Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Medication, Mediation and Meditation

It seems that Needlenoggin's psych meds aren't working as well as we hoped, because he's sort of spiraled into a very rough patch of depression. Perhaps the worst depression I've seen since he came home, including self-destructive thoughts and extreme apathy. We've upped the new med (which isn't at full effect after just a couple of weeks yet anyway, and are hoping for the best. He's a little better today. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, huh?

On the upside, we did get in to see a WONDERFUL psychiatrist who has just upped Needlenoggin's depression medication. She does want me to take him in for a blood test, however, because apparently, two of the medications he's been on (in very high doses) since August, can have some pretty nasty interactions. Good to know, though, right?

I also got the job, so I'm working with another individual in a wheelchair (this one a professional young lady and power-chair soccer world champion). Again, it is only a few days a week, and I make less in a week than I have to pay for Needlenoggin's help in a day, but I will take all the help I can get my hands on.

Oh, and when we went out to SCVMC for a check-up, we met with some phenomenal doctors who wrote him all the prescriptions he needs, so we may actually be able to get him the medications that MediCal insists on denying. No progress yet, but we can hope it'll work. However, Needlenoggin met a family down there going through all the same rigamarole about "progress" and insurance due to a broken wrist. The guy is in about as bad a shape as Needlenoggin, and so my brother was able to give some advice, some "speaking from experience" and get some info on Project Walk as well.