Back in the saddle

[simco]

I was inspired by w0w0mg's post (http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/807132-Back-again-Doing-good!), and thought I'd write a similar one.

I've been MIA because I went into the hospital. Two weeks in the psych ward, followed by four weeks in a "partial hospitalization" program. Those six weeks were all in California, far from where I live, in the Midwest.

Of course the events leading up to the hospitalization sucked. For me it was extreme depression (and heroin addiction) that culminated in 3 pretty series suicide bids in a week. (Not fishing for sympathy...this is just for context.)

But I have to say, my experience with inpatient psych care was, for the most part, very good. Getting in was awful: 3 days lying on a gurney in a hallway in the ER, detoxing from heroin, waiting for a bed to open up in the psych unit. But once I got upstairs, the care was great.

My re-entry into society has been a bit rocky. I relapsed on dope within a week of coming home. But I've put concrete measures in place that I think are going to help me stabilize and hopefully help me stay clean.

I know some folks around here have an interest in psychiatric care, and I'm happy to discuss any aspects of the experience, either on this thread or via PM. Mostly, though, just want to wave hello.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I'd love to hear more about your experience in the psych ward. I spent a week in a good one at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena CA a while back to help me detox off opioids and had a positive experience as far as detoxes go. Didn't provide any services other than comfort meds, but at least they gave out the right meds! Was very comfortable as far as kicking goes.

Congrats on getting back in the saddle!

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Glad to hear that you're alive.

 

[simco]

As far as my experience in the psych ward went, here's a bit of detail...

I arrived in the ER at a very good (by reputation) hospital on a Friday morning. It's still pretty foggy just how things went down--I was psychotic, hallucinating and still suicidally depressed. But they admitted me quickly and put me on a 5150 (i.e. a 72-hour involuntary hold). There were no beds available in the psych ward at that time, though. At this point, protocol is that the hospital would try to find a bed for me somewhere in the greater Bay Area. However, I had heard good things about this particular place, so I was eager not to get moved. By perverse luck, my insurance is so shitty that no other hospital would touch me. And by that point, due to the 5150, I think my original spot was obligated to hold onto me.

So then it was a waiting game. I waited in the ER so long that the 5150 expired, and they imposed a 5250 (14-day involuntary hold). By that point, I was feeling kinda desperate. The worst of my heroin detox was over, and the seroquel they gave me had pushed out the worst of the psychotic symptoms. But of course, in the ER, I wasn't getting any proper psych care.

Finally, however, a bed in the unit opened up, and they rushed me right up there. I was a bit nervous at first about being in a locked ward, afraid it would feel like jail. But it was just the opposite...I felt like they locked out the world and that I was safe.

From the word go, the unit was amazing. I had three psychiatrists on my case, each of whom I talked with one on one for a minimum of an hour each day. One of them was an intern, and I talked with him even more. They were incredibly care, and incredibly skilled at psychotherapy. Meanwhile, they did an interesting thing. I came into the hospital on a shit-ton of psych meds. Really the kitchen sink. And they pared me back to almost zero medication, just a *bare* minimum. From there, they began implementing new meds with very frequent blood draws. They really dialed things in precisely. On my discharge, I'm on a much, much lighter regimen.

During the days, when I wasn't with a Dr., I was in group therapy. Almost all of the groups were somehow CBT-based, except for the art therapy-type stuff.

The nurses were incredible, too. Of course there were a few duds. But many of them would come sit with me for a good spell when they come on shift and we'd talk about what was going on with me.

Lastly, I'll mention that each patient had an assigned social worker. Mine was fantastic. She arranged (I mean completely arranged) for an excellent partial hospitalization program when I was discharged. Also, she battled my asshole insurance company. Originally they wanted to cover nothing because I was in an out of network hospital (being out of state when I got sick, I didn't have much choice). Supposedly, though, they're going to cough up a good bit for the stay, thanks mostly to my social worker.

I realize I sound like a cheerleader in this post. I'm sure that other experiences with the same place vary. Mine would probably be different if I went back. But as things went down, I'm really grateful to have been treated so well there.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Dude, that is fucking awesome! I am so pleased to hear that the quality of medical care when it comes to mental illness and psychiatric emergencies in the US is improving! I mean, I know it is far from perfect, but stories like that are proof that it at least has the potential to continue improving.

It sounds like you were in a really nasty place prior to your 5150, so of course the safety of the psych ward would be a huge step up from what you were experiencing before. Nonetheless, I'm glad you had a positive experience. You certainly deserved it! No one should have to suffer subpar psychiatric care in this day and age. Short of ignorance on the part of doctors and staff, there is really no excuse for the use of "old school" (read: backwards) treatment modalities.

 

[simco]

Yeah. I really lucked out. If this had happened in my ass backward part of the country, I think things would have turned out badly.