to move because they would loose about £400 per day. I'm sure they aren't worried about their jobs as numbers of patients fall.
I'm not that cynical ...
... am I?
It's supposedly better because it's new and trying to create a good reputation rather than desperately try to cling to an older one like other private places Sam has been incarcerated in.
So Jane rang yesterday to see if she could visit.
No.
Only if Sam had been referred there.
Jane explained very politely that if one was looking at possible schools for a child one wouldn't wait until the LEA had allocated a school and then look round. One would want to look round first.
But they couldn't just let any Tom, Dick or Harry look round.
Jane escaped that she wasn't a Tom or a Dick or even, come to that, a Harry. She was Tom's mum and in that context very important to him.
But no.
When he is referred.
So I am hoping to sneak in with some of the local Assertive Outreach who visit on Monday if I can get Sam back and race along the motorway in time.
We'll see.
Meanwhile we discover that Sam's current hospital sent a copy of a report for tomorrow's CPA meeting to the local rehab ward. In it we understand they recommended that a move to the local rehab ward would not be appropriate because of the "incident" last week.
We still haven't seen the report. I doubt we will. We haven't received an official invite to the meeting. Jane can't bear to go as she knows she will just loose her temper with them. Somehow I feel calm about it and want to go. But when I get there it may feel very different.
I can plan for it today. It's my birthday. (21 again in case you're interested!) What else would I plan to do on my birthday. At least it's better than last year when Sam was being sectioned on our return from France.
I'm sure the staff on Sam's current ward are very professional. I'm sure they couldn't possibly have recommended that Sam is not fit to move because they would loose about £400 per day. I'm sure they aren't worried about their jobs as numbers of patients fall.
I'm not that cynical ...
... am I?
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Later yesterday I sat outside again and lit a couple of candles in glass to shelter the flames from the wind.
I sipped (okay gulped) from a glass of red wine and finished off a small bowl of peanuts.
The last of the swifts disappeared to be replaced by a couple of bats as the sky turned to the darkest shades of blue.
And I remembered.
What had worried me earlier.
Who is going to tell Sam and when and how and have they any idea what his response will be?
He hated his last move.
After only a few days he told us what a mistake it had been, how depressed he was to be on this new ward. He has been so patient waiting for a move to the local ward. He was assured it would happen.
Soon.
Explaining to him doesn't seem to be an issue for those who have made it.
I feel I want to do it.
It should be the responsibility of whoever has made the decision but ...
I know he will be so very upset and confused and ...
... well I just don't know how much this is currently keeping him going.
The possibility of him coming home might help sort it.
Otherwise????
Well he might just disappear on his daily half hour leave.
Disappear to ...
Well if I knew it wouldn't be a problem.
Disappear to possibly never be seen again.
Is that part of the risk assessment?
I sipped (okay gulped) from a glass of red wine and finished off a small bowl of peanuts.
The last of the swifts disappeared to be replaced by a couple of bats as the sky turned to the darkest shades of blue.
And I remembered.
What had worried me earlier.
Who is going to tell Sam and when and how and have they any idea what his response will be?
He hated his last move.
After only a few days he told us what a mistake it had been, how depressed he was to be on this new ward. He has been so patient waiting for a move to the local ward. He was assured it would happen.
Soon.
Explaining to him doesn't seem to be an issue for those who have made it.
I feel I want to do it.
It should be the responsibility of whoever has made the decision but ...
I know he will be so very upset and confused and ...
... well I just don't know how much this is currently keeping him going.
The possibility of him coming home might help sort it.
Otherwise????
Well he might just disappear on his daily half hour leave.
Disappear to ...
Well if I knew it wouldn't be a problem.
Disappear to possibly never be seen again.
Is that part of the risk assessment?
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
I'm in a bit of a state this evening. Just trying to come to terms with the news. Trying to decide where to go next. Trying to avoid deciding who to blame and why ...
.................................
