Lost My Job and Doubting Myself

[BonesMS]

Hi Bonesy !!!!

Congratulations- what a change from the original post on this thread!!!! It is a wonderful thing for you and for the people that you help as well!!! (((((Bonsey MS)))))

Well Done!!!!! You succeeded even without the promised interns- very impressive!

Love,

Changing

Thanks, Changing!

Day Two was VERY HECTIC and still managed to survive.

Bones

[changing]

Hi Bonesy-

It must be hectic given the time of year, the cold, etc. Luckily for them, they have a Superstar on task! Have a great time, and whip everyone into shape, Bonesy!!!!

Love,

Changing

[BonesMS]

Hi Bonesy-

It must be hectic given the time of year, the cold, etc. Luckily for them, they have a Superstar on task! Have a great time, and whip everyone into shape, Bonesy!!!!

Love,

Changing

Ironically, last night the temperature went up to 62 degrees so it wasn't that cold.  I'm hoping tonight will be less hectic.

Bones

[BonesMS]

Just completed my first week of the homeless program.  The first church had a lot of nice people who mean well but don't really understand why we have the rules we do.  I found myself dealing with headaches because part of my job is to enforce the program's rules and the church members thought I was being too "hard-nosed" and attempted to make "special exceptions".  By last night, the church members started to regret making those "special exceptions" and I think they finally began to "get it" why we have the rules that we do.  On Sunday, we move to a new church which will be a longer drive for me toward the southern "toe" of the county.  I'll have to wait and see what happens then.

Bones

[BonesMS]

I had an EXHAUSTING session on the Hotline last night!  My last caller of my shift contacted the Hotline shortly before midnight.  The more she talked, the more I realized that she was being victimized by an Nhusband who was determined to drive her to suicide and both her adult children were also behaving like Ns as well.  (I heard one of the adult children in the background.)  This individual no longer had any hope and she had already made preparations to kill herself.  I asked her how she planned to do it and, at first, she attempted to refuse to tell me because she knew I would try to save her.  I managed to get out of her that she had several different types of medications (all of which can be fatal if taken in overdosages and/or in combination).  I also tried to get her to contract with me for safety and she refused.  All the alarm bells and red flags in my gut were going off BIG TIME and had my colleague assist me.  I was able to get rescue services to her and when she realized she was going to the hospital, she finally let down her guard and started to sob.  She begged me to call off the rescue services by promising to give all her medications to them and promising that she would not kill herself now.  I told her that they are there to help her and not hurt her.  Also spoke with the rescue services to apprise them of what had led up to my decision to send help.  They concurred, took over the case and transported her to the hospital.  This entire case lasted an hour and by the end of it all, I felt worn out and exhausted.  WHEW!!!!!!!!

Bones

[Hopalong]

Good job, Bones.
I am glad she was in your care...

I hope she gets compassion from the hospital like she got from you, and like she never got at home.

Very sad story.

Hops

[changing]

Bonesy You Are A True Angel Of Mercy-

How fortuitous that that poor woman connected with a person of heart, brain and experience-she needed a way of escape from those killing Ns. I pray that she stays away from them and goes NC, and returns to the land of the living. Thank you for what you do.

Love,

Changing

[BonesMS]

Good job, Bones.
I am glad she was in your care...

I hope she gets compassion from the hospital like she got from you, and like she never got at home.

Very sad story.

Hops

Thanks, Hops!

Bones

[BonesMS]

Bonesy You Are A True Angel Of Mercy-

How fortuitous that that poor woman connected with a person of heart, brain and experience-she needed a way of escape from those killing Ns. I pray that she stays away from them and goes NC, and returns to the land of the living. Thank you for what you do.

Love,

Changing

Thanks, Changing!

From what I could ascertain from her description of her husband, he sounds like another bagworm who is even more vicious than anyone can imagine!

Bones

[changing]

Bonesy-

I am so proud of you, staying on and giving that lady an opportunity to get away, literally a life-saving chance. Hope all is well with you, and that she contacts you again and lets you know that she is OK. Hope the new assignment continues going well!

Love,

Changing

[Leah]

I had an EXHAUSTING session on the Hotline last night!  My last caller of my shift contacted the Hotline shortly before midnight.  The more she talked, the more I realized that she was being victimized by an Nhusband who was determined to drive her to suicide and both her adult children were also behaving like Ns as well.  (I heard one of the adult children in the background.)  This individual no longer had any hope and she had already made preparations to kill herself.  I asked her how she planned to do it and, at first, she attempted to refuse to tell me because she knew I would try to save her.  I managed to get out of her that she had several different types of medications (all of which can be fatal if taken in overdosages and/or in combination).  I also tried to get her to contract with me for safety and she refused.  All the alarm bells and red flags in my gut were going off BIG TIME and had my colleague assist me.  I was able to get rescue services to her and when she realized she was going to the hospital, she finally let down her guard and started to sob.  She begged me to call off the rescue services by promising to give all her medications to them and promising that she would not kill herself now.  I told her that they are there to help her and not hurt her.  Also spoke with the rescue services to apprise them of what had led up to my decision to send help.  They concurred, took over the case and transported her to the hospital.  This entire case lasted an hour and by the end of it all, I felt worn out and exhausted.  WHEW!!!!!!!!

