WORK

Bizarrely, she's the patient but also the chief breadwinner. She's always been good at getting jobs, as she comes across in interviews so positive. Holding them down is another matter, but she has now held down this one as a classroom assistant (clerical rather than child support) for ten years. She must be doing something right, though I don't know how much slack she is cut or how well she performs.

I kept her illness to myself until the day she shared her delusions with a colleague and was sent home for six weeks pending an assessment. The Psychiatrist attached to Occupational Health diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenia, but that it was well-managed and she was fit to work. Since that time, the cat has been out of the bag and I've shared the matter openly. 

She went back to work and there have been no incidents since.

I bring in income from my Hypnotherapy Practice and a weekend job at ASDA, but it's less than Missus earns over the year.  

DRUGS

I am a lot more fortunate than many carers in my position, because Missus faithfully takes all of her medication - there's a lot of it.
OLANZAPINE - HIGH DOSE - This is the most important one. A powerful anti-psychotic, it suppresses her tendency to form paranoid delusions. There are side effects - sleepiness, major weight gain, loss of perception and depression
CITALOPRAM - HIGH DOSE - Happy pills, used to counteract the depressive effect of Olanzapine. Very effective, her personality is generally sunny.
CARBAMAZAPINE - LOW DOSE - She has mild epilepsy, that developed in pregnancy. Though mild in terms of not easily triggered, if triggered she has full Grand Mal fits, with asphyxia, unconsciousness and temporary memory loss. She has not had a fit for 20 years, but sometimes gets blank moments.
STATINS - A tendency to high cholesterol caused by weight/Olanzapine is controlled by this drug.
LANSOPRAZOLE - A "proton pump inhibitor" used to treat gastritis, unrelated to Delusional Disorder, more to do with age
IRON SUPPLEMENT to treat simple anaemia, possibly a side-effect of the other drugs

INTRODUCTION

I have been meaning to start this blog for some time. It has three basic purposes:
1. As a form of self-therapy
2. As an insight to my patient that people can draw on a resource should I become incapacitated or dead
3. Help and encouragement for other carers

It is not intended to be a daily journal, but more a list of The Patient's quirks and my emotions in dealing with them, as and when time allows and when they occur to me. All helpful feedback is welcome.

I have to state right off the bat that my life is happy. Happiness is not I believe the absence of challenges, but rather a life of fulfilment where your contribution is recognized. I certainly have that, so whilst I will discuss at length my sadness, it has to be seen in the context of someone at peace inside - at least until further notice!