I sat out in the garden later. I love watching the swifts soaring in the sky. Earlier I'd seen a couple of sparrows for the first time in ages. As I sat there a bird perched on the television aerial of a neighbouring house singing so beautifully. It wasn't a blackbird. Could it have been a thrush or even a nightingale? I don't know.
I do know I've been trying to get the knots out of my stomach this evening.
I tried to go for a short walk earlier but my legs refused to move and I had to come home.
.................................
We had an unexpected visit from Sam's psychologist this afternoon.
He "just happened to be passing".
On the way back from a meeting at the rehab ward to where it was planned Sam was going to move.
Was planned.
Had been planned and agreed even for some time. Planned since Christmas at least. At the Managers' Hearing regarding Sam's detention it was recommended Sam should go there. At the mental Health Act Tribunal regarding Sam's detention it was so strongly recommended that he move there and they deferred a decision until around know to check that it had happened.
And what has happened since then? Well probably lots but little that we have been privy too. That little amount you have read here dear reader.
We know of three meetings. There may have been others. We were invited to none of them. I managed to get to talk to the psychiatrist on the telephone before the first. She said it was very helpful. Feedback suggested that she had been doubtful about Sam moving there but that the conversation had helped her move slightly in the other direction. At the meeting it was decided "in principle" that Sam would move there. We were told that Sam would make some planned visits to ensure a smooth transition.
But were they arranged?
Do you need to ask?
Then another meeting. It was after Sam had gone off one evening from home and bought some cannabis. We'd found him but stupidly said he was climbing on the rocks. He's in as much danger crossing the road in that state. But after that they still agreed that Sam could go there. We waited for the visits that were going to be arranged soon.
And waited.
I met the manager of the rehab unit at a meeting. He made a point of apologising to me about the delay in getting Sam's move sorted out. It was all because of changes in psychiatrist and so on. I mentioned Sam's visit. Yes, it had been arranged but he didn't have his diary with him.
Eventually we got the date. Not next week. Not the week after. But the week after that. And of course we would take him.
At the end of Sam's visit I met the ward manager again. He had talked with Sam together with the ward doctor. It had all gone well. They knew Sam was keen to move there. It was much more than "in principle". It was just a matter of getting the Consultant Psychiatrist's signature on the papers. No mention of future visits by Sam.
No mention of anything until Sam's psychologist arrived today.
We didn't even know there had been a meeting.
It seems it was a report from Sam's current hospital that swung it.
It was all about "incidents".
Including of course the incident last week where Sam was supposed to have kicked a member of staff who is now having time off with a strained back. This is a big solid guy. Sam says he rushed at him in his mania but there was no malice. He finds it hard to believe the nurse was seriously hurt.
The thing about mental health wards seems to be that they don't want anybody who is poorly. It spoils things. It's like schools I can remember where the teachers thought it would be lovely if it wasn't for all the children.
So it's okay for nice quiet or very drugged up patients who don't cause any trouble ...
Sam is so well most of the time but they do nothing with him.
But when he has occasional short relapses they write them up as "incidents" to send on to the nearby rehab ward.
His current ward is private.
They are making money out of him being there. If he moves to a local Health Service ward they will lose that money.
I'm sure that won't influence their reports or the decision to send them in any way though.
Will it?
So what next?
There are talks of another private ward closer to home.
Frying pans and fire come to mind.
We are thinking of trying to get him off his section again and bring him to live at home again. But we had just booked a holiday yesterday - well the ferry anyway. Three weeks starting at the end of next month. Jane was just phoning to arrange accomodation just as we heard the news.
If we are to look after Sam we will need to cancel that.
But as yet we still don't know what will happen.
There is a feeling that for the professionals it is all a matter of arranging appropriate accomodation - never mind Sam's real needs.
But I'm just an old cynic and arranging my holiday accomodation is on hold now as well.
But that is the least of our worries.
.................................
