We had expected that Laura probably would, and later would certainly, spend time in the psych ward after the ICU. Today she finally made that transition. Before that took place (which was after 4pm) Marsha arrived and Laura got to see her, Becca, and (again) Emily as well as Alyssa (because she left school due to headaches). She also got a visit and blessing from Bishop.
We were both comfortable with the plan to go to the psych ward until we were old that the average stay was a week. Laura rallied herself and determined that she would make the best of it however long it ended up being. I hoped that it would be a better experience than the one in Logan. When we finally got there it was clear that they had made no contact with her psychiatrist and didn’t even know her existing diagnosis. I was summarily dismissed when they took her up. I got the admitting lesson (I don’t even know his role) to talk for a few minutes and aquainted him with her diagnosis. I asked what to expect and he said the rule was that she needed to convince at least one physician that she posed no threat to harm herself out anyone else.
He told me that she was admitted because crisis counselors determined that she was a risk. I wasn’t convinced by his declarations that they were in contact with her nurses in ICU and could have evaluated her without speaking to her. He paid lip service to the bottom that solutions to her underlying problems would have to involve family, therapists, etc. but his dismissive handling of me suggested that their work wouldn’t actually involve the family in creating solutions and strategies.
I later told Noreen that while I started hopeful, I left feeling that they suffered from Expertise Derangement Syndrome which in my experience of the practice of psychiatry is an epidemic within the industry. If Laura becomes unhappy with her care there I won’t wait for their permission to release her from their custody.
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