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Success after IF
DavezWife
member
Unusual update to an old (infamous) patient
DavezWife
member
So a few yrs ago when we lived in Utah, I worked on a medical psych floor, full lock-down scary stuff on one side, and a secure step-down unit as well. (and lockdown TB, too) Most of our patients were at our specific unit b/c they had medical issues (think bipolar with broken legs from jumping off high buildings, when alas, they could NOT fly..)
I worked there for a year, and a gal we'll call "Michelle" was there on & off, almost the whole time. She had previously spent over a year in the state hospital as well, and needed assistive housing when not in the hospital(s).
Her case was so significant b/c she had a heart transplant when she was 9 yrs old.
There is not enough time in the world to tell you all about how difficult and challenging this young lady was. (she was mid-20's at the time). She was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, and believe me, she was borderline NUTHIN'... that girl INVENTED BSC. She believed she was molested during an MRI as a child, (maybe she was) and so ANY man that came near her at the wrong state of mind got the crap kicked out of them. Unprovoked. She would steal things like our nametags or the plastic forks, and try for hours to kill herself with them. She'd bang her head against the wall, refuse all meds (transplant meds were skipped for WEEKS!) and usually would not stop until we called all the security boys up and all 20 of us tackled, restrained and sedated her with 1-3 injections. ("5 & 2 anyone?")
She upset the whole unit on a daily basis, and would usually watch the clock and start her chit about 10 minutes before shift change.
Anytime I was kicked, scratched, spit at or injured, it was b/c of Michelle.
But then there were the times when the meds worked. Or she was in a good mood. Or didn't obsess 24/7 with how to kill herself in the most dramatic way. (she had thrown herself off a train, out a car, and taken more pill combos than anyone, etc.) She was writing a book about her life, and shared some of it with me. We were "friends" at some points, and sometimes she even trusted me.
I've NEVER forgotten her, both because of the challenge she was, but because under this severe mental illness was a pretty neat person.
After I moved, I've googled her a couple times, and would get "same same" updates from nurses I still talked to after I moved.
Well, yesterday I googled her again, and her obit popped right up. Ends up she died fall of '08. then the 2nd google down, was a website about wonderful friendships or something, and her name was listed. Someone JUST wrote that entry the day prior, and left her email on there to talk to other friends of Michelle.
I emailed her, and found out that Michelle had gotten LEUKEMIA on top of everything life had handed her... (I thought for sure her heart gave out, transplanted hearts only last about 20 yrs and she was NOT kind to that heart) or she had finally suceeded in suicide.
Nope. cancer.
And she did the whole treatment thing, too! yowza! (I didn't know they would do that for a transplant patient. esp this one!)
Her friend had amazing things to say about her, and we talked back and forth for a while. (I didn't mention what a bugger she was.. no point)
Not sure why I'm sharing this, but it's just such an interesting story. We all have our mountains... and this gal seemed to have about 20 huge ones. Yet she still wanted to live.
Take what you want from THAT lesson, I guess. ;-)
Join us - Commit Random Acts of Kindness, and say
"I did it for Cricket"
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Unusual update to an old (infamous) patient
What a story. I know what to take away from that. poor girl.
Savannah
Callista
Baby Trail Blog
"Someday we will look at our babies and know it will be worth it. If it was easy, we would not have had our babies, the babies we were meant to have." From Amy052006
and Leslie wins the narc prize ! ;-)
I've heard that often transplant patients end up getting cancer... don't remember if there's one kind prevelant over another, etc. but what a whammie, huh?
I remember reading one of the letters the mom of the girl that donated her heart to M wrote to M. Her daughter had died when a car hit her riding her bike with friends. And she gave up her organs for others. I can't help but think of that family as well, as part of their lives died all over again when M passed.
;-(
Wow - she sounds very interesting on many levels - it's almost sad that she didn't have a more interesting story in her death. I bet in some morbid way that really pisses her off too!
You just have to wonder why such a neat person (underneath all of her other issues) had to go through all of that? I guess sometimes to inspire other people.
Barback?
It is sad when you think about the family of the heart donor. My cousin was killed in a car accident when she was 16 (I was 17 at the time) and she was an organ donor. The lady who received Erin's heart always hated ice cream. Erin absolutely *loved* ice cream. When the lady got Erin's heart, she craved ice cream like crazy.
Wow, life is so completely ironic.
That must've been a shock for you, I'm sorry:(
What a surprising and tragic end. Wow -- what a life. I'm sorry you had to find out about it that way. I'm sure you made a wonderfully positive impact on her.
Our Thanksgiving Day baby 11/22/07
Pregnant with #2 with LPD, uterine polyp/hysteroscopy, DOR (AMH = 0.17), 2 c/ps
Our early Christmas present 12/9/10
that's quite a story. sounds like she sure was dealt a sh*tty hand in life.
and i LOL'ed at ("5 & 2 anyone?"). seems i've had a run of crazy combative ones on the road lately.