| The idea for Compeer San Diego was inspired
by the life of John Miller . John is an active and vibrant young man,
who is full of character and ingenuity. He is the one in your family
that you always try to play the 'quiet game' with because of his love
to talk at every waking moment. He is also the one who could never
leave the house without saying, "love you" to his family.
John was also an avid skateboarder and a talented artist.
In March of 2002, John was diagnosed with a brain
disorder. His family watched their active, loving son/brother start
to disappear before their eyes and a withdrawn, quiet young man
began to emerge. John was only 19 when he was diagnosed. His family
desperately searched for helps and became only more saddened to
find a lack of support for people with mental illnesses, especially
for people over the age of eighteen. His family found that there
is a tremendous gap in services for their young adult son, despite
the fact that the most common age for schizophrenia to emerge in
males is between eighteen and twenty-five years of age. John fell
into a limbo category that left him with little chance of recovery.
After reading and understanding more about John's illness, his family
knew that he needed support and a friend. John's family began to
seek out an organization that would provide this type of friendship,
but once again they were overcome by the feeling of being lost and
without hope.
Treatment is costly and John's family needed economic
support, but the government is set up to help those over twenty-one
or below eighteen years of age. This was yet another blow to John's
family. A feeling of helplessness began to set in even more deeply
when they learned that a side effect of John's medication (antipsychotic)
causes an illness called tardive dyskinesia commonly known as TD.
TD is characterized by stiffening and loss of control of muscular
movements. Patients may experience facial twitches and drooping,
as a result of this medication. TD is only one of the many possible
side effects that medications have on individuals. For John's family
there is a continuing struggle in deciding whether or not to use
medication that promises an improvement in John's brain functioning,
but also warn the possibility of permanent physical deterioration.
John's story underlines the importance of
creating effective support systems and resources for individuals
with mental illnesses and their families. Compeer San Diego is a
nonprofit organization devoted to helping individuals like John
Miller, and their families live a better more productive life.
|
