Dear group members,

Please pray (or send good thoughts/mediations) for my best friend who is BP
today. This is the situation. I'm BP too (and doing everything I can to
help her),
but we're running out of time to keep her in her apt.

She is within 1 day of losing her section 8 subsidy for her apartment. C*
** is on SSI disability, but has not been able to pay for all her rent,
utilities, food and prescriptions not covered by Medicaid (Medicaid only
buys 3 meds a month - she takes 8 - for bipolar and physical problems) Her
apt was inspected last Thursday and Section 8 found out that her gas (for
the water heater) had been cut off. Unless we can get it reinstated by
Thursday, C***'s been told (formally in writing) that she will lose Section
8 (and thus her housing).

I took her back to the crisis psychiatric service here in Austin Friday.
After 7 hours they let her make a new appt with community center clinic
doctor & case manager - but she won't get to see anyone for 3 weeks.
Wouldn't even let her see the crisis center psych. to get her scrip's
renewed. You have to convince them you're suicidal (and will REALLY REALLY
do it within 24 hours) or about to kill someone else to get emergency
hospitalization around here. But that's just life as usual in Texas - 47th
in per capita mental health spending!!! We finally had to go to her
internist to get the psych meds restarted (what she was taking up until 2
months back). I'm trying to get her a full time (that is stops by the house
once a week) case worker, but no go on that right now either.

C*** let her utility payments slide in order to buy her drugs. Then about 2
months ago she began another manic phase - very extreme. Couldn't sleep,
scared to death to be alone in her apt, couldn't stop talking/thinking, her
judgment was completely impaired. She began letting new 'friends' - guys
she had known for only a few hours or days - stay overnight at her apt.
This was completely out of character. She's single and dating - but her
normal pattern is 3-4 boyfriends over the last 2.5 years.

Of course, one of these "friend's" ripped her off - stole all her
medications, TV, CD player, etc. etc.

I've finally got her to go back to the p-doc Friday. She's back on Geodan,
Xanax (for PTSD), and Ambien to sleep.

Taking her in to county welfare (emergency asst) this morning to see if
they'll pay $278 to get her gas turned back on. Electric is also 4 months
past due. She doesn't have any family support at all - mom could pay bill
but won't. This morning will determine if she still has a place to live -
or winds up on the street.

GOD DAMMIT!! I hate all government bureaucracies. Still trying to get her
an extension on the Section 8 cutoff -but can't find anyone to listen. Do
they honestly want more mentally ill people living under the bridges or in
tents. You all know what can happen to a lone women out on the streets.

-- very stressed myself
maryjane

--
Mary Jane Kelbell
Hill Country, Austin, Tx