JimFoxvog wrote:Please renew your prayers. Our son has been living with us almost two weeks now. He was doing pretty well at first, but then quit his psych meds and has relapsed.
He is very hard to live with. He is scattering things all over the house, making unreasonable demands, and often makes little sense. Last night police came in the house a couple times because he visited a neighbor lady in the middle of the night and she called them. My son said they had had a great conversation. He feels great and things anyone's concerns for him are foolishness.
Do we try to get him involuntarily committed or wait until he gets in enough trouble so that the authorities do that? He was a lot better after a prayer time with a few brothers last evening, but not for very long. My wife is particularly distraught.
praying.
some of my family members have a similar situation with their daughter in law. for years, they all did the best they could without benefit of diagnosis, counseling, or meds. there are two children involved.
in retrospect, i do not know how they managed for the years they did. it could be extreme.
eventually, she was found literally in a gutter. the police took her in, she ended up in an institution. at this point, they got the diagnosis: schizophrenia. she received counseling and meds, improved exponentially. tremendous relief and hope.
the children are now safe and healthy, the grandparents are cooperating in raising them. after a tough start in life, they are so fortunate. what a blessing to have grandparents (from very different backgrounds) come together to raise these children! the two grandfathers lead this. i thank God for them. this is now a matter of years. the babies are young teens.
however, the poor woman lives in a desperate world. the husband-father has run away.
they know he is safe and physically ok. but the trauma from years of trying to cope with a truly impossible situation he was in no way prepared for, has taken a toll. he is rarely in contact.
his parents hurt, but, the focus is on raising the grandchildren, praying he will one day return.
i know his parents badly want him to return! (we) have no doubt he is deeply wounded from trying so hard to cope with the impossible. we pray he knows we do not blame him! he tried so hard.
she goes from being very good (in an institution setting) to then being released, she stops meds, ends up in the literal gutter, goes to jail, goes to an institution. it’s a horrible reflection on our culture. laws “protect” seriously ill people so they “have the right” to freely suffer in the streets.
somehow, she has managed to get herself states-away from them, they know of her life, but, thousands of miles away, are helpless. we pray for her safety, but know she is not safe.
having this close family experience, my suggestion would be, if possible, to have your son put in a facility where he will get assessment, counseling, meds. stay as closely involved as possible.
expect him to be released. expect him to do well, as long as he takes regular meds.
be alert to the next lapse. don’t let it take you by surprise. get whatever instructions you can about how to respond to it right away, and, where to turn, if/when you need help.
i will pray your son’s diagnosis and situation never get to the point of this young woman.
i will pray for you to find strength to cope with this tough part of life you now have.
i will pray for your wife’s hurting heart.