Lighter Than My Shadow

Just for a change, and I think yesterday was World Mental Health Day, I thought I should post something a bit more positive, well, something with some recovery, and pictures.  ;)

Anorexia explored in graphic novel BBC News Magazine 9th Oct 2014 (video)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29535202

Katie Green author of Lighter than My Shadow -a graphic novel about her experiences suffering from anorexia.
Lighter Than My Shadow (on Amazon UK)

 ____
From Tumblr:

"I’m very excited to invite you to http://lighterthanmyshadow.com/ where you’ll find a 24-page preview of my forthcoming graphic memoir Lighter Than My Shadow.
In the coming months leading up to publication I’ll be blogging about the process of creating the book, and sharing some sneak peeks and ‘deleted scenes.’ "

katiegreenbean:

I first considered writing a book in 2001.
In 2005, I realised I had to tell the story in pictures.
In 2009, I started drawing.
Five hundred and seven pages later, it is done.
Lighter Than My Shadow will be published by Jonathan Cape on October 3rd.

Source: katiegreenbean

Becki Luscombe Campaigner for Mind, dies after being treated in a Birmingham mental health ward

Mind Website:
http://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/becki-luscombe/#.VDCL7Nq9KK0

Becki Luscombe   [Posted on 30/09/2014]

We are very sorry to share the news that Becki Luscombe, one of our 10 Voices of Mind, passed away earlier this week.
As an organisation and as individuals we are truly saddened by Becki’s death. She was a wonderful advocate for everybody with a mental health problem and leaves a huge legacy to challenge stigma and encourage openness.
Last Halloween, when two supermarkets chose to sell “mental patient” Halloween costumes, Becki initiated a social media response, tweeting a picture of herself in normal clothing. Thousands of other people followed suit, and her campaign directly led to apologies from both supermarkets.
As a Voice of Mind, Becki launched Mind’s election manifesto in Parliament, worked with her local Mind, met with her MP, and starred in our film about stigma and mental health. When we asked Becki why she got involved in the campaign, she said “through my own mixed experiences, I believe passionately that access to mental health services need to be on the government’s agenda. Our voices must be heard - it could transform and save lives.”
We have spoken to Becki’s family who are very proud of her involvement with Mind and have asked that she continues to feature in our campaigning work, as this was so important to her. We are proud to honour that request.
If you have been affected by Becki’s death, please seek support from those around you, if you can. Our Infoline (0300 123 3393) is open from 9am to 6pm and can help you find support near you. If you need to speak to someone outside of these hours, you can call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.

I've been told that by an online follower of Becki's Twitter account (@DuckBeaki) that she was able to kill herself on an understaffed ward. I am unable to confirm this, and Mind seems to be downplaying the exact nature of her death. Mind, like other charities are often very careful not to describe suicides for fear of triggering upset or even a suicidal act in others, not to mention being respectful to her family. 

Even in her last few weeks she provides some insights into life on her ward in Birmingham.
Screen-captures from her Twitter account:

 
 https://twitter.com/DuckBeaki/status/513622943684108288/photo/1

 https://twitter.com/duckbeaki/status/514830203483611136

 

 https://twitter.com/DuckBeaki/status/515898437527937024

'It's a national scandal': 15 stories which show the state of mental health care in the UK (The Guardian UK 8th Oct 2014)

'It's a national scandal': 15 stories which show the state of mental health care in the UK
  (The Guardian UK 8th Oct 2014)

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2014/oct/08/scandal-mental-health-care-uk

Complaint Response Letter

A response to one of our complaints to the Leics NHS Partnership has finally arrived.  There has been quite a delay. I won't go into specific details tonight. It was regarding J's poor ward care, the 13 nights not in a bed, and a list of other basic ward based problems.  It wasn't intended as a complaint originally, just a rant to the hospital managers. 
There is barely an acknowledgement of the misery suffered by J. In summary, it feels like "it's tough but this is the way it is" explanation.  It does use words like "unfortunate" in the context of special circumstances, basically other wards being closed due to rain damage.   It talks about bed availability, but it still feels very removed from the day-to-day problems on a ward.  Again, it feels displaced and dysfunctional.  Like talking to a spreadsheet. I'll post it in full with the names blanked out soon.
No empathy.  No accountability.

'Don't lock me up' pleads sectioned anorexic teen (The Mirror 1/10/14)

The Mirror (UK newspaper) 1st October 2014

'Don't lock me up' pleads anorexic teen who went on the run after being sectioned

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/dont-lock-up-pleads-anorexic-4355254

There appears to have been a complete breakdown of trust her between the local services and the patient and her family (carers). One wonders whether the right sort of effective help was ever actually offered, or did the GP feel he was doing the right thing with regards to safe-guarding Ruth Geddes from herself?

One of the parents says this:
 "If she goes in there she'll lose her job, she'll lose her flat and she'll refuse to eat. ... Up until Monday my daughter was happy at work and she was eating well. If she goes into hospital she will die."  

They have won two tribunals in the past to have her released. Tribunals are like complaints and investigations, if things are being done right it should never even get to that stage.  For this family, it keeps happening. 

Singeing those bridges

Had a letter back from J's CPN marked "In the strictest confidence" so I won't be quoting him verbatim. ;) I can't work out anymore what's sincere, what's helpful and what's a warning, so I think I'll back down on the petty subject of wanting our complaints letter to be added to J's file notes.  One of his concerns is that including such a letter in her notes, despite her request to do so, means that he is "endorsing" a complaint about a colleague, and that it isn't an appropriate form of information.  Despite all the confidentiality he seems to know that the complaint is still outstanding, but I think he might be trying to do me a favor as well, basically: if we all work together (back down) good things will come of this. Okay, I resent any letter which implies I'm being abusive or accusative when I'm actually holding back (maybe they're actually putting two and two together and are reading these posts, cos I swear here, but I doubt it)  but me dwelling on this point would be cyclical and pedantic. 

The other day, J, who is trying to hold things together at home, met with him for an appointment having rewritten her Care Plan - and he praised her for this.  She is feeling really positive about working with him, so I'm going to back off for now, unless J prompts me for support.

At the best of times my own pomposity (mirroring their own) makes me miserable and I'm trying to fight that sense of alienation one feels when addressing concrete. I keep saying that I'll refer myself to carer support group, because I'm ruminating far too much on things I have no control over.

Reading between the the lines of the letter from the CPN, the delay in the Trust's response to our complaints might be because they are "seeking advice". I also have no idea if the news article has effected any of these proceedings.  Again, I have still have little faith in their ability to communicate between departments.