“Mr. Calderon, I don’t appreciate the language, and I don’t like your tone. I haveover twenty children in my care who have disabilities, and I do the best I can with what Ihave.”
The controller shook his head and picked the office phone off the cradle.
“What are you doing?”
“Lady, I can’t let you go anywhere until morning with that girl.”
“Who are you calling?” Mr. Calderon ignored her and continued to hold the phone tohis ear.
“Mr. Calderon, that girl in the waiting area is Nelly Reyes; she is seventeen years oldand a ward of the court of New Jersey. She is a patient under my care at NewarkCommunity Mental Health Center for minors. Child services knows about her condition,so trust me when I tell you that you’re wasting your time.”
Mr. Calderon looked at her, unsure of what to do. “What’s wrong with her?”“Well, we think that she suffers from delusions and hallucinations.”
Mr. Calderon was silent for while before he asked softly. “You mean likeschizophrenia?”
“Exactly, but her case is a little more complex than that. I really don’t have time togo into it. What else do you need from me?” She asked impatiently.
I could feel Mr. Calderon’s eyes on me. He felt sorry for me.
“She’s lost so much, it’s late, and I just want to get her back home where it’s safe.”
He shook his head. “I have a little girl, and I just need to see some kind ofdocumentation, you know, to make sure she’s in good hands. It would make me feelbetter.”
“I appreciate your concern; if you let me use your phone, I can have the properdocuments faxed here.”
The elderly woman was sitting beside me. She squeezed my hand. She gave me oneof her reassuring looks indicating that everything was going to be okay.
The woman walked into the hallway. She tucked her plain brown bag under her armand adjusted her green pea coat.
“Nelly, what were you doing walking around by yourself in the middle of the night?”
I didn’t answer because I knew that she wouldn’t understand. I knew that she wouldthink that I was crazy, just like everyone else did. I looked over at the elderly woman; shenodded encouraging me to answer her.
“I wasn’t by myself, you see Ali was with me and my mommy was there too.”
“Nelly, sweetie let’s not go into this now.” She reached over and grabbed my hand. Isnatched it away.
She looked puzzled.
“Nelly, do you remember who I am?” I balled up in my chair. “Nelly, I’m Miss.Tilthen,” she said gently. She reached over and tried to pull me into her arms. My bodybecame stiff and hard like a glacier. She rubbed my shoulders as if she was trying to meltthe ice away.
“I know, you’re scared, but everything is okay now.” Her breath smelled like fecesfrom a horse barn. I just looked back at her, not knowing what to do. I shook my headtrying to remember, I needed to remember her, but I couldn’t. I watched her eyes narrowand could see that she was thinking of how best to handle me. I looked over and saw theelderly woman once again. She furrowed her eyebrows.
Ms. Tilthen looked back and saw that Mr. Calderon had closed his door. She yankedhard on my arm and led me toward the elevators.
I tried to look back, but I couldn’t. I wanted to thank the controller and the attendantsfor giving me cookies, for keeping me safe, but Ms. Tilthen yanked so hard on my armthat she practically dragged me across the floor. I had to quicken my steps in order tokeep up with her. Once we were outside. I saw the elderly woman; she waved to me andthen walked in the opposite direction. Where was she going? Why was she leaving meagain? I watched her go to an old garbage can that was hoarding her stuff. She threwbundles of trash bags over her shoulders and then waved goodbye to me. I knew that itmy heart that it wasn’t forever.
~ ~ ~
Chapter Two
Case 20109569
Patient: Nelandez Reyes
Social Security Number: 149-20-8970
Diagnosis: Undifferentiated Schizophrenia
Age: 17
Race: Black Ethnicity: Hispanic Medical History
*
Patient is a minor and has been deemed a ward of the court by the State of NewJersey. Elizabeth Tilthen has