Chapter 91 Help I Need
KIA
The gloomy area had been invaded by daybreak. The sun was currently attempting to emerge from the far mountains but was failing. Even the sky is beginning to get lighter, and the roadway is already well-lit. One of the most gorgeous pictures I've ever seen is a street scene in the early morning; it never fails to leave me with feelings and impressions that will last a lifetime.
The street was now vacant in the early morning when everyone was just waking up. Only a few distant yellow leaves appeared to be falling gradually to the ground, and I caught a glimpse of the shadows of two large crates on either side of the bicycles pulled by two street vendors. But I still find myself wondering about the strange encounter I had the night before. Ares appears to have noticed that I am different today despite my best efforts to disguise it from him.
“Hon, are you okay?” He worriedly asked. “You look so occupied today. Did something bother you?”
“No, I just… I don’t know… I feel weird and I can’t stop thinking about what happened last night…”
“Why? What happened last night?”
“I know you wouldn’t believe me if I tell you—”
“Trust me…” he said as he touched my hand.
“I don’t know. I went outside last night to buy some groceries and I just experience daydreaming… It feels surreal. I was dreaming while I was awake? I don’t know it is so hard to explain…”
“Are you okay?”
“Mhmm... Yeah, I guess?” I answered.
“Go and eat your breakfast. We are going to the doctor's. You must be stressed because of all the problems that are happening recently.”
“We don’t have to—”
“No. Your mental health should be your first priority, hon. Finish your food. I will set an appointment for a doctor…” he said and left me alone munching my breakfast. I saw him talked someone on his phone and went outside.
It is just a daydream, no big deal…
—
Milano Hospital
He takes me right away to a private psychiatric institution after I complete my breakfast. I am aware of what everyone imagines upon hearing the phrase "mental hospital." The image of swaying back and forth in a white, cushioned space comes to mind right away. mumbling to oneself and jerking. Trust me. That is not at all how it is.
We had been in the waiting area for about 30 minutes. Finally, the receptionist signaled for us to approach her counter as she continued to shuffle through files. She said courteously, "The doctor will be right with you.”
A little while later, a big wooden door with a little rectangular window let us inside the office. “Before we transfer you to your room, we need to acquire your height and weight,” the nurse remarked, a brunette.
We were directed to our room, where we would meet my doctor after the procedure had taken around three minutes. With the exception of a plaque with the number three written across it, the door was identical to the one I had just passed through a few minutes prior. Both the silence and the fragrance of cleaning materials filled the space. My senses were immediately assaulted by the room's strong odor of cleaning and disinfecting products.
For its patients, the hospital designated a number of modest rooms. Despite being tiny and just having a small bathroom's worth of space, they were still crammed with furnishings and artwork. Just outside the corridor, echoes of soft voices may be heard. We were expecting some explanations while my husband and I awaited the doctor's return. When someone approached the doors, there were footsteps, and then there was a soft knock that reverberated around the space. As soon as he entered, Ares left the room leaving me with the doctor.
My doctor with her medium build and soft-spoken voice began to greet us. He then sat down on his office chair. “So, Mrs. Vuertalejo, I got a report from the ER doctor about what happened, but I'd like to hear it directly from you in your own words. What happened this morning that brought you into the ER?”
“Well, I had just been feeling very anxious.”
“When did it all start?” he asked.
“I started feeling worse a few days ago, but last night it got really bad.”
“What happened last night?”
“I just had a daydream last night. The thing is that all night long, I was feeling nervous and jittery. I just couldn't relax. My husband was really worried. I tried to go to bed and fall asleep, but I couldn't. Then, all of a sudden, I felt short of breath. I was gasping for air as if I were drowning…”
“Did you have any other physical symptoms like pain?”
“Yeah, I had a terrible headache back here in the nape of my neck.”
“You said, Mr. Vuertalejo, that you had been feeling bad for several days. What had you been feeling?”
“I had the worst concentration at school. I was agitated around everyone. My nerves had given out. Everything would frighten me. I had no desire to eat. Every time I would eat, I would feel sick to my stomach. The worst part was that I was unable to fall asleep at all. I haven't gotten much sleep for the past four nights, I believe. Then, in school, I was also accused of something I had never done, which made it more difficult for me.”
“Now, I see from your chart that you had been seen by a psychiatrist for anxiety in the past. Have you ever been prescribed any medications for anxiety or depression?”
“Yeah, he gave me two pills, one was for depression. I think it was called Zoloft.”
“And the other one?”
“It was a little round one that was called loraza-something…”
“Lorazepam?”
“Yeah, that's it. But don’t tell to my husband. He never knows about that…”
“I see. Did they seem to help?”
“A little bit. The lorazepam one, the doctor took away. The other one I just stopped taking.”
“Lorazepam is usually just taken short-term because it can cause dependency. What about the anti-depressant? Why did you stop taking that one?”
“The thing is that I took it for several days and it really didn't seem like it was helping much. It just made me feel tired and numb all the time. I don't know how to describe it. It was hard to concentrate at school and at my part-time job at that time. I was scared that I was going to get fired and I really can't afford to lose my job, so I just decided not to take it anymore.”
“Since it may take several weeks for antidepressants to start working, you should fully commit to taking them as prescribed. To follow up with your psychiatrist once again, I believe it would be beneficial. There are other antidepressants available; perhaps he can try a different one to see if it works better for you. The fact is, however, that occasionally when people begin taking medication for depression, at first they can feel worse, even suicidal. For this reason, you'll need to stay in touch with the doctor and keep your follow-up appointments.”
“Okay, doc…”
“As a result of your nervousness, you were given a dose of Valium or diazepam at the emergency room. You'll have to make an appointment with your psychiatrist as an outpatient within a day or two so he can write you the medications you require since they don't like to do that in the emergency room, okay?”
“The problem is that because I missed a few appointments, supposedly that psychiatrist doesn't want to see me anymore.”
“I can check with certain people and see if you may be seen at that clinic once more if you give me a few minutes. Mrs. Vuertalejo, the most critical thing for you to do right now is to receive routine outpatient care to help you manage your anxiety. Give me a little while to make some calls, and I'll get back to you and let you know what I discover. Sounds good, right?”
He then leaves the room and after a few minutes, he then returns.
“They told me they couldn't see you again at that clinic when I called, so I hung up. Our hospital is affiliated with a clinic. If you don't mind, I'll schedule a visit for you at that clinic. At that clinic, we also use interpreters. Is everything alright?”
“That must be alright. This time, I'll make an effort to arrive on time for my appointments. I appreciate everything.”
“And one thing, I can advise you to try visiting a beach to unwind or something. That would be a great help. I already told it to your husband when I left a while ago…”
“Alright, doc, thank you so much.”
Talking therapies, often known as psychological therapies, are efficient and private treatments provided by Healthcare professionals who have undergone extensive training and qualification. Stress, anxiety, and depression are a few prevalent mental health issues that they might help with.
