Well, I just wanted to let you ladied know that we took him to the hospital yesterday and he was admitted. My husband took it very hard and was the most upset I've ever seen him. It was pretty emotional, my brother in law didn't know why he was there and was confused and scared. He didn't know where he lived or where he was born and called my husband "a friend of mine" instead of his brother.

I know this is only the beginning of a very long battle, but at least it's a start.

Thanks so much for listening.

Marie

I will pray for all of you. Be happy because at least this way he will get the help he need and you can rest a little easier.

Marie, I had to do much the same thing with a good friend of mine many years ago. I was part of an intervention that "tricked" him into going into the hospital. He was so upset with me, felt so betrayed, and we've never been the same since. But he had to go, he was doing really weird things, like walking down a busy highway in the middle of the night with his pajamas on. He may not be talking to me anymore, but at least he's still alive now probably because we did intervene and get him the help he needed.

Your BIL sounded like he was getting much too close to a very dangerous precipice...my fear was that he would hurt someone if he didn't get help soon. My friend would not have hurt anyone, but would definitely have eventually hurt himself. Your BIL sounds like he might have gone the other way and hurt someone else. Hopefully, now, we'll never know for sure!

I am so happy to hear he is in the hospital where he beongs. You're right, it will be a long haul, but hopefully they will be able to get his medication squared away and place him in intensive therapy.

I'm hopeful they will assign a social worker to his case who should be able to set him up with agencies and programs that will help him on his path to recovery.

Thanks for the update.

I'm with Dotsie, here, Marie. Thank God you got him into a hospital before something more dangerous happened. You made the right choice, your family comes first.

While he's in the hospital, he'll have a case worker. Hopefully that person can help your BIL find accommodations after he's well enough to leave the hospital and outpatient therapy that he can attend on a regular basis. Or, he may not ever be well enough. If he won't stay on his meds, he could be a danger to himself and to society.

Take care of yourself and remember we're thinking of you.

What a sad situation.

My nephew's FIL is mentally ill and delusional. He was a doctor before his illness progressed and now, he's homeless. He slept on their enclosed back porch for a while. He leaves and comes back periodically.

They don't feel he's dangerous but he changes the daily function of their little family so my nephew doesn't allow him to stay with them anymore. Plus, they have young children and how do you explain?

There is such a stigma attached to mental illness and rightfully so. I just thank God for my health and that of my family too.

I want to thank everyone for their kind words. It's been a really trying time for us. We've never had to deal with anything like this before, but I think it has brought us closer together emotionally.

My husband went today to talk to the doctors and hopefully figure out a plan for when he gets out. They said when he arrived he was "acutely phycotic", which doesn't sound good. But he has responded to his medication. We know he wants to get out of there and are hoping that he isn't faking the recovery so that he can (I guess with his condition, it has been known to happen).

I'm waiting to hear from my husband right now, I'm hoping it's good news.

It's funny how you live in this little bubble, taking all those mundane things for granted. We started thinking about those little problems that arrise, money and car trouble and this was a huge wake up call to the tune of "we are healthy, and happy and mentally intact"....you never know what's around the corner.

I'll keep you posted on the happenings. I'm glad we got him help and I'm glad I don't have to consider the "what if's".

Marie

Marie,
I just came across you post today. I I’m really sorry for what you are going through. What I would say is that you need to take care of you. In the midst of being a care taker and giving acts of service, sometime the helper is hurt more than the victim. During this short moment in your life of this situation, take time for YOU. Meditate, go on a walk call friends, get your nails done, post to your boomer friends and realize that you are importation. Look up, see the beautiful clouds, and enjoy the weather. Redefine your job. Your job is to be a wife and mother and focus on that.

I hope this helps.

Cheers,
Darlene

Darlene, great advice. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

I have a schizophrenic sister and we had to 'trick' her into being hospitalized once, too. It felt awful, but she really did need it, and DID respond positively to being back on her meds. The difficult thing with someone who's schizophrenic is that they start feeling 'normal', and decide to go off their meds and that's when trouble starts again. One thing you might check into and that's whether there are group homes available that he might move into after his hospitalization is over. This is something that his doctor should be quite willing to address - his living situation once he's stabilized. My sister has lived in a group home for years and is doing well.

Best wishes.