Chicaиαry

On Thursday my Aunt underwent her first two rounds of bilateral ECT under anesthesia. On Friday the process was repeated, and today she underwent one round.
Because she has suffered from severe depression for such a long period of time, it is unlikely she'll see results in the normal time frame. It's quite possible she'll have to undergo another round in about a month or so. That's what the doctor told us. If she doesn't get better by the middle of January, her health insurance will cover up to 4 ECT treatments per year but no more in or out patient therapy sessions. In order to receive a prescription for anti depressants she is required to schedule an appointment with a therapist who can monitor and keep track of her progress. I'd say something about Obamacare but realistically, treatment for mental illness has always been ass backwards or nonexistent unless you were rich.

That aside, my Aunt is ok and she's not ok. She's all there mentally. Minimal memory loss that she regained after getting some sleep. She says she still feels depressed but she also feels like all the energy has been zapped out of her. I guess so. The doctor says she should begin to see rapid change in less than two weeks time. My aunt's looking forward to being happy.


Meanwhile my other Aunt (Jo) is having her own set of mental issues. Two days before thanksgiving her recently paroled son (who I will not claim as my cousin) convinced his brother to steal my Aunt Jo's car so they could rob/kill drug dealers believed to be responsible for the brother of someone they knew.
Things did not go according to plan. My Aunt's son is going back to prison for a very long time for violating his parole. In addition to everything else, he accidentally shot his brother in the thigh and another bullet grazed his head. He spent a day in ICU and came out with a rather bizarre haircut, crutches, and enough stitches to make you think someone had to sew his entire body together.
That's inanity of an entirely different matter though. Aunt Jo's handling it well I suppose. She came over, got some beer, Thanksgiving day leftovers and plans on continuing about life.