I sat out in the garden later. I love watching the swifts soaring in the sky. Earlier I'd seen a couple of sparrows for the first time in ages. As I sat there a bird perched on the television aerial of a neighbouring house singing so beautifully. It wasn't a blackbird. Could it have been a thrush or even a nightingale? I don't know.
I do know I've been trying to get the knots out of my stomach this evening.
I tried to go for a short walk earlier but my legs refused to move and I had to come home.
.................................
We had an unexpected visit from Sam's psychologist this afternoon.
He "just happened to be passing".
On the way back from a meeting at the rehab ward to where it was planned Sam was going to move.
Was planned.
Had been planned and agreed even for some time. Planned since Christmas at least. At the Managers' Hearing regarding Sam's detention it was recommended Sam should go there. At the mental Health Act Tribunal regarding Sam's detention it was so strongly recommended that he move there and they deferred a decision until around know to check that it had happened.
And what has happened since then? Well probably lots but little that we have been privy too. That little amount you have read here dear reader.
We know of three meetings. There may have been others. We were invited to none of them. I managed to get to talk to the psychiatrist on the telephone before the first. She said it was very helpful. Feedback suggested that she had been doubtful about Sam moving there but that the conversation had helped her move slightly in the other direction. At the meeting it was decided "in principle" that Sam would move there. We were told that Sam would make some planned visits to ensure a smooth transition.
But were they arranged?
Do you need to ask?
Then another meeting. It was after Sam had gone off one evening from home and bought some cannabis. We'd found him but stupidly said he was climbing on the rocks. He's in as much danger crossing the road in that state. But after that they still agreed that Sam could go there. We waited for the visits that were going to be arranged soon.
And waited.
I met the manager of the rehab unit at a meeting. He made a point of apologising to me about the delay in getting Sam's move sorted out. It was all because of changes in psychiatrist and so on. I mentioned Sam's visit. Yes, it had been arranged but he didn't have his diary with him.
Eventually we got the date. Not next week. Not the week after. But the week after that. And of course we would take him.
At the end of Sam's visit I met the ward manager again. He had talked with Sam together with the ward doctor. It had all gone well. They knew Sam was keen to move there. It was much more than "in principle". It was just a matter of getting the Consultant Psychiatrist's signature on the papers. No mention of future visits by Sam.
No mention of anything until Sam's psychologist arrived today.
We didn't even know there had been a meeting.
It seems it was a report from Sam's current hospital that swung it.
It was all about "incidents".
Including of course the incident last week where Sam was supposed to have kicked a member of staff who is now having time off with a strained back. This is a big solid guy. Sam says he rushed at him in his mania but there was no malice. He finds it hard to believe the nurse was seriously hurt.
The thing about mental health wards seems to be that they don't want anybody who is poorly. It spoils things. It's like schools I can remember where the teachers thought it would be lovely if it wasn't for all the children.
So it's okay for nice quiet or very drugged up patients who don't cause any trouble ...
Sam is so well most of the time but they do nothing with him.
But when he has occasional short relapses they write them up as "incidents" to send on to the nearby rehab ward.
His current ward is private.
They are making money out of him being there. If he moves to a local Health Service ward they will lose that money.
I'm sure that won't influence their reports or the decision to send them in any way though.
Will it?
So what next?
There are talks of another private ward closer to home.
Frying pans and fire come to mind.
We are thinking of trying to get him off his section again and bring him to live at home again. But we had just booked a holiday yesterday - well the ferry anyway. Three weeks starting at the end of next month. Jane was just phoning to arrange accomodation just as we heard the news.
If we are to look after Sam we will need to cancel that.
But as yet we still don't know what will happen.
There is a feeling that for the professionals it is all a matter of arranging appropriate accomodation - never mind Sam's real needs.
But I'm just an old cynic and arranging my holiday accomodation is on hold now as well.
But that is the least of our worries.
Monday, July 03, 2006
We received an email a few days ago.
