It was almost a year since Jason was first admitted to the psychiatric ward. He decided to move back home as the stress of managing his own apartment was too much. He was depressed more than ever and he obsessed about suicide constantly. He thought getting out of the house and going out with friends might help ease his busy mind but that only led him to more trouble. One night, he went out on a Friday night with an old acquaintance and didn't return until early Monday morning. I would call him on his cell periodically during the weekend and he would insist on staying away. Jason was angry at almost everyone and everything in his life. He was drinking a fair bit, against his better judgment to avoid alcohol while taking medication. He was well aware of the risks but didn't care, it was another way of satisfying the "suicide addiction", a term I learned from his psychiatrist. When he arrived on Monday morning, Bev, Stefanie and I were getting ready to go to work for the day. He assured me that he felt safe and would be sleeping all day.
I left work at about 5 pm, feeling uneasy all the way home. When I got home, I noticed that Bev and Stefanie weren't there yet. This seemed a little strange as they always got home before me. Moments later, I was relieved that they were running later than usual. The first thing I did was check in with Jason and I found him sleeping in his bed. Then, I ran upstairs to check his medication, which is only prescribed on a weekly basis, especially when the patient is suicidal. His entire week supply was gone! There was a little less than a week's worth of meds, but his supply included 4 or 5 different prescriptions each day. I hoped this wouldn't cause permanent damage somehow but I knew it would make him feel really sick. I shot back to Jason's bedroom to wake him up and when he finally came through, I asked him if he took anything else besides the weekly supply. That's when he pulled out an empty pill bottle which had found its way underneath him in bed.
The label on the bottle indicated that it contained 60 prescription sleeping pills and that it was prescribed by Jason's psychiatrist. I was shocked to see on the label that the prescription was not only for a whole month but that it also included 4 refills, to be filled at Jason's discretion. He had filled the prescription in advance and hid it for when the time was right. Jason wanted them on hand for the inevitable day when it seemed he could no longer cope with the emotional pain. The day I found him sleeping in his bed was that day!
Besides prescribing Jason with his week's supply of various drugs, the psychiatrist made a mistake by giving him an additional prescription for a month supply of sleeping pills along with 4 refills. To this day, the psychiatrist has no idea that his carelessness almost killed Jason and it took everything to keep me from paying him (or a lawyer) a less than social visitation. A good friend gave me some wise advice by suggesting that I need the cooperation of the local medical community and to ruffle any feathers at that time would jeopardize any support for Jason. He was right. Focusing a lot of my energy on the psychiatrist would only take our attention away from what was most important, Jason's health. I plan on talking to him when the time is right but for the sole purpose of making him aware that carelessness almost killed my son and to take stock of his practices with other patients. The only immediate action taken was a change to a new psychiatrist.
Jason couldn't stay awake but I managed to get out of him that he swallowed everything in the weekly pack and all 60 sleeping pills. I phoned 911 and the ambulance arrived promptly and immediately began treating him with oxygen while monitoring his vital organs. They rushed him to the hospital's Emergency and I waited for Bev and Stefanie to arrive before we headed out to the hospital. They got home only minutes after the ambulance was long gone and I was relieved once again that they missed the trauma. This was on June 30th, 2008 and it had been a long day.
I left work at about 5 pm, feeling uneasy all the way home. When I got home, I noticed that Bev and Stefanie weren't there yet. This seemed a little strange as they always got home before me. Moments later, I was relieved that they were running later than usual. The first thing I did was check in with Jason and I found him sleeping in his bed. Then, I ran upstairs to check his medication, which is only prescribed on a weekly basis, especially when the patient is suicidal. His entire week supply was gone! There was a little less than a week's worth of meds, but his supply included 4 or 5 different prescriptions each day. I hoped this wouldn't cause permanent damage somehow but I knew it would make him feel really sick. I shot back to Jason's bedroom to wake him up and when he finally came through, I asked him if he took anything else besides the weekly supply. That's when he pulled out an empty pill bottle which had found its way underneath him in bed.
The label on the bottle indicated that it contained 60 prescription sleeping pills and that it was prescribed by Jason's psychiatrist. I was shocked to see on the label that the prescription was not only for a whole month but that it also included 4 refills, to be filled at Jason's discretion. He had filled the prescription in advance and hid it for when the time was right. Jason wanted them on hand for the inevitable day when it seemed he could no longer cope with the emotional pain. The day I found him sleeping in his bed was that day!
Besides prescribing Jason with his week's supply of various drugs, the psychiatrist made a mistake by giving him an additional prescription for a month supply of sleeping pills along with 4 refills. To this day, the psychiatrist has no idea that his carelessness almost killed Jason and it took everything to keep me from paying him (or a lawyer) a less than social visitation. A good friend gave me some wise advice by suggesting that I need the cooperation of the local medical community and to ruffle any feathers at that time would jeopardize any support for Jason. He was right. Focusing a lot of my energy on the psychiatrist would only take our attention away from what was most important, Jason's health. I plan on talking to him when the time is right but for the sole purpose of making him aware that carelessness almost killed my son and to take stock of his practices with other patients. The only immediate action taken was a change to a new psychiatrist.
Jason couldn't stay awake but I managed to get out of him that he swallowed everything in the weekly pack and all 60 sleeping pills. I phoned 911 and the ambulance arrived promptly and immediately began treating him with oxygen while monitoring his vital organs. They rushed him to the hospital's Emergency and I waited for Bev and Stefanie to arrive before we headed out to the hospital. They got home only minutes after the ambulance was long gone and I was relieved once again that they missed the trauma. This was on June 30th, 2008 and it had been a long day.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me! You guys have had so much to deal with. It must be hard for Jason to share this info but it is so good for the rest of us to know. Thank you.
Love Lynne
Oh Danny, I'm finding it hard to find the right words. My heart goes out to you Bev Stef and Jason. Reading your story and hearing of the pain you all have gone through just tears me up. To have endured so much and for Jason to be coming out of it, is such an inspiration. I am in awe with the strength you and Bev have shown during this whole time. To be able to keep the faith as you did is an inspiration in itself. Jason is such a strong man to have gone through all that he has and is here to share the story with the rest of his family. He makes me so proud. It takes a lot of strength and courage to open up and share the down times in our lives, so Jason, I take my hat off to you!! Thank you both for letting us in your lives.
ReplyDeleteDear Dan, Bev, Steph and especially Jason,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for being so transparent in sharing your story with everyone. It is bound to help others who find themselves in the "psychiatric care" system!!! Advocacy is important and questioning the "experts" a must. We pray for you all often and wish you only the best in the future.
Love & prayers,
Andy & Mo