Update on Manny

I went to see Manny the next day (see Thursday's post). I had heard earlier in rounds that he had taken some meds the previous night (since he's been refusing meds in the hospital, we're having a tough time believing him when he tells us he'll get back on his meds at home -- both he and his father are not understanding that that's why we can't discharge him). Big progress! Then the morning nurse reported that he had gone up to the med room window asking to take his morning meds. The nurse handed him his pills and some water and he walked away.

"Whoa, Manny, I thought you were going to take your meds this morning?" the nurse said, trying to call him back.

"I am."

"Well, I need to see you take them, ok, buddy?"

Manny turned around, the story goes, pulled his balled fist out of his pocket and opened it, revealing the pills. "See? They're right here. I'm going to take them home."

I spoke with Manny later in the day, and told him how sad it had made me the day before that we had had such a tense conversation with his father. He jumped right up out of his chair and left the room. I gave him about fifteen minutes and tried again. I told him that it had upset me that he had said in the meeting that no one was listening to him, and when I tried to give him a chance to talk, his Dad shut him down. He wasn't really able to say much, but he did make eye contact a few times, so I think he heard me, and is maybe beginning to trust me a little, little bit.

Madeline