Gretchen’s Story
Six days after giving birth to my son something happened. I was diagnosed with post-partum psychosis. I was hospitalized for 10 days and couldn’t help take care of him for two months. I was also a new RN before I became pregnant. I could not go back to work for 10 months after I had my son. A psychiatrist told me that, if I had another child, there was a 50% chance that this would happen again and a 50% chance that I would not come out of that state at all. I think mental illness can be passed down genetically. My grandmother had very similar symptoms as mine. However there was no treatment like now. She could never have worked and she struggled to get by.
So at 22 years old, I had a tubal done so I couldn’t get pregnant again. I was fine for four years. I had a good job and got a promotion. The stress of a different job and responsibilities of being a wife and mother were too much. It happened again. I had to be hospitalized for 20 days. I was then diagnosed with bipolar disorder (manic type) and schizo-affective behavior. Thank God I found a good psychiatrist who tried newer medications that worked. I was out of work for nine months. I do not remember most of the time I spent in psychiatric hospitals, except praying for health.
Today, I am still an RN. I’ve been working for 12 years at the same place. Medication is the key for me—along with supportive family members. I also have strong faith in a loving God.