Baker Bound

Ok, here I am at the new (to me) nut ward, after 12 hours in the ER.

In case you’re new, hi!! Welcome!!

This is my 3rd? Baker Act. I think. 1993, Counselor Ansley, (the infamous cop car episode), now. Ok, yeah, 3rd.

And I think it’s my 5th rodeo. Pretty sure. Yeah, 1993 Charter in Tampa- it was nice!! They actually had classes!! And I learned great info. Until then, I had no idea my birth family was dysfunctional! I mean, I knew stuff went on that shouldn’t. And that Mama, me and Bubba were abused. But, I really thought that was normal! My aunts, and 1 uncle, (Dad’s side) were all physically abused too, by my grandparents. And Mama’s side were all physically abused too, by my Papa Chaney, who died in 1969. (Also, when I got sober. It was a dual diagnosis unit, Addiction/depression. 29 years sober, coming up July 1!! By the grace of God!!)

So, how would I know otherwise?? It was a hard shock.

Anyway, 3x in LRMC, and now here in NTBH. Yeah, so my fifth. Nothing to be proud of. But, when I need help, I need it….. And it’s always an immediate crisis moment. Not that I get any actual help….

Trouble is, after that first time, I never felt I got any help. NO COUNSELING AT ALL!! No classes. Plenty of crayons, and pages to color tho. And chocolate milk, and pudding. I wish I was joking… Oh, yeah, always a new med too. What kickbacks are the big pharma offering this year?? Again, I wish I was joking. I can’t prove the kickbacks, of course. But why else were ALL of us always put on the same new med??

At intake, MamaMindaphant was taken away from me. I was actually shocked they had let me keep it in the ER! After the guard molested her, to make sure she didn’t contain anything else, but stuffing.

My clothes, and shoes were taken. And my ID.

I told the clerk I needed 2x pullups, due to my bladder issues. “We don’t have any. All we have is XL.”

Excuse me?? In this whole huge hospital, nothing larger than an XL??????

Nope.

She handed me an XL, said, “Stretch it. Make it fit.”

Umm, no ma’am, it won’t. I’m pretty sure I know what size I am. I’m homocidal, not delusional!!

Anyway, she handed me the XL, said, ” Make it work, it’s all we’ve got.”

I was shocked, AND ANGRY!! If you are larger than a size 8 or so, then you can probably relate on some level. Being handed an item of clothing, that is clearly TOO SMALL, and that you’ve stated is TOO SMALL; but callously told to stretch it and make it fit, is also humiliating!! It’s bad enough that I have to wear pullups, now I have to cram into a too tight one. Real healthy for a mental patient right there. (BTW, it’s not a place for us to get help. It’s a place to park us, keep us alive, cram pills down our throats, and make money for the company. LOTS! and LOTS!! of money. On Monday, I was told I would be going home on Fri. Nope. Not until the next Monday. ((Look up this hospital,

They make a regular habit of keeping people longer than they’re supposed to…Probably their website is not the best for that kind of info. Look up their reviews.)

As stated, it didn’t fit. But, I got it pulled up to just under my rear. It already was hurting, but the only alternative was to pee everywhere, so…..

When I got to the ward, I asked for a 2x, same answer.

I also had to ask for a wheelchair. My legs were shaking terribly, and just about to give way. Guess what?? It was a bariatric w/c! (holds up to 500 lbs.) You gotta be kiddin me!! You have these huge w/c, but only XL pullups??? I know good and well, if you have these big chairs, then you’ve had some BIG people in here!! (I only weigh 330, only! lol) So, what did you do with them??? Apparently, let them just pee everywhere.

The sweet little tech went down to the military ward, and snitched 3 diapers. Which were not any bigger. And were real diapers, tabs and all. I can’t put those on by myself!

She told me lay down on the bed, and tried to put them on me. NOPE!! Bless her heart, she tried!! And of course, that wasn’t humiliating at all!! To have a tiny little, 20 yo girl, trying to diaper my big, ole 61 yo butt!

So, I asked her what I was supposed to do?? She suggested I call my husband, and ask him to bring me some. You’re kiddin, right?? Please tell me you’re kiddin!! Nope.

The same husband I just was threatening to kill, oh about 12 hours ago????? Yeah, THAT husband. I had no other choice….

Later, gators. This is exhausting to tell.

Reviews:

How is North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital rated?

North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital has 1.5 stars.

• 
  Dwayne R.
• Pine Lake, GA

•  0 friends
•  1 review

4/9/2021

There wouldn’t be a star but it wouldn’t let me tell you how awful North Tampa Behavioral Health is irresponsible they are not accountable for their actions I’m a Veteran War veteran and they treated me like a piece of crap they’re very biased I do not recommend any veteran take part in this program they lost things that were very important to me the staff is very condescending not all of them but the few that are , I swear when I left there my anxiety level was higher than it was before I went they have segregation of veterans the trend that I saw going on there was constant old and older African-Americans and all young Caucasian veterans. Don’t know if that’s intentional but what do you think they threw my dentures away searching my room for peanut butter, then they tried to say that I had something to do with it then the lady who called me following up on my tablet said that because I was sick when I came there and didn’t get a chance to inventory my stuff,that one of their staff went and witness that I had in my bag, tried to spin it, once again on me, that it must have gotten stolen at the airport I swear there’s a building full of staff nincompoops not all of them but the ones that I had the pleasure of meeting please please veterans do not go to North Tampa Behavioral Health you will be disappointed and making a big mistake they treat you like children and I hated it not all of it but most of it I had NO therapy the medical side is excellent but Still I don’t recommend you go there you can go to a hospital for medical, the mental health piece a joke! my tablet it’s like you’re in a mini prisoner-of-war camp they take your phone and I don’t think that they know what they’re doing at all I think it’s a paycheck they get 35 million a year for 126 beds and they’re not all full VA please stop sending veterans 2 North Tampa it’s awful. NOT A GOOD PLACE disclaimer; I’m about to put a call in To the CEO and by track record speaking with the complaints lady and Jennifer who runs the veterans side I hope that he doesn’t try to spin it where all those events are my fault take responsibility you don’t have to do anything just admit it’s Common Sense stuff just because we’re in the mental health ward doesn’t mean we’re all crazy signing off now more to come

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