"The care I received was wonderful and life-changing"

In August 2005, one day came in my house: a psychiatric doctor, 2 GPs, a social worker, a care nurse, and outside the house waited for me too a police car with two policemen. Why? Because I was critically ill and I did not know, at that time, how bad I was…

After some talk with them I decided to go hospital to find out what was wrong with me – the psychiatric doctor was pleased because I accepted the suggestion… I packed up some things, such as: a towel, my pyjamas, my toothbrush and toothpaste etc and I went with them to hospital escorted by the police car…

At arrival at Highbury Hospital, Nottingham, the staff welcomed me and they had a friendly and kind reaction to me. Nevertheless, I was very upset, I start to cry with bitterness and I asked the social worker to take me back home…

Then, the management offered me a private room, words of encouragement and all the support I needed – I calmed down and I settled in the room waiting for each step of investigation, tests and medications.

Two days later I was diagnosed with a very severe mental disorder – schizophrenia – and I was registered on section 2 of the mental health act 1983, and the process of my healing started.

I was in hospital for seven weeks, then I asked my doctor to let me go home; I was not healed but I wanted to be in my own house instead of in hospital…

At the same time, in July 2005, because of my illness, being in the garden, I had dizziness, I lost my balance and I fell on concrete and I broke my left wrist and tendon - half of my left arm was in plaster and I could not use my hand for my day by day needs for a very long time.

Back at home it was incredible hard to cope with both situations: my mental illness and my broken wrist and tendon, but the support from my care coordinator and doctors helped me through.

My journey of recovering was very emotional, full of despair, lack of concentration, hard speech, tiredness, sleepless and nightmares… And then I started to do things again: to read, to write, to speak, to listen, to do the necessary things for my day by day living…

Later on, at some friend’s suggestion, both retired doctors, being under their care and support for eleven weeks, I attended an alpha course in their home – the history of Jesus Christ and it is a remarkable pick point in my journey of recovering.

My confidence, my spirit and my hopes for better start began to build up slowly, but surely.

Also, an important role on my journey of recovering was my attendance, for over five years, one morning per week, the IT course at SPAN, Foster Drive, Nottingham. The support they have given me up to today is wonderful. During my attendance there I started to write down some manuscripts which reflected my personal, emotional and spiritual life – maybe one day I will be able to publish them for other ill people’s benefit and to encourage them on their journey of recovering too. I believe it could make a difference to them.

Myself… I am not completely healed – healing is a long way to go and it takes time – but with my determination, with God’s help and the care and understanding from everybody, I believe, I will overcome it.

The care I received was wonderful and life-changing. Receiving care made me feel grateful and blessed.

I’d like to take this opportunity and to say a big “Thank you”, for the care and support during my hard time, to:

The Psychiatric consultant, inpatient of Highbury Hospital, Nottingham – and the team

The Psychiatric consultant, outpatient of Gedling Community for Mental Health, Nottingham

Care co-ordinator of Gedling Community for Mental Health, Nottingham

Drs Trisch and Peter – Lowdham, Nottingham

GPs of Group Ivy – health centre, Lowdham, Nottingham

The Reverend Carol Tainton and her husband Tom of St Mary’s Church, Lowdham, Nottingham

Tim and all the staff from Vocational services, SPAN, Foster Drive, Nottingham.

Also many thanks to my family, friends and to all the people who supported me.