Ask the Moms: We Answer Listener Questions in Our First Live Episode!

We invited listeners to come on board for this episode, for some Q and A, and wow did they come through! This is one of our most powerful shows ever, thanks to you. Yes, if you want, we will do this again. We discuss: how we wrote our books How to help the Treatment team include us - even if they are reluctant (HIPAA, confidentiality, etc.) Planning for when we are no longer able to help The value of our anger, the value of our love Lack of training for many practitioners re SMI (serious mental illness) Conservatorship/Guardianship SSI/SSDI Positive life lessons for us in all this... and much more. Here is the template for the family "one-sheet": John Doe’s Notes, Date John was diagnosed with schizophrenia, later changed to schizo-affective, in xxxx. (In the early days, I said here something about “John” being the sweetest of little boys and a good kid most of his growing up years, even after he started using drugs, but later had to omit it since there was too much else to cover in order to contain the summary to one page.) After the initial couple years, he started clozapine and did very well for about two years, until he developed agranulocytosis. Later, the only drug that kept him from psychosis was Haldol. He was fairly successful at XYZ program for ten years, but they dismissed him to a board and care in xxxx due to XYZ. He had been sober at XYZ until xyz that dogged him on and off for years. He’s had __ suicide attempts and xyz. John has been civilly committed xx times, not counting extensions. He has been in district court for xxx, sentenced with a gross misdemeanor. He will be eligible for expungement in __ years. John xxxxx. While hospitalized, a psychiatrist asked him if he had ever done better on another medication and John said clozapine. The doctor started him back on it. John’s regular psychiatrist maintained the dose. With clozapine, John stopped using illicit drugs and xxx. He’s been doing well since and has friends he sees often. John is great about managing and taking his meds. He has a lovely apartment in XYZ, but is at our home most of the time. Because he’s doing so much better, John was recently transitioned to a Behavior Health Home at XYZ, their lowest level of care. He also has a CADI waiver through them. A few times, John has used marijuana and had debilitating symptoms that cause him to be in his continuing delusion. When that happens, he wishes he could die. His significant weight gain from clozapine distressed him and he had pre-diabetes, but since he started the Laitman protocol last xxxx, he’s lost most of that weight, with just xxxx pounds to go. (Father’s name) and I are designated on John’s health care directive and have health care power of attorney. His sister, xxxxx, is second. Thanks ahead for helping John! Mother and Father Contact information, including each cell phone Want us to cover a topic? Facebook page @Schizophrenia3Moms Twitter @SZ3MomsTrenches Randye Kaye -Broadcaster, Actress, Voice Talent, Speaker, and Author (“Ben Behind his Voices”, Happier Made Simple) Miriam Feldman – Artist, Mom, Author “He Came in With It” Mindy Greiling – member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for twenty years. Activist, Legislator, Author (“Fix What You Can“)