We get lots!!!!
I'm going to copy this one to you though. I hope you don't mind.
There was so much that made me feel close to this situation. One of those things though was the escape abroad. An escape from the system to try to prove there was another way, to discover that, because we know the current system isn't working.
(Remind me to tell you about Finland by the way!)
The thing that moves me to pass on this email is that we still have Sam. We've had a nice weekend. There is the promise of even nicer ones to come. Sadly for these parents that is no longer possible.
It could so easily have been our family.
If you can support this in any way - even just by passing the email on to a friend - I would regard it as a true favour.
Thank you.
The email is here:
From: CCHR (UK) Supporters [mailto:supporters@cchr.org.uk]
Sent: 21 June 2006 22:46
To: sophie@planet-interactive.co.uk
Subject: How psychiatry killed my son...
Hello,
My name is Jeanette Blagbrough.
I am the mother of Christopher Blagbrough. Here is my story of how my son was treated under the mental health system.
At 18-years-old, Chris was a promising apprentice engineer. For whatever reason, he became depressed and was prescribed an antidepressant, Prozac. After taking only two tablets, and without warning, Chris violently attacked his father with a kitchen knife. This attack resulted in him being sectioned under the Mental Health Act in a local psychiatric unit. Two and a half years later, while supposedly under the care of mental health professionals and a psychiatrist, and while on suicide watch Chris committed suicide when he hung himself.
I believe Chris died because of the arrogance of a psychiatrist and an uncaring mental health system that refused to accept he was suffering from a severe vitamin B12 deficiency known to cause psychosis. I also believe he died because of the cocktails of psychiatric drugs he was given, drugs known to cause violence and suicide. He was also in a system that refused to act on numerous complaints made by his caring family.
Rather than allowing Chris to be examined and treated by proper medical doctors, the psychiatrist in charge of his care blocked and cancelled appointments made with other doctors to get him the medical treatment he needed.
When numerous complaints were ignored by various agencies, including the Ombudsman, the Mental Health Act Commission and the General Medical Council, Chris and his father Peter absconded to Spain where they spent 4 glorious weeks together, proving that Chris was able to cope away from the hospital unit, contrary to the beliefs of the so-called “experts.”
When the psychiatrist promised he would take our complaints seriously if Chris returned to the hospital, we trusted his word. But on arriving at the hospital, Chris was immediately grabbed, thrown back into the secure unit, where he was again prescribed psychiatric drugs against his wishes and those of his parents. The psychiatrist denied Peter any further visiting rights to see his son.
For 8 months, Peter was forced to wait in the car park while I was allowed to visit Chris. Unfortunately, Peter was never to see his son alive again.
You can read the full account of Christopher’s tragic Story at his memorial website.
Peter and I had given up hope of ever getting justice for the atrocities committed against our son. We were shunted from one department to another, from agency to agency, and our cries for help were completely ignored – until we found the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR).
We believe Chris would still be alive today, if only we had known about the work of CCHR much sooner.
That is why we will be joining CCHR on Monday, 10th July 2006 to protest against the Royal College of Psychiatrists who will be in Glasgow for their weeklong annual conference.
I am inviting you to be there too.
Hundreds of CCHR supporters will be demanding of the College, why they have failed to inform their members of the 21 Drug Alerts, issued just this past year by government drug regulatory bodies in the UK, Europe, Canada, America, Japan, Australia and other parts of the world - showing antidepressants and amphetamine-like stimulant drugs, used on children and adults for ADHD and depression, cause psychiatric events, violence, suicide and death.
The most fundamental point of the Hippocratic Oath is “To Do No Harm.” If that is true, then why has it taken parents, carers, journalists, drug agencies and patient and human rights groups to bring out the truth about their harmful treatments. The Royal College of Psychiatrists have still to warn its members on the 21 different drug alerts issued around the world.
