Rick and I were so relieved to know Josiah was going to be transferred to a different hospital. We were incredibly thankful our insurance company came through at the very last minute when it truly felt all hope was gone. We were thrilled Josiah was going to be getting the help he needed.

The day after Josiah’s admission, we met with his new psychiatrist and felt as if finally, someone understood. We only spoke to him for 20-25 minutes. Yet, in all of Josiah’s 13 years, I don’t think anyone has had a handle on him quite like this man.  For the very first time it seemed Rick and I didn’t need to be driving things.  This guy knew his stuff.  He was confident.  He was experienced. He had a plan.  We could relax.

Here’s what he told us.  It is important to ensure a patient’s mood is stabilized before you add an antidepressant medication.  If his mood is not stabilized, adding in an antidepressant can trigger aggression.

Josiah had been prescribed an antidepressant medication a few weeks earlier to help him sleep. His mood was not stabilized at that time. The antidepressant definitely did trigger aggression, though in our ignorance we didn’t know it was to blame. We strongly suspected it. We even voiced that many times over to anyone who would listen.  It was the only thing that had changed in Josiah’s life so it seemed logical.

The specialists didn’t agree. Instead they ran boatloads of medical tests.  And when they all came back normal his ‘old’ psychiatrist said it must have been impacted ear wax that caused Josiah’s aggression because he seemed calmer after it was removed.  Of course he seemed calmer. He was calmer because he was being heavily sedated around the clock.

After talking with this new psychiatrist, we knew we were in good hands. What an amazing answer to prayer this hospital and this psychiatrist were. He laid out his plan for Josiah which included stopping that new antidepressant immediately, slowly weaning him off his 2 other medications and gradually adding in 3 different ones.  All this in a week though?  I knew our insurance company had agreed to cover costs for just 7 days.  How long will it take, I asked? This is a complicated case, was his response.  It will take time.

A few days later, we learned the plan is to keep Josiah at this new hospital for 6 to 8 weeks. Our insurance we’ve been told will cover 7 days at a time, as long as it’s justified. He’s been there now for 2.  One week at a hospital to rule out medical issues and now 2 weeks at this hospital to tweak medications.

Through it all Josiah has been a trooper.  His world has been rocked up side down and spun around a few different times. I doubt he understands any of it.  People make loving, kind comments about what strong people Rick and I are as we work through this latest challenge with Josiah. They offer encouraging words of love and support for which we are deeply grateful.

Quite honestly thought, Josiah is tremendously stronger than both of us put together ever could be. He’s the one in a new place with new faces, new foods and new smells, He’s the one whose body, which swings between agitation and a drug induced stupor, is betraying him. He’s the one lying in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room, with unfamiliar caregivers, unable to communicate with any of us, unaware of what lies ahead. He’s amazing.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your prayers.  They mean more to us than you will ever know.  When you pray, would you please ask God to help Josiah understand we love him immensely and want him back home with us as soon as possible?  Pray that he is healed from aggression, peaceful and happy. From a mother who desperately misses her little boy, I would be eternally grateful.