The Story of Joannassie

Names have been changed.

There has been a sad story happening for the last couple of weeks. Joannassie is a young man in his early twenties who has been diagnosed with paranoid schyzophrenia. It is quite severe and he hears evil voices telling him to kill himself which has tried to do a couple of times. There are no psychological services hear in Salluit and the care is primarily through social services, nursing and the family physician. It is not enough.

He is very much liked by the staff here. Unfortunately his family is unable to provide him with the support he needs and he goes off his medication frequently. Last week his mother locked him in his room for three days and three nights without food or water. When he was brought to the nursing station, he was severely dehydrated and was kept over night on iv.

It was clear that more support was needed and so the nurses agreed to provide him with meals three times a day and a job was found for him a few hours a week with the community nurse so that he would be able to have his own money. His friend Odi who also works with the community nurse as an interpreter took him to the coop and helped him open an account and got him a bank card. This was he could by his own food.

Joannassie loved coming to work and had a good week.

Last weekend though, I was at the clinic and it turned out that he had been having a bad weekend and so was put in isolation. Isolation is the room outside my office door and it is a locked room with nothing in it but a mattress. It is primarily used for anyone who is on suicide watch. It is used quite frequently. Joannassie was kept there for the weekend until his meds kicked in I guess.

Unfortunately, when Odi who watching him he took him outside't for a smoke, Joannassie tried to take off (no shoes, no coat) and would have killed himself if Odi hadn't tackled him to the ground. Odi was trying to stop his freind from killing himself. Joannassie beat up Odi pretty badly waiting for the cops to come. I tried to help Odi but the nurses held me back.

They were finally able to medivac Joannassie to Montreal where he was to be put in a residential program. Good news I suppose in that he would at least be treated for his illness. Bad knews though as he would be even more isolated and not able to speak French or English very well.

Odi told me that he didn't care about his injuries he just wanted help his friend.

Turns out there was no room in the residential program. Six month waiting period.

Joannassi will return tomorrow.

Alot can happen in six months.