Visiting hours, were from 2 oclock-4oclock in the afternoon and from
7 oclock-9 oclock in the evening, I was there at both times.
Gabriella, was so delighted to see me, that she almost knocked me over
running and throwing her arms around me, as I was let inside the unit.
The unit was a very large room with maybe about four patience and about
three attendants, as they are called. The sleeping quarters were all off to the
side. In each room was a single bed and a dresser, there were drapes on the
window,but you could see it needed to be washed.
I don’t think Gabriella stopped crying the whole time I was there, she also
never let go of my arm. It was so hard to see her like this, but I tried to hold
back my own tears, while I held her and tried to comfort her.
The crisis unit, is only for mainly a three day observation period and then the
patient goes up to the ward, where she is assigned a doctor and hence treatment
commences. Gabriella after the observation period, did go up to the ward with
I must say, other patience that were very very sick .
This was only the first of her many admissions, to this hospital, where she was
at first diagnosed, as a manic depressive. On this particular admission she
was an in-patient for about a month and a half,when she was released with a
whole lot of doctors instructions.
This is where Gabriella was introduced to hard core medications, such as lithium
used in the treatment, of manic depression .She was also put on a day program, where
she had to attend every day. I guess that is when we first met Joanne, the first of four
therapists that eventually went on to be Gabriella’s life line .
.