|
Post by bjd on Feb 25, 2020 7:58:12 GMT
As you go to your house and spend time trying to install your warmly-lit,silently-pumping fountain, it will take your mind off the past couple of weeks. You have done all you can for now and deserve a break before you head to Germany.
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Feb 25, 2020 11:43:57 GMT
I shall skip across the compliments and mention that his shit thing is unawareness more than anything. I expect that once in proper care the solution to this will be a byproduct of his treatment for anything/everything else. Apart from all the other stuff arranged, or in the process of, he also will seek the advice of a lawyer to initiate uncomplicating his access to his kids and the refusing to leave tenant in his apartment thing. Mick, it's quite painful and repetitive, maybe be doing something else at the same time to keep you occupied. On second thoughts, just let me read those compliments again. Just listened to 13 minutes. Listen to some more Friday.
|
|
|
Post by questa on Feb 26, 2020 12:53:27 GMT
I listened to the lot at one sitting. One thing came through quite strongly. I haven't time now to go back to get the time on the recording now but I will tomorrow. I wonder if I am the only one who notices it...?
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Feb 26, 2020 15:41:23 GMT
It's either because of your medical training or that you lived in Bali.
I'm guessing the former.
|
|
|
Post by spaceneedle on Feb 28, 2020 10:15:24 GMT
I listened to the lot at one sitting. One thing came through quite strongly. I haven't time now to go back to get the time on the recording now but I will tomorrow. I wonder if I am the only one who notices it...? I notice the coughing and also the failure of his short term memory when he is required to "execute" something... like looking for the papers with the answered questions on them in the fanny pack. Executive functioning involves the ability to organize, plan and carry out a set of tasks in an efficient manner. It also includes the ability to self-monitor and control our behaviors and multiple other cognitive functions along with carrying out goal focused behavior. These are basically what controls and directs lower levels of mental functioning. Interestingly, although memory impairment often goes along with executive impairment, a person can show no memory problems but still be impaired in decision-making and executive functioning. On a practical level, impairments in executive functioning can cause problems with daily living activities which include getting dressed, feeding yourself, bathing/hygiene/toileting, etc. Executive functioning ability is also very connected to working memory ability.
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Feb 28, 2020 12:29:19 GMT
Just listened right through.
Your patience is amazing Mark and I can well understand that you were once in the police. Sounded like very patient police questioning.
Mind you, I did catch myself answering your questions to help Rob.
And where are the answers? On the paper in the boom bag. Not next to my heart though.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Feb 28, 2020 19:20:24 GMT
Bum bag. Must be my accent.
I also found it hard sometimes not to answer my own question just to help him. It is true that when questioning someone in the police you circled back round often to see if the answer changes and it was all about precise details of who was standing where when it happened etc etc. But all this was a waste of time really, though it did pass the time, because he was unable later to retain the information.
Over the course of the days there (I'm now in Germany) I put some effort into the situation even though my usual attitude is, your made your bed..... and so on. But you do these things for family, don't you? The slightly weird thing is, I expected he'd be contacting me once I left him to it, but he hasn't. Maybe he forgot I was there.
|
|
|
Post by lugg on Feb 28, 2020 19:38:15 GMT
Just catching up Mark ... I cannot offer anything other than a big virtual hug to you. I hope your time in Germany really is downtime; you certainly deserve it. PS belated Happy Birthday - mine was the same day.
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Feb 28, 2020 20:11:37 GMT
Indeed. Your Midlands accent shone through.
|
|
|
Post by questa on Feb 28, 2020 23:28:26 GMT
What came through to me was the development of the relationship between the brothers. One is capable of reducing govt bodies to quivering masses, the other is living in a world of his own. His only wish to see his kids. So Mark uses all the skilful strategies he has developed in army and police service and rapidly improves Rob's situation. Rob is difficult but at some point it seems Mark starts to see the effort his brother is putting into trying to please him.
"Like trying to get your child to eat its green vegetables". Then hours of memory training...slow paced interrogation that Mark describes as "boring and painful". The most impressive thing was the incredible patience shown by Mark and the trust in him shown by Rob.
The first words on the audio are of Mark saying,'I can't give you any answers'and Rob pleading,'I want...Need...your help' I think it is called brotherly love.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Mar 3, 2020 16:39:33 GMT
Update - what I told them (everyone in authority, the list is too numerous to mention) would happen, has happened. Sometimes I hate being right.
Last night my brother decided to go see his ex. As mentioned, he can come and go from the homeless shelter because they have no power to detain him. When he arrived he was shouting and banging and kicking at the door. His ex opened it on the chain to try and get him to see sense (against my advice. I'd always told her to just call the police as her door is a security door anyway and he can't get past it and there are no windows nearby or anything for him to break).
She saw he was nude from the waist down. No trousers, underpants, socks or the (Doc Martin) boots he normally wore. She closed the door immediately and called for an ambulance. The ambulance came and called the Police. The police came and took him away to the station. He was seen there by a doctor, I am led to understand this is what they call a forensic doctor which means some specialist on call. The doctor made a report as to his condition, mental or otherwise. No doubt he'd calmed down by then.
This morning he was taken to the court dealing in his breaking of the Restraining Order. I have no idea what the medical report said but via the grapevine from someone there, it said little of note and certainly couldn't have accurately described the seriousness of his condition - and this is the point I've always made with the authorities - a half hour chat, at the most, does not show the depth of his incapability. No matter what it did say, whether it did describe properly how he is or not, it was presented in evidence and the Judge for the court said his court is a criminal court, not a civil or family court, so only the criminal matter can be dealt with.
Banged gavel - six months in prison.
