Life-stuff

A middle age gay man in transition.

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Fighting Depression

No it's not me but my brother M. A little background, he is my youngest brother, he has MS, he was diagnosed about five years ago, no longer able to work and on a disability pension, married twice, first wife two kids, second wife one child and she left him a year ago because of his depression. Now it has all bottled up and he hasn't gotten any help to deal with all this stuff. His second wife called yesterday to say if he did not pay his child support he could not see his daughter. He flipped, he called my Mom and started crying. She said she would go over to his place , five minutes away. I said I would go with her. We got there and he began crying and had a breakdown. He through all his medications everywhere, then overturned a coffee table and started screaming he would be better dead, he didn't want to live any longer this way and that he was going to kill himself. My Mother and I tried to calm him down but he was working himself into a right state, then he was face to face with my Mom saying he was going to punch her lights out. It was very scarey to see a man become so uncontrollable. He began running around the apartment and went to his bedroom. Mom went into the bedroom and he begin threatening her again. I rushed in and tried to wrestle him to the bed, but despite his claim of weakness because of the disease, his adrenilin rush made him strong, but I was able to restrain him until he gained his composure. Meanwhile Mom is breaking down and wants to call 911 to get help in dealing with him. He calmed down and began to cry uncontrollable. We talked to him for quite a while and we convinced him to come home with us for the night. We took away his car keys and secretly searched his apartment for guns as he was a hunter. It was a long night with lots of crying between him, my Mom and my Dadwho had returned from work. That day he had been to see a phsychiatrist who had prescribed new anti-depressants. He had taken one and by 7PM, he was asleep in a chair, we had to wake him to go to bed. The next day Mom had his daughter for the day and he seem to be calmed by the visit. A lot of work is needed. I can't imagine what he is going through but he needs help. We are trying to get it for him but living in a small town such services are not always easily accessible and because of the health care systems long waits are encountered, not good things for a man in his fragile condition. I hope he can make it through this rough patch, we all want to help him but he often sees our help as a threat and unwelcome. It is not only hard on him but all of his family as well. I hope it will all work out!

1 Comments:

  • At 10:23 p.m., Blogger Unknown said…

    Hey hey, stubbled across your blog. Sorry tohear thingsd arent going well, I wish the best for your family. esp. your brother. -Allen

     

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