[Mrs. Bear]

So Wes has had a bad cough for about 3 months. He has a sinus infection again and is on cough meds and antibiotics.

Cough meds aren't doing much, nore is any thing else we can give him. Anything with ephedra in it makes him manic and pcychotic.

Well he pulled a muscle in his stomache last night. Between smoking, working and skating.....he was in tears and his breathing was so shallow from the pain that he was passing out.

I took him to our local instacare. The doc was evaluating him and he told her he smoked. She flipped out and asked how he was getting cigarettes. I told her I buy them for him to prevent him from stealing them. Cause he will. I also told her call the cops and report me. But with his Schitoeffective disorder, I aint gonna be able to stop him. He is the one who has to want it. Any one who smokes knows it is a personal adventure and most difficult at best. We have used patches, Chantrax, lozenges, you name it, he's tried it.

So she flips out even harder and RIGHT IN FRONT OF WES she tells me that with all the meds he is on, if he keeps smoking, he will die by 30. Well duh. Like I don't know this. So I try to do damage control and said, yeah there is that possibility. Wes does not need that crap. He is so worried about his health and his meds right now as it is, and so many schitz go off their meds cause they feel they are being poisoned anyway.

So she practically yells at me. NO! HE WILL DIE if he keeps smoking. It is a fact.

Oh man. It took everything I had to keep my cool.

So while she was out, I explained to Wes, that we can't worry about the future, that we have to concentrate on today. He was so wiggy.

[Mari]

Oh poor Wes. Poor Mrs. Bear.
You are amazing.
I hope that he is ok.

What a moron. She thinks that yelling will get someone to stop ciggies?


One time I reported a Dr. to my insurance company for being an @ss..

This doctor in instacare could be reported too. Usually there are people at the facility in charge of how patients are treated -- a head nurse, or a customer care type person.


In the mean time, I hope that Wes gets over his cough.

M.

[highhatsize]

Dear Mrs. Bear,

I haven't researched it, but I my b.s.-ometer is pegging out at the doctor's prediction. I thought that I knew the dangers of smoking and one of them was NOT catalyzing psych meds into toxins.

As far as Wes' cough is concerned, my experience is that a narcotic med or cough med will knock it right out. I discovered this years ago when I had a cough that I thought would tear out the lining of my esophagus. After drowning myself in otc cough meds, I got, "Tussar II", containing codeine from my doctor. The cough vanished. Now, whenever I get a cough, I just take Vicodin.

[bizi]

Bad Bad doctor....
I would report them!
some people smoke and drink heavily and live to be 100.

I would not give him chantix again....there are many suicides related to that med.

Bear You are a great woman, wonderful and supportive mother...
and showed restraint there...which took alot out of you I am sure.
hugs to you and wes
((((HUGS))))
bizi

[Dmom3005]

Mrs Bear it sounds like you need to take Wes to see a very good
asthma doctor for one thing.

And next I would also have Wes checked out for COPD. It has to
do with things related to asthma, smoking and stuff like this.

I would definately say that a sinus infection, a cough that wont go
away for more than a short period, and things like this is more than
just a common cold.

There is a variation of asthma that is a cough and its possible that
Wes has this. Also does Wes have a inhaler to use every 4 hours
for his trouble breathing.

It would be much better if they would let him have a nebulizer and
if he can handle a face mask to use this. Also I would suggest getting
a nose spray of just a saline and using this too. It will help.

I am doing both my regular veramist and a nose saline solution both.

I found in the hospital if I could keep my nose moist it helped a lot.
Not exactly for the cough but for me nothing helps the cough.

Not even the narcotic things.

But you could ask for what is called a tessalon perle cap 100 mg
Its just a small little round gel pill. Its something I found for
Derrick a few years ago the works. I can sometimes use them
and they might work.

Now we have found that if we get luck the tussin gel drops work
for Derrick.

Nothing is working for mine, except hot tea with sugar and creamer
or milk.

Donna

[Mrs. Bear]

My baby boy has asthma, the cough kind. Oh that is so much fun, not. I have been watching what you are going through, and wishing I could help. But it takes the right doc.

Oddly enough.....They gave Wes a shoot of Tramadol and prescribed him Naproxin. (He has pluresy ) His cough is calming down. That's the part I don't get. Pluresy is just an inflamation of the muscle and connective tissue around the outside of the lungs. The anti inflamatories should just help the pain. But I am greatful. He's grumpy as all get out though.

I have thought about how to react. And I have come up with this. Instead of reporting her, I think I should address her directly. Write her a letter and let her know that allthough her anguish over one more child smoking and endangering their lives is appreciated, it is misdirected and was not helpful in anyway in this particular child. (YOUNG MAN OMG when did that happen?)

I think if I can use this as an opportunity to teach, instead of going off, she might listen better and be more effective if she is ever to come across another person with schitz.

I have learned that urgent care and emergency proffesionals are truly caring people with truly CRAPPY bedside manner. They seem to be more interested in saving your life than in cultivating any relationship. lol

I am thinking about what I want to tell her. What would help her when she is presented with her own opportunity to teach a patient about their health.

If I get that far, I'll post it before it gets sent.

[Dmom3005]

Mrs Bear

Okay now it really makes sense. Plureisy is one of the diagnosis I was
also given at one of my ER visits. Had no clue what it meant. But I've
been on naxproxen for other issues for a while now. And was running
out and it makes my issues more manageable. So I got a new prescription.

I have tramadol for my primary for my elbows, but it doesn't help mcuh but
have used some because the loritab makes me dizzy and loopy at times.

But I have not really lost or calmed my cold except for with the hot tea.
The xanax does seem to be helping in my opinion. But its too early to
tell.

Hoping your Wes starts feeling better soon. Its a long road to recovery,
I'm sure that COPD is going to be one of my new diagnosises.

Donna

[highhatsize]

Dear Mrs. Bear,

I think Wes is simply not old enough to have a diagnosis of COPD. Some years have to pass before one can call something "Chronic".

Of course, it's bad for him to smoke, but smoking seems to calm people with mental illnesses like schizophrenia. There was a big ethical debate in the mental health community some years ago as to whether inpatient psychiatric patients, particularly those in custodial care, should be allowed to smoke. Almost all of them did up until then. Smoking seemed to relieve their anxiety and make their overall behavior calmer and more predictable. I don't know why. On the other hand, smoking causes COPD, heart disease, and cancer, and the Hippocratic Oath forbids medical professionals from causing harm to those under their care. I suppose that the debate was resolved in favor of either position on an institution-by-institution basis. Frankly, were I asked to decide, I would say, "Let them smoke". Their other problems are much more immediately critical. I would rather that they feel better now and for some decades to come at the expense of their longevity.

How old is Wes? In any case, I hope that the shrinks get a handle on his mental disorder soon enough to eliminate the risk that smoking causes. However, I think that your behavior is impeccable. He is lucky to have you as his mother.

Cordially,