That's all I know for now. I can only hope his incapability will be seen in the prison as there will be obviously more time spent with him that the half hour thing and that he is given proper medical intervention. Maybe serve his time in the hospital wing as I'm sure there's not just him that's a nutter. It is unlikely and I expect impossible for them to just forget in a way his sentence and drop him off at specialist secure clinic to serve his time. But stranger things have happened. It may all turn out for the best and has certainly short cut the procedure which I cut short as best as I could in the first place.
|
|
|
Post by fumobici on Mar 3, 2020 16:56:07 GMT
He's probably better off in incarceration that out running loose, but he isn't a criminal, he's a person suffering mental illness. In the US we dump the mentally ill into prisons too, I suppose it's cheaper than doing the right thing.
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Mar 3, 2020 17:09:31 GMT
I am so sorry Mark after all your hard work.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Mar 3, 2020 17:11:40 GMT
I can't imagine why they thought he should go to court unless they are really really stupid and have not studied his files. And yet, I suspect that in all of our countries things like this happen. Why? I'm not sure, but I suspect that certain parties think it is easier to allow this to happen (less complicated) than spend taxpayer money on appropriate treatment -- the main purpose being to get him locked up.
This is not necessarily the worst thing in the world if the prison authorities understand his problems better than the previous actors and find a better thing to do.
Why am I not convinced that it will play out favourably?
I am really sorry for this situation, Mark.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Mar 3, 2020 18:00:45 GMT
I can't imagine why they thought he should go to court unless they are really really stupid and have not studied his files. I suspect that once he is on one track, in this case the criminal track, they are not flexible and follow it through no matter his mental state. Only then from there can a turn be made onto another track.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Mar 3, 2020 19:06:07 GMT
I am so very sorry, Mark.
|
|
|
Post by questa on Mar 4, 2020 0:00:01 GMT
Oh Mark, what a disappointment for you. It really looked like you had put him back on track. I'm so sorry. As others have pointed out, time in a prison may be the best care available until proper treatment can be set up. What is happening about his flat?
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Mar 4, 2020 0:06:25 GMT
Mark I am so sorry for all concerned. Hopefully they will quickly realize he is in the wrong place and that there are better resources inside that system then you know about.
My community is struggling with the same issues, we had a hospital that was for all types/levels of mental illness and was also an addiction treatment facility. It was closed by the government about 10 years ago and most of the patients were placed into the community in boarding homes. There is no one to help them with their daily care, medications and mental health issues. It has accelerated our homeless population, our downtown now has 4 methadone clinics and the rehab facilities are slowly losing more beds each and every year. Many end up in the city jail time like your brother has. When we had the hospital people were cared for and they were safe but the government thought it better to privatize services and now there are basically no services because the private sector has lost interest.
Hoping for the best for your brother.
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Mar 4, 2020 17:47:36 GMT
Bugger. I'm so sorry. As has been said already, maybe being in an institution his mental state will be obvious and he will receive the appropriate care. Trying to state the bleedin' obvious here. Take care meduck.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Mar 4, 2020 19:31:33 GMT
What is happening about his flat? No idea. I am aware that a spell doing porridge (time in prison) may well be a short cut to the care he needs. As such I am more optimistic than pessimistic.
|
|
|
Post by spaceneedle on Mar 4, 2020 23:41:23 GMT
Mark, I am sorry to read of the latest developments. I suspect he will not be incarcerated long. It seems to be a trend in the western world to release people sooner rather than later due to overcrowding in jails, and those with chronic mental illnesses tend to be sprung first because those institutions do not have the tools or resources in place to deal with such illnesses. Lather, rinse, repeat. As others have already written, you made a gallant effort.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Mar 5, 2020 4:29:59 GMT
Then again, I remember all of those articles everywhere that say things like "our prisons are full of the mentally ill."
|
|
|
Post by mossie on Mar 5, 2020 16:04:57 GMT
You have more than done your bit Mark, let s hope the authorities can hep him.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Mar 5, 2020 16:33:14 GMT
True Mossie, true.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Apr 6, 2020 21:33:54 GMT
Questa posted in a different thread some time ago I've only just come across, and it reminded me about this photo. After some prompting I've been sent it by his ex-partner after I got her to request from the prison an update. She had been trying to get one but I pushed her a little more and to try different avenues now because of the situation with the virus in Spain causing many to not be at work. This is how he looks now. Or at least a couple of weeks ago (photo taken 23rd March). You can't compare it I know because you've not seen him before, but I can say that physically he looks like he's being fed properly as he's fleshed out a little. He still is small and thin (5ft 3in/1m 60 ish and weight maybe 45kg? as a guess) but better than when I left him, which was anyway a big step up from when I found him. He is still though about half my weight. You see him now, imagine what he was like upon my arrival in Spain, with a long scraggly beard and sunken cheeks etc. He looks clean and with a coat on I've never seen before. It must be in the medical wing of the prison and with what appears to be a rather large supply of tablets - whatever they are I wouldn't be told no matter how I asked because of the obvious privacy/medical thing. Bless 'im though, he does still looks as though he hasn't got a clue what is happening. Totally confused. Or am I reading too much into his expression.
|
|
|
Post by lagatta on Apr 6, 2020 21:41:06 GMT
Yes, but essentially, he is a very good-looking man. Hope he and others can get him straightened out.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Apr 7, 2020 7:40:56 GMT
The main reassuring thing that I eke from this photo is that he does not appear to be in distress.
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Apr 7, 2020 7:54:41 GMT
It's a good picture and he looks calm and comfortable.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Apr 7, 2020 8:34:50 GMT
Yes, to all. He is a hundred times better off where he is than being in a homeless shelter and out on the streets.
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Apr 7, 2020 8:37:46 GMT
Excellent, glad that he's well x
|
|