"big Frank"

[Louie18]

Igot called to calm a unit.

Walk on the floor and patients are all hiding in there rooms (probably with some staff)

I look to my left and where the seclusion room door was, was now an opening of raw cinderblock with the door flat on the floor in front of it.

Soon this guy 7'4" comes lumbering around the corner, I peg him at about a modest 540#.

He walks to phone and orders a pizza.

He gets no connection and rips the phone from the box and throws it in the trash.

Within seconds I was in his space offering him a cigarette, camel, marlboroh red or kool asking him if he is hungry as he decides.

Light his cigarette and take him to the pantry where we stock up and carry his goods to a table

We sit looking out at it snowing, still making no eye contact.

I lean over and talking out the side of my neck (it's called) say,

"Why are you acting this way?" to which he replies as he inhales this food, "I have to or they will kick me out."

[KeniRN]

OMG. Please tell me you work in a psych facility.

[bagladyrn, RN]

Too funny!

[Noney]

Too sad!

[Louie18]

All in a days work in the 'bin. lol

True story

[CseMgr1, ASN, RN]

[Louie18]

HOW 'BOUT BOB G. AT DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS

At the age of 17 he developer schizophrenia. Had spent most of his life in institutions, the only reason he was in Corrections was because of a merger between Mental Health and Corrections. (to give them more slots to juggle the numbers)

Now he is 44 yet still suffers from the same halucinations. His head and shoulders were constantly being annoyed by these little Smurf-like characters. So real to him he could feel them breathing in his ears and licking his face. No medication had changed this.

Every night he would come up and get a 4' piece of scotch tape which he would stretch across his bed just above his head, then he would shake them off and they would stick to the tape and he would hurriedly pull the blanket over his head to sleep. This ritual worked fairly well but still he would wake a couple times a week and have to be taken to seclusion.

I think of him often.

[Noney]

schizophrenia

Such a sad disease. I just read "A quiet Room" It's about a girl who developed schizophrenia at 17, and her 20 year stuggle.

Noney

[Rapheal]

Add to the fact that many mentally ill patients self medicate with drugs and alcohol, becoming substance abusers. Then we have a health system that has very few treatment centers for mentally ill substance abusers. Very sad, very catch-22.