Getting a support worker : April 2016

I've been fortunate enough to have been assigned a number of outreach workers for over a decade.  These professionals come from a variety of backgrounds (usually mental heath or social work).  They've differed in strengths and weaknesses; the best ones are usually intuitive and have good memories for what you tell them about yourself.  They come to your home either weekly or fortnightly, initially just to chat and get to know you and build up rapport.  They then go about helping you set and achieve goals, like self-care and managing your affairs.  The downside is because they are all government funded their services are available usually only for 12 months or so.  That's why I've had close to a dozen workers in around 15 years.

You are given a single worker at any given time, and the demand for them is fierce, so there's often a waiting list of several months.  I waited 5 months for my current worker, a twenty-something young woman called Maddi.  We've met three times thus far.  I don't feel rapport with her at all.

I know I should be grateful to get any sort of help (especially because it's free), but honestly I am finding her very formulaic and impersonal.  Two days ago she came to my house for a visit and I was not in a good way; very low mood and hazy.  She kept rattling off questions about my goals and I refused to play ball, giving monotone answers like "s'pose", "yeh", "nuh", "dunno".  I was waiting for her to address my mood but she ignored it, and left after 15 minutes.

Now you might say I was being a bitch, but I genuinely was struggling for words that day and wasn't up for her line of questioning.  The fact that she just took off didn't impress me either.  I had hoped she might just ask me how I had been, or how I was feeling that day.  Instead it was straight to the pre-arranged agenda, which pissed me off.  So I blocked her.

It appears that this is one of Maddi's first jobs (she told me she used to work for Centrelink).  Maddi has a psychology degree, so she's no dolly.  I've had many more workers who were more gifted and experienced than Maddi, so I could be judging her harshly.  It's just a pain in the arse to have to break in a green worker; to guide them as much as they guide you.

It's still early days, I've only met her 3 times.  But my gut says don't put up with shit and don't put up with someone who is out of their depth.  I can always request another worker, but over the Xmas period there'd be a wait.  Probably a few more months.

I know I began this post as if it's a privilege to get a worker; and it is to an extent, it's not a right.  It's just that when they are inadequate it is very frustrating.

Meds, moods and foul weather

Update:  Well I was wrong about Latuda; it's an anti-psychotic, not a mood stabiliser.  So when I went into hospital in June to do the swap, it was Saphris that was removed, not Epilim.  Since then I've done another meds swap; this time at home for an anti-depressant called Edronax, which supposed to put you off smoking.  The Lexapro was substituted this time.

I had one superb week on my new anti depressant; then a nosedive.  So the latest telephone instruction from my PDoc is to double the second anti-d (Brintellix) and if no improvement then an extra half tablet of the Edronax.  No major side-effects from the Edronax other than a bit of disrupted sleep and lowered appetite.  I've lost 2 kilos!

Have to be wary of mania as always.  Nothing like a good dose of anti-d to send me rocketing.

The weather hasn't helped my mood; Spring in Melbourne was more like a mild winter, save for a couple of hot days.  The average temperature has been 17 degrees Celsius, often feeling colder due to wind chill.  We also had a colder than average Autumn, so it feels like we haven't had warm weather since March.  Too long ago!!!!  Surely December and the advent of summer will see some sunny days?