WWQP Bulletin Board Chat

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT

Rosey, your understanding means a great deal to me. It is probably obvious that I do feel guilt about severing that particular relationship and getting such understanding from one who has been there in a much larger capacity than I is helpful. Once I posted yesterday I anticipated disapproval from many readers and probably that has happened but somehow I had to say it anyway. With my history in intense criminal defense work in the law and many a civil commitment hearing, believe me, I've seen the worst of it and have also seen the terrible effect on family and friends. You are right, not only do those who suffer end up living under bridges but, sadly, that is something that they, in their distorted perception of reality, sometimes choose to do. Unfortunately, since mental health treatment is allegedly to occur in the local community which system in NC is close to non existent, it doesn't happen at all. That movement was just a cost cutting move on the part of the states allowing them to close hospitals and dumping on the counties. Repeatedly I saw someone, completely psychotic with schizophrenia committed to a state hospital (in FL) and back on the street, sleeping under the same bridge, within 90 days. This person would get weird in a public place and be taken by the more humane police right back to the local crisis unit to repeat the cycle. That was the lucky one. If the officer was less sensitive or if the sufferer acted in a frightening enough way, dissed the cop, or in a few cases was violent they went to jail and then sorting it out was almost impossible. I repeatedly tried to get a pristine prosecutor to the jail to see my poor hallucinating client in the medical section of the jail ranting about "they are spying on me from there", pointing at the ceiling light and heating fixture in the ceiling. They were often clutching at their paper shirt and pants because they had their clothes taken as a precaution against suicide. The prosecutors always recoiled at the idea. The joke around here in NC is if you are going to be crazy you'd better go somewhere else to do it. National Association for the Mentally Ill rates NC 47th on the list of the 50 states in the quality and accessibility of care. Fortunately, my friend does have some coverage as she is totally disabled with physical as well as psychiatric diagnosis but still has to go to Asheville for help.

Now that I got that off my chest and myself off my soap box I'll have breakfast and get on with my day. Still a bit foggy but that will burn off soon and it will be too hot and humid to get up the mountain with Shadow. Fall flowers are here and some almost gone. Joe Pye weed, various asters, goldenrod to name a few. None are as prolific as normal due to our drought conditions. Those who still have grass are seeing green from a single heavy rainfall over the 14th. I see a lot of bare patches in my yard. When rain resumes I will replant myself. I've paid others several times to see occasional improvement. I'll hire someone to rough up the clay and I'll spread fertilizer, lime and some fescue seed which is used in pastures here. It's tough and drought resistant.

Jane in NC

posted by Jane in NC @ 7:48 AM