Ken's story

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“They gave me valium and anti-depressants and it’s all stemmed from that really.....”

Interviewer: Could you say a bit about yourself and your life just to start off please.

Mr R: Well I first used the services, going back to the 60’s. What started it off was when I had a spell where I felt run down and not very good, I went to the doctors, they gave me valium and anti depressants and it’s all stemmed from that really! Then I went to another doctor, Scottish he was, and he said to me if you want to be made better you better well do what you’re told. I know vailum is an ancient drug; it’s awful though, so it’s all started from there. It’s when we came here that we went to K ward.

Interviewer: So that’s how you started to use some of our services at K ward?

Mr R: K ward, I was in and out of there for 6 months, and then I went to a day centre. The first one I went to was one at Chessington, off Clayton road going towards Claygate. Then I went up to Kingston Hill and it went to Sherwood then.

Mrs R: Thing is was, I was working full time, so I really needed to know that Ken was somewhere safe, so hence the reason why he went to a day centre which was helpful for me.

Mr R: They never had people like Jackie (Social Worker) in those days.

Mrs R: I also remember him saying to me would you like to start a help group? And I said oh I’m sorry I don’t have time to do that. They did talk about help but I don’t know whether it ever happened.

Interviewer: How are you now? What support do you get from us?

Mr R: Thankfully till my heart attack and the complications, thankfully I didn’t need any help.

Mrs R: There was 12 years and Ken didn’t need any help, it was fine, he was great, miracles happen, we can get through all this, we thought.

Mrs R: September before last, 2007 he had the heart attack and because he was diabetic he needed insulin but everything was great up to 2007, no problems but then when he was back on insulin that’s what caused him to, we think, to go ..

Mr R: Then I ended up in L ward where you have all your money taken away, it tipped me, threw me even more. The things that got me back was the OT (Occupational Therapy) lady who said she’d give me money so I could get a newspaper every day. So I went down the road on my own and Dr D couldn’t believe it.

Interviewer: Does Jackie support you from the team?

Jackie: I came on board with Ken, because he was admitted onto one of our wards. I first met Mr R when he was on the wards and still not that well either. We were thinking about letting you go home. But the first time I met you, you still weren’t that well.

Mr R: I think the first time I went home was Christmas day and Boxing Day.

Jackie: He was there for 3 months, November right through to February.

Mr R: Yes, that’s a long time.

Jackie: And because they didn’t know Mr R, they were saying is he ok yet and we said no you’ll know when he’s better.

Interviewer: What happened after that Mr R, when you came out?

Mr R: I just went back to my normal job, driving etc and I went to the day centre for one day a week. I wasn’t keen, but now I can see this idea of slowly getting you out into the system. It was the quietness of it that did the trick but now it’s so noisy. The food’s good, everybody’s kind but it’s not the same around you. I went back at Christmas time and the New Year.

Interviewer: So now you just get support from Jackie who sees you every so often?

Mr R: She says I’m doing too well! So she doesn’t need to come and see me!

Interviewer: Have you had any support Mrs R, in your own right?

Mrs R: Yes it’s great having Jackie around. The nurses are good on the ward and you can go to the office and have a chat. It’s been great this time. Ken used to be in there 6 months, year in year out. It’s so different now it seems. The ward was particularly nice, the surrounds were nice. In K ward the roof was leaking and things. Things have moved on and mental health is an important subject, more than it used to be.

Mr R: I think the hospital, and in any department, the staff are good and the system and the way its run is for you.  

Interviewer: What was good about the services you had? What helped?

Mr R: It was a calm atmosphere, you couldn’t compare it. Everyone was so helpful, people would chat to you. The day centre was good as were the staff. No complaints in any way really. I was there last February, only to see people I know. I carried on till about June and I still see Dr N.

Interviewer: So does lithium help you then?

Mr R: Yes that’s the key thing that’s helped me. I’m on about 300mg at the moment.

Mrs R: I think that’s why he was in hospital so often in the 80’s because he had to keep changing what he was taking every 5 minutes. So he’d have a high then he’d have a low.

Interviewer: So now you’re not having any more of those. And how does Jackie support you?

Mr R: Well If I have a problem I can just ring her up. She would probably come and see me once a month in any case. The doctor’s very good, he reassured me that this can happen to anyone. It can flip anybody.