If you believe psychiatrists should stop harming children and their patients with violent, suicide inducing antidepressants, Benzodiazapines, antipsychotics and stimulant drugs, then please join Peter and I, and other parents who have lost their children. Together with hundreds of CCHR supporters, mental health campaigners and children rights campaigners we can make a difference.
If you agree with these aims, we ask that you broadly distribute this email to all your family and friends up and down the country, get them to join us for this important rally and demonstration and help us to campaign for proper medical and humane treatment for people with mental problems.
<click here to receive CCHR info on the Glasgow Rally and then please forward this email>(You can opt out of the emails later if you wish - we will not share your email address with anyone else!)
In doing so, our son’s death will not be in vain and you will be supporting CCHR’s international campaign to eradicate brutal psychiatric practices, bring psychiatry back under the law, deprive psychiatrists of their unearned millions in appropriations and replace unworkable practices with humane treatments as laid down by the Mental Healh Declaration of Human Rights for mental patients.
If you can’t join us, because of distance or other reasons, perhaps you would make a donation to the campaign. Your donations will be used to fund the Rally and help CCHR bring about its aims.
At least show your support for CCHR UK by registering to receive further information on their campaigns.
Below you will find information regarding CCHR’s Rally and Demonstration. Thank you for reading our Son’s story.
Peter and I hope to see you there.
CITIZENS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
RALLY AND DEMONSTRATION
MONDAY 10TH JULY 2006
Rally meeting point: 12:00 noon in St. George Square, off Queen Street. The march will start around 1:00pm and will be about a 1 to 2 mile walk through the streets of Glasgow, ending at the Scottish Exhibition Conference Centre – the venue for the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ annual conference.
Buses, trains, planes and cars will be travelling to Glasgow. Travel information can be obtained by contacting CCHR UK on 01342 313926 or email on info@cchr.org.uk.
CCHR will provide the banners, placards, flags, balloons and other Rally paraphernalia. Although the demands from CCHR are serious, the Rally is done in the spirit of play.
Those attending the Rally should bring comfortable walking shoes, food and water for refreshment during the march, and wear black if possible.
Dress code: Black Attire. Black Tee shirts can be purchased at the rally.
You can now donate money to CCHR UK, online using a secure system. Just click the donate button below, and follow the instructions..
© 2005 Citizens Commission on Human Rights (United Kingdom). A company limited by guarantee. Company Reg No. 4085083. Citizens Commission on Human Rights, CCHR and the CCHR logo are trademarks and service marks owned by Citizens Commission on Human Rights and are used with its permission. If you don't want to recieve further newsflash email from this source please click on this email address link: newsflash@cchr.org.uk and press send, or if you prefer you can write to us at 42-44 Copthorne Road, Felbridge, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 2NS. Website address: http://www.cchr.org.uk/
.............
If you've got this far thank you again for reading it.
It could so easily have been us.
And still could be.
- Mike xx
We get lots!!!!
I'm going to copy this one to you though. I hope you don't mind.
There was so much that made me feel close to this situation. One of those things though was the escape abroad. An escape from the system to try to prove there was another way, to discover that, because we know the current system isn't working.
(Remind me to tell you about Finland by the way!)
The thing that moves me to pass on this email is that we still have Sam. We've had a nice weekend. There is the promise of even nicer ones to come. Sadly for these parents that is no longer possible.
It could so easily have been our family.
If you can support this in any way - even just by passing the email on to a friend - I would regard it as a true favour.
Thank you.
The email is here:
From: CCHR (UK) Supporters [mailto:supporters@cchr.org.uk]
Sent: 21 June 2006 22:46
To: sophie@planet-interactive.co.uk
Subject: How psychiatry killed my son...
Hello,
My name is Jeanette Blagbrough.
I am the mother of Christopher Blagbrough. Here is my story of how my son was treated under the mental health system.
