for everyone who has supported me (((((((((((((( thank you ))))))))))))))))

i wanted to give an update on my brother. he was admitted to the hosp on saturday and he's being released tomorrow on thursday...5 days. i really didn't expect them to keep him for longer than the "72 hour hold", but they did. this is his third hospitalization and they wanted him rested and stable. he seems to be both...as stable as he gets, that is.

my brother has PTSD, dysthymia, major depressive episodes and quite possibly bipolar (they can't fully dx that until he's been drug free for a longer amount of time since highs/lows can be drug induced and lack thereof). he is emotionally the age of a 16-17 yr old because of the fact that he's self medicated (and flat out partied at times) since the age of 13...he was also dx'ed narcistic many years ago, but he was an angry, drug using teen. i do think some of that still applies to him to this day though. we'll see...now that he's clean.

i talked with him again today and he has hope. he recognizes that he has a LONG row to hoe and feels scared but up to the challenge. they put him on remerol the day he was admitted and today have put him on lamictol. i hope he does well with these meds. he's been put on meds many, many times and has never followed through.

the hospital was livid when they found out that our community mental health center said that they would not allow him to see a p'doc for meds until he's been off drugs for a year! (he was never on anything major) the social worker at the hospital said to me, "have they never heard of dual dx???? what's he going to do when he feels so bad and has no hope of them helping with meds??? He's going to self medicate!!!!" he was truly livid. anyhow, the dr there has called our CMH to ensure he'll be able to receive meds when he leaves there. i hope they succeeded. i think they have or they would have instructed him to see another dr.

long story short, for the first time in years i'm cautiously hopeful for my baby brother again. i love him so much and want him to be at least a little happy. he's had misery long enuf and is due. i'm hopeful that he can be the best father he can to the little man i'm caring for. i realize he's limited, but he's engrained in that little boy's heart and soul (in a good way) as daddy and will always need him there, if for only a couple of days a week.

thank you again for all of your support! i'll keep you posted!

kd