Jackie: Mr R has attendance allowance, especially more so in mental health as it tends to get over looked, like when people are well, people think they don’t need it.

Interviewer: So did Jackie organise that?

Mr R: Yes Jackie organised that, got the forms etc.

Jackie: People should be more forthcoming and mental illness isn’t necessarily a physical disability. You’re doing your day to day things.

Interviewer: So your experience at L ward was a good one?

Mr R: Yes, it was like living in a hotel, the food and everything, and nice comfortable seats.

Interviewer: When you were on K ward, did you go out?

Mr R: I used to go swimming; I would go for walks around the grounds when my wife was there and go home at weekends. When I was there in the old days I used to drive there. K ward was so cold though. Also, things weren’t explained to you about what was happening, but it’s really different now.

Interviewer: So what’s the support from Jackie been like?

Mr R: Very helpful, had some good times.

Jackie: Mr R knows that he’s doing so well, but he can phone the team at any time. We’d rather he phoned the team than not let us know if something was wrong.  Mr R has coped amazingly well.

Mr R: Years ago when I got well from K ward that would’ve upset me.

Mrs R: But then we would worry about taking anything on too cautious.

Interviewer: You found it helpful to have Jackie’s support?

Mr R: Yes I did, yes, she’s been great.

Interviewer: Can you tell me what’s been good about having her support?

Mr R: I can talk to her directly, she can explain what I’m doing.

Mrs R: After he had his heart attack I probably should have put him into K ward more quickly, but the system was different. We made contact with the GP so things would be done quicker.

Mr R: Years ago if you went to K ward you would never talk to the doctors like you do now.

Mrs R: Even in L ward, Ken would feel uneasy to visit the doctors. The Monday morning panel was a bit of trial for Ken. It was the doctor and all the team which was a bit intimidating.

Mr R: But now I know where to go for help now and what to do.

Interviewer: what plans do you have for future?

Mr R: Carry on with life, do gardening, help the blind club, and help at the hospital. I might go back to the school I used to help with the reading at Tolworth School. One girl asked me if I was with ‘Help the Aged’?

Jackie: I think that’s why Mr R has kept so well. People, who have been admitted to Tolworth, they probably would be taken to the day centre, so in Mr R’s case the Sherwood one which is now called Newent. And that day centre is to monitor people’s mental health over a period of time and for some people it adds structure to their day. He almost didn’t have time to go to the day centre because he did lots of things.  It’s a short term day centre and the aim is for people to reduce their days or for some people to carry on and for people not to go anymore and for Mr R to leave on the health side of things is a good thing. It seems a miracle that he was so unwell and suddenly he got through it.

Mr R: There was a time here when I broke my back. I was cleaning the windows. The funny thing is when the ambulance took me to Kingston hospital as it swung through the gates another ladder fell on my other leg? At least I saw the funny side.

Mr R: I still see a consultant, which is a check up to see how everything’s going every 6 months.

Mr R: The main thing is as long as I’ve got contact with Jackie I could get myself to the hospital, so I know it’s there.

Interviewer: If you needed help, where would you go for it before Jackie?

Mr R: Probably go to the doctor, but for information, I don’t know.

Mrs R: I suppose in the doctor’s surgery there are leaflets and things but other than that I don’t know.

Mr R: There used to be a walk-in place at Kingston hospital for diabetic people but they don’t do it anymore.

Mrs R: So where do they display information?

Interviewer: We have information in the library and at the doctor’s surgery or if we’ve got a poster we put them up where people can see them. We try and find out where people go for this information. Have you got internet access?

Mr R: No I don’t.

Interviewer: Would you ever phone the council?

Mr R: No I don’t.

Mrs R: Information might be good at the dentist, or in the community centre.

Mr R: You could put information with the council tax because everybody gets that.

Mrs R: You do get information on the television with celebrities who have had problems with mental health.  It’s particular hard for people like Mr R, because things have changed hugely and where you went before isn’t there anymore.

Interviewer: For me now, if I was looking for something I’d go on the internet, but if you didn’t have it where would you go? I suppose the doctor or the chemist.

Interviewer: Any last thoughts?

Mr R: No I think we’ve covered everything!