In recent months mom had been diagnosed with a new addition of “Major Depression” on top of all her other medical ills including, COPD, Edema, Mild Diabetes, 3 Knee Replacements and more. She has been treated for the depression for about three months now and the first and second rounds of medication (Cymbalta) didn’t take like the psychologist thought they would. So they are sending her to a psychiatrist to have them take into account her current medication list (16 now) to make sure she is getting put on the right medications and ensure there are no negative interactions between them, as well as talking with the psychiatrist about the issues affecting her. Here is my issue and it may sound selfish but here goes, we are having our annual Marshall Hughes Kreis Christmas Party where we swap ornaments in a White Elephant Ornament Swap and mom is one of two sisters who have set up the party, made the list of who’s bringing what, its being held at mom’s club house and no two weeks away from the date of the party mom has already decided that she most likely (95%) will not make it due to there will be way to many people, 16 currently attending and that’s way to frustrating and that she feels like her chest is folding in on itself every time she starts thinking about it.
My question to everyone is, How do you help someone who is so depressed that their planning 2 weeks ahead and deciding not to attend a family function? Or they only leave the house to do the grocery shopping, go to the doctors and walk their dog and she will turn and walk the opposite direction if she see’s another dog walker coming toward her just so she doesn’t have to say hello? Understand that mom has never had depression before, is one of the most open and interactive people you could find to the degree that for my fifteenth birthday she gave me and also attended herself, “The Art of Clowning” class held by the head clown of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, at the University of Virginia. She would be the mom in the stands yelling and screaming her head off at us boys while all the other parent slid as far from her as they could get without being to noticeable. Is this more that I thought initially? Will the new medication and work with the psychiatrist be what mom needs? or should I continue to see a spiral downward? I have depression, I have a good idea of how it feels so I get how it can affect different people? So what can I do? How can I help her? Of course other that the standard call her, set time aside for her, listen, etc. I need something new, I need help.
iCareTalk.net 