At 18-years-old, Chris was a promising apprentice engineer. For whatever reason, he became depressed and was prescribed an antidepressant, Prozac. After taking only two tablets, and without warning, Chris violently attacked his father with a kitchen knife. This attack resulted in him being sectioned under the Mental Health Act in a local psychiatric unit. Two and a half years later, while supposedly under the care of mental health professionals and a psychiatrist, and while on suicide watch Chris committed suicide when he hung himself.
I believe Chris died because of the arrogance of a psychiatrist and an uncaring mental health system that refused to accept he was suffering from a severe vitamin B12 deficiency known to cause psychosis. I also believe he died because of the cocktails of psychiatric drugs he was given, drugs known to cause violence and suicide. He was also in a system that refused to act on numerous complaints made by his caring family.
Rather than allowing Chris to be examined and treated by proper medical doctors, the psychiatrist in charge of his care blocked and cancelled appointments made with other doctors to get him the medical treatment he needed.
When numerous complaints were ignored by various agencies, including the Ombudsman, the Mental Health Act Commission and the General Medical Council, Chris and his father Peter absconded to Spain where they spent 4 glorious weeks together, proving that Chris was able to cope away from the hospital unit, contrary to the beliefs of the so-called “experts.”
When the psychiatrist promised he would take our complaints seriously if Chris returned to the hospital, we trusted his word. But on arriving at the hospital, Chris was immediately grabbed, thrown back into the secure unit, where he was again prescribed psychiatric drugs against his wishes and those of his parents. The psychiatrist denied Peter any further visiting rights to see his son.
For 8 months, Peter was forced to wait in the car park while I was allowed to visit Chris. Unfortunately, Peter was never to see his son alive again.
You can read the full account of Christopher’s tragic Story at his memorial website.
Peter and I had given up hope of ever getting justice for the atrocities committed against our son. We were shunted from one department to another, from agency to agency, and our cries for help were completely ignored – until we found the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR).
We believe Chris would still be alive today, if only we had known about the work of CCHR much sooner.
That is why we will be joining CCHR on Monday, 10th July 2006 to protest against the Royal College of Psychiatrists who will be in Glasgow for their weeklong annual conference.
I am inviting you to be there too.
Hundreds of CCHR supporters will be demanding of the College, why they have failed to inform their members of the 21 Drug Alerts, issued just this past year by government drug regulatory bodies in the UK, Europe, Canada, America, Japan, Australia and other parts of the world - showing antidepressants and amphetamine-like stimulant drugs, used on children and adults for ADHD and depression, cause psychiatric events, violence, suicide and death.
The most fundamental point of the Hippocratic Oath is “To Do No Harm.” If that is true, then why has it taken parents, carers, journalists, drug agencies and patient and human rights groups to bring out the truth about their harmful treatments. The Royal College of Psychiatrists have still to warn its members on the 21 different drug alerts issued around the world.
If you believe psychiatrists should stop harming children and their patients with violent, suicide inducing antidepressants, Benzodiazapines, antipsychotics and stimulant drugs, then please join Peter and I, and other parents who have lost their children. Together with hundreds of CCHR supporters, mental health campaigners and children rights campaigners we can make a difference.
If you agree with these aims, we ask that you broadly distribute this email to all your family and friends up and down the country, get them to join us for this important rally and demonstration and help us to campaign for proper medical and humane treatment for people with mental problems.
<click here to receive CCHR info on the Glasgow Rally and then please forward this email>(You can opt out of the emails later if you wish - we will not share your email address with anyone else!)
In doing so, our son’s death will not be in vain and you will be supporting CCHR’s international campaign to eradicate brutal psychiatric practices, bring psychiatry back under the law, deprive psychiatrists of their unearned millions in appropriations and replace unworkable practices with humane treatments as laid down by the Mental Healh Declaration of Human Rights for mental patients.
If you can’t join us, because of distance or other reasons, perhaps you would make a donation to the campaign. Your donations will be used to fund the Rally and help CCHR bring about its aims.