Bones

((( Bones ))))

I have taken a break, but, the worst case I had to tend to was a woman badly beaten by her husband, who had had her son put the boot in afterwards accompanied by verbal abuse to the effect that she deserved what she got because she was so stupid!  Honestly.

The son's behaviour shocked me to the core.

Managed to get her into a 'safe refuge' and in the end, she lost everything, home and personal possessions.  


Do you have a process of 'emotional uplift' after your shift has ended, or dealt with a particularly emotionally draining call ?

Love, Leah

[BonesMS]

Bonesy-

I am so proud of you, staying on and giving that lady an opportunity to get away, literally a life-saving chance. Hope all is well with you, and that she contacts you again and lets you know that she is OK. Hope the new assignment continues going well!

Love,

Changing

Thanks, Changing!

If she ever calls back and feels like she is in a better place to hear me, I can probably let her know that there is a support group available to her (here).  At the same time, I have to be careful that she doesn't recognize her story or me here as that can create additional problems.

Bones

[BonesMS]

I had an EXHAUSTING session on the Hotline last night!  My last caller of my shift contacted the Hotline shortly before midnight.  The more she talked, the more I realized that she was being victimized by an Nhusband who was determined to drive her to suicide and both her adult children were also behaving like Ns as well.  (I heard one of the adult children in the background.)  This individual no longer had any hope and she had already made preparations to kill herself.  I asked her how she planned to do it and, at first, she attempted to refuse to tell me because she knew I would try to save her.  I managed to get out of her that she had several different types of medications (all of which can be fatal if taken in overdosages and/or in combination).  I also tried to get her to contract with me for safety and she refused.  All the alarm bells and red flags in my gut were going off BIG TIME and had my colleague assist me.  I was able to get rescue services to her and when she realized she was going to the hospital, she finally let down her guard and started to sob.  She begged me to call off the rescue services by promising to give all her medications to them and promising that she would not kill herself now.  I told her that they are there to help her and not hurt her.  Also spoke with the rescue services to apprise them of what had led up to my decision to send help.  They concurred, took over the case and transported her to the hospital.  This entire case lasted an hour and by the end of it all, I felt worn out and exhausted.  WHEW!!!!!!!!

Bones

((( Bones ))))

I have taken a break, but, the worst case I had to tend to was a woman badly beaten by her husband, who had had her son put the boot in afterwards accompanied by verbal abuse to the effect that she deserved what she got because she was so stupid!  Honestly.

The son's behaviour shocked me to the core.

Managed to get her into a 'safe refuge' and in the end, she lost everything, home and personal possessions.  


Do you have a process of 'emotional uplift' after your shift has ended, or dealt with a particularly emotionally draining call ?

Love, Leah

Thanks, Leah!

I had the opportunity to debrief with my colleague, (who was ironically the same staff member who had the unfortunate suicide-by-cop call on Halloween), to process my thoughts and feelings about what I did during this call.  Right now, I can only hope and pray for the best outcome for her.

Bones

[Leah]

Thanks, Leah!

I had the opportunity to debrief with my colleague, (who was ironically the same staff member who had the unfortunate suicide-by-cop call on Halloween), to process my thoughts and feelings about what I did during this call.  Right now, I can only hope and pray for the best outcome for her.

Bones

Dear Bones,

That's all one can do at times like this, is pray, and hope for the best outcome, for the life of the person. 

No further contact being standard procedure, sometimes, rarely, through offical sources, one may hear some small element of feedback, as is my experience, most often, nothing.

So glad that you have 'debriefing' afterwards, thought you would, think that's most likely a universal standard procedure also.

Keep up the good work!

Love, Leah

[BonesMS]

Thanks, Leah!

I had the opportunity to debrief with my colleague, (who was ironically the same staff member who had the unfortunate suicide-by-cop call on Halloween), to process my thoughts and feelings about what I did during this call.  Right now, I can only hope and pray for the best outcome for her.

Bones

Dear Bones,

That's all one can do at times like this, is pray, and hope for the best outcome, for the life of the person. 

No further contact being standard procedure, sometimes, rarely, through offical sources, one may hear some small element of feedback, as is my experience, most often, nothing.

So glad that you have 'debriefing' afterwards, thought you would, think that's most likely a universal standard procedure also.

Keep up the good work!

Love, Leah

Thanks, Leah!

Now I'm preparing to return to the homeless Winter Shelter to work again on Sunday through Wednesday nights.  I'll probably have more clients then and, hopefully, the interns will show up so I can teach them what they need to do.

Bones