Another BlueBoard Refugee

So glad you are feeling better @GingerWhinger

so pleased to hear you are improving and your anxiety is reducing too. hope you enjoyed your movie date with your friend. best wishes x

I had my 8th ECT yesterday.

Does anyone fear becoming institutionalised during long hospital stays. This is the start of my 5th week. Five weeks without doing shopping, meal preparation, mowing lawns, looking after animals and plants, doing the house cleaning.

Life just seems a touch too easy in hospital. There is no challenge. I should adjust okay when I get home but I think there will be a period of adjustment after such a long hospital stay. I have only ever been in hospital for a week at other times in my life.

I feel bad having other people look after my cat etc.

I'll find my feet.

Hello dear Ginger,

You definitely will find your feet once you get back into the swing of life's routine again and readjust. I have never feared being institutionalised from being in hospital for a long time; but there was a time I was left so disabled from having a major breakdown where I was not functioning or handling life at all - that I did fear being institutionalised as a result. Quite a vulnerable frightening time. But I gradually found that inner strength and spirit again to heal and get my life back (even better than before) - and so will you. Believe in yourself. Hope this post finds you feeling better. Hugs xxx

I've come home and spend some time with my cat and I've mowed my lawn.

Wednesday's ECT got cancelled because I was having chest tightness. I did a stress test and passed it and had no chest pains for yesterday's ECT. I have has chest tightness since though but there is a flu going through the hosptial airconditioning system.

I should be okay for Monday's ECT and then I hope to have it Wednesday and Friday to finish the course. I hope tohave fortnightly maintenance. How are you?

Wow, 9.5 months!

And you made the transitition within a matter of days - that is reasurring.

As well as my mental health is being treated now, I must admit that I have some anxiety about how my mental health will be treated longitudinally. My mental illness is very stubborn and it is not about to disappear. I hope the post discharge support will be as reliable as the inpatient support.

Hi Kurra,

The post discharge support has been non-existant but I have been holding up okayish.

I am still having oral ketamine each week and my psychiatrist believes that that will help delay when I will need ECT next. He's hoping to get through 6 months, then 9 months, then a year...

I had a major upset last week that had me not functioning and tears for the week but I attribute being able to pull myself out of that depth to ECT. (There was a lot of PTSD as well as grief).

Still working through the situation that brought it on and quelling any irrational reactions I might have. I can see much more clearly now when I am being irrational.

Really grateful for ECT. Many people are commenting that I seem so much healthier and people closer to me and who know my mental health issues say I'm much more stable even despite my recent upset.

OTE, are you around? I miss you hun!