At least show your support for CCHR UK by registering to receive further information on their campaigns.
Below you will find information regarding CCHR’s Rally and Demonstration. Thank you for reading our Son’s story.
Peter and I hope to see you there.
CITIZENS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
RALLY AND DEMONSTRATION
MONDAY 10TH JULY 2006
Rally meeting point: 12:00 noon in St. George Square, off Queen Street. The march will start around 1:00pm and will be about a 1 to 2 mile walk through the streets of Glasgow, ending at the Scottish Exhibition Conference Centre – the venue for the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ annual conference.
Buses, trains, planes and cars will be travelling to Glasgow. Travel information can be obtained by contacting CCHR UK on 01342 313926 or email on info@cchr.org.uk.
CCHR will provide the banners, placards, flags, balloons and other Rally paraphernalia. Although the demands from CCHR are serious, the Rally is done in the spirit of play.
Those attending the Rally should bring comfortable walking shoes, food and water for refreshment during the march, and wear black if possible.
Dress code: Black Attire. Black Tee shirts can be purchased at the rally.
You can now donate money to CCHR UK, online using a secure system. Just click the donate button below, and follow the instructions..
© 2005 Citizens Commission on Human Rights (United Kingdom). A company limited by guarantee. Company Reg No. 4085083. Citizens Commission on Human Rights, CCHR and the CCHR logo are trademarks and service marks owned by Citizens Commission on Human Rights and are used with its permission. If you don't want to recieve further newsflash email from this source please click on this email address link: newsflash@cchr.org.uk and press send, or if you prefer you can write to us at 42-44 Copthorne Road, Felbridge, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 2NS. Website address: http://www.cchr.org.uk/
.............
If you've got this far thank you again for reading it.
It could so easily have been us.
And still could be.
- Mike xx
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Yesterday was Sam's birthday.
It was a lovely day
It was the first birthday that he has woken in his own bed rather than in a hospital bed for some years. Last year he was in that awful hospital in France and very poorly.
Some friends called round in the morning with presents. Later Sam and I went for a walk and then watched a bit of the football. Our walk was at a favourite spot and we were chatting about our earliest memories. We also talked of Sam's age and mine. It is sad that much of Sam's youth has been stolen from him by his illness and the system.
In the evening Sam's Granny and Grandad came round. Nell was here with a friend who Sam gets on with well.
There was lots of nice food and some wine and beer and soft drinks. Sam had helped design the menu. He seemed thrilled with his presents.
The weather was nice and we were able to sit outside for some of the time. Sam and I sat on a bench in the garden and chatted about previous birthday parties in the garden. Ones he'd had as a child and more recent ones. We often used to hae a party at this time of year between Sam's birthday and my own.
Later when everyone had gone Sam and I watched some late night television. Sam was chuckling away at the programme.
It was nice to see him so happy.
So happy on his birthday.
It was a lovely day
It was the first birthday that he has woken in his own bed rather than in a hospital bed for some years. Last year he was in that awful hospital in France and very poorly.
Some friends called round in the morning with presents. Later Sam and I went for a walk and then watched a bit of the football. Our walk was at a favourite spot and we were chatting about our earliest memories. We also talked of Sam's age and mine. It is sad that much of Sam's youth has been stolen from him by his illness and the system.
In the evening Sam's Granny and Grandad came round. Nell was here with a friend who Sam gets on with well.
There was lots of nice food and some wine and beer and soft drinks. Sam had helped design the menu. He seemed thrilled with his presents.
The weather was nice and we were able to sit outside for some of the time. Sam and I sat on a bench in the garden and chatted about previous birthday parties in the garden. Ones he'd had as a child and more recent ones. We often used to hae a party at this time of year between Sam's birthday and my own.
Later when everyone had gone Sam and I watched some late night television. Sam was chuckling away at the programme.
It was nice to see him so happy.
So happy on his birthday.
