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We continue with our tribute to the late Tom Magliozzi of the long-running radio show “Car Talk.” Do we even know which one was “Click” and which one was “Clack?” When the second cartoon above first ran in 1996, I got an email from an offended fellow of Italian origin who took exception to being stereotyped. If you can’t make fun of Latin lotharios you truly cannot make fun of anybody. Ray Magliozzi did back me up in an email, however. Yes, I exchanged a few emails with the crew at “Car Talk” when this ran, and they sent me a really nifty coffee mug. It later broke in the dishwasher. That’s what I get for not washing my fine china by hand. They did not, however, mention me on their show, for which I was really angling.
37 responses to “The Marriage Counseling Department”
Since this seemed to be the issue with my gardening lady (who was not homeless) who was hard worker and nice when stable, I would say Oklahoma does not. She works when able to but according to friends will not stay on meds or see doctors, she according to friends also is alcoholic which compounds things.
I was about to tackle the Oklahoma mental health system for her (with her) when we got news on Mike’s recurrent cancers. My own mental state is shaky enough right now and I am going to be going through a lot. Couldn’t take on paranoia and state system right now. I am afraid that makes me a bad person, for I do think we are our brothers’ keepers.
Do know that my British friends think Americans have failed our homeless and mentally ill, especially our Veterans, so they must do better in their countries?
Love, Jackie
Agreed, Ghost. One of prettiest historic sites in my daughter’s town of Quincy, IL is the Veterans Home. Beautiful old buildings, landscaping and even a small wildlife zoo with deer. I am sure there is a long line to get in. Why don’t we have these operating all over America? It is run by state of Illinois apparently and not VA.
Jackie, Keep the name of OK state Senator Frank Simpson in your memory. I don’t know if he is in your district but I do know he will do anything he can when you are at the point to take on the Oklahoma mental health system.
Wayne
Hope this goes through. http://quincyivh.org/tour.html
Apparently Illinois has several homes for Veterans and their spouses or widows. This one is truly lovely, I enjoy going out to see it and grounds when I visit.
Trucker Ron, we have a 35+ year old son who suffers from anxiety and bipolar disorders and we have managed to keep him off the streets, but it’s practically a full time job for my wife, who also volunteers with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). The situation has several aspects.
We managed to get him on SSI which pays enough to keep him in a small apartment, but more importantly qualifies him for Medicaid and get him his meds. The meds are horrendously expensive otherwise. But to get into the system requires endless paperwork and opinions by psychologists and it may take 6 months to get into see one. The client needs an advocate to keep the paperwork rolling and get the client into meetings. The client is usually less than cooperative at this point too.
Secondly most people suffering from a mental disorder self medicate with alcohol, both before they start their medications (bad) and many during the treatment (very bad). Our son is one and we’re trying to get him into the third apartment in three years because they decline to renew the lease because of his unpleasant demeanor when he drinks.
Psychotropic meds can have unpleasant side affects and it’s usually a juggling act to find out what will work and what the client can live with. 30 days doesn’t begin to do the job. This is an unpleasant time for everyone concerned. And then there is a tendency for the person afflicted to believe they’ve been cured after they start to feel better with the meds and they quit.
There is nothing one can do to force people into treatment, unless they are a danger to themselves or others and then, as you point out, the treatment places will take them in for 3 days or a week and set them back out on the street without even a ride home. Fort Bend County, where I used to live and which was one of the faster growing counties in the US had zero psychiatric beds in 4 hospitals so patients were shipped 3 hours away to Austin.
So this whole business is a stool with three legs: Money, personal advocacy and client cooperation. If any one of those is missing, the client is out on the street.
On a side note, many of you will be dealing with a person with mental illness. NAMI is a good
support system for those who are trying to provide support and trying to learn to live with loved ones.
Knew Oklahoma had Veterans Homes also, as I had close friend with dad in one. http://www.ok.gov/odva/Oklahoma_Veterans_Benefits/Veterans_Centers_Long_Term_Care/
We have seven apparently but seems they can only handle 1600 patients/residents and they must have served in wartime. Site says we rank second in nation for homes, which is sad. This can only be a fraction of those needing care.
They do have mental health/dementia departments as did the Illinois ones.
Love, Jackie
Jackie, your “British friends think Americans have failed our homeless and mentally ill, especially our Veterans”? Whatever could they mean by that?
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Phil, I think you have written a heartfelt and accurate description of the situation for many.
I know that an advocate is necessary and I know the lack of cooperation by patient is biggest hurdle. When I was awarding and administering Federal benefits, I often found that disabled mental patients who received large sums of money monthly and could have had all related medical costs paid for went untreated and were on streets for lack of the above.
The inability to force anyone to accept treatment for mental illness or drug abuse means that the choice is being made by those who are ill equipped to make any decision.
This is hardly a “happy” subject but we seem to have a group here that both cares and is willing to express themselves openly.
Thank you for that. I have to take off with Mama to get her to a cardiologists office 120 miles away and an earlier appointment, so keep the faith and hope alive.
Love, Jackie
I have personal involvement with a messed up family member, former vet. It’s very difficult when they’re kind of weird, bordering on dirty and nasty, but they don’t want anyone to do anything for or to them, then they slowly get actually socially dysfunctional, but still not at the level of any sort of action being taken
JJ, sur les chemises à venir, des nouvelles?
Trucker: “I’ve been confronted by several fools who demand to know why we’re mollycoddling people who have sinned and brought the condemnation of God upon themselves! My theology doesn’t include mental illness as a result of sin.”
As a biol. prof, I ran into this sort of “reasoning” often, against scientific findings of course, but also to avoid responsibility for the common good. Often, as your quote suggests, these folks are ardent “Christians.” Pardon my cynicism, but I expect this sort of thing will increase in the coming decades, perhaps eventually being government sponsored.
For unknown reasons, I am on the mailing list of a small church college whose newsletters contain columns by Ph.D.’s and such denouncing any sort of public safety net for the “undeserving poor.”* Whether or not faculty can achieve tenure there, I don’t know. I understand that at J. Falwell’s college they cannot; if you stray from the “received” viewpoint, goodby.
*[There must be such a category, because the late 20th century’s most popular president expressed concern for the “deserving poor.” I expect the only members some would admit into that pigeonhole are veterans, and they might have to pass an ideological test. I’d fail.] Peace, emb
I will soon retire (for the second time), but am currently working at a regional mental health facility. Have worked for them about 15 years, in the Finance Dept. I do not have medical or mental health training, but I have learned a little by just being in the mental health environment. It IS a real problem. Our counselors, case managers, therapists, doctors – all do the best they can but it is an uphill battle all the way. From community stigma to funding problems – so many suffer. And don’t even get me started with the problems that our veterans have to endure!