Life on a Mental Health Ward

Thomas, (not his real name), had taken us out for a meal in China Town. Lovely fellow, friend and colleague. I had just resigned my position at work to go to better climes even though I thoroughly enjoyed my workmates, and efforts had been made for me to stay. It was a brilliant Friday send off and well attended.

I got home close to midnight and for the entire weekend I found myself in bed not perceiving the passage of time even though I was awake during the day. A lot of activity was going on in my mind with hallucinations/thoughts of dangerous work I had done in the past.

Monday morning saw me running to the nearby hospital where I had been hospitalized many months earlier. This time none of my relatives or friends knew where I was for the whole day and probably much longer. (This shows the importance of daily contacts for people who have been challenged with mental illness).

I do not have any recollection of what transpired after the assessment at the Accident & Emergency unit and subsequent admission in the mental health ward. The essential thing was the undisturbed rest I was afforded in the ward. I was in my room for a few days before I carried out any activity. I even spoke to my to be manager at work. I had no recollection of our conversation though to this day. Thomas was the first person to visit me when I was permitted visitors.

Next time the tale continues.…

About The Author

Zoe

Zoe met Eze (Chuck) in the 14th year of what turned out to be an 18 year ‘journey’ with mental illness. They got married less than a year of meeting with Zoe fully knowing Chuck had a diagnosis of mental illness. In the 18th year, Chuck defied the odds of mental illness. A consultant psychiatrist signed him off the mental health system with a bill of NO MENTAL ILLNESS. The consultant was so amazed by Chuck’s astonishing recovery that he even questioned how Chuck was diagnosed with mental illness all those years before, in the first place! Today Chuck is free from medication, its dependency and hospitalizations. Zoe’s award nominated book, DEFYING THE ODDS, chronicles the highs and ‘lows’ of this journey. Zoe, often writing from the standpoint of a caregiver, clearly understands that mental illness does not only affect an individual challenged with the disease, but also families, marriages and society as a whole.

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