April 10, 2006

Going Away to School Once Again

I have been so proud of Lisa lately. She has been getting straight A's in college and she soon will get a bachelors degree in Liberal Arts. She plans to eventually pick up where she has left off and get a degree in chemical engineering. Part of her success of staying on her meds has been with the help of the ACT team which consists of mental health professionals that come in and monitor her meds. She wants to stop the service, but I have reminded her that in the past she has stopped her meds when she has gotten stressed out or tired. She agreed, for this reason, it would be a good idea to continue this service until she has gotten a degree (and perhaps a job in her chosen field). If she continues to be successful, I'd like to phase out being her guardian. 90% of the time, I do not use my guardianship, which is probably illegal. I intended only to use it to get quick help for her if she goes into the hospital. It makes the difference between 4 plus hours to get admitted and receiving immediate help. Lisa hasn't ventured out on this type of mission since she first had problems trying to get through college in the 90's. It is hard for me not to be a parent and be worried about this. And yet, I cannot not let her go. It is Lisa's and my goal to see her as a self-sufficient adult.

Posted by fred at April 10, 2006 12:36 AM

Comments

I am the father of a young woman, diagnosed with schizophrenia, who now has two degrees. She is the subject of the website I am developing.

Posted by: Alan at April 11, 2006 08:11 AM

Alan, I know your pain. I am a widow and in the same position with my daughter who is 26. We have not yet been successful in obtaining any medication for her however. She is trying, but I don't believe she can do it alone. I am desperately trying to hang on, but every day we wait gets harder. She wants desperately to live a "normal" life, but needs help to do it. I can't be the only help she has. Where do you go for support?

Posted by: Gigi at April 21, 2006 02:08 PM

Dear Fred,

If I were in your shoes I would keep the guardianship indefinetly. I have guardianship over my daughter. I hope as my daughter matures I will no longer have to use it, but I intend to keep it as long as I'm alive as an insurance to get my daughter the treatment she needs when she's ill.

Posted by: Patricia at May 12, 2006 07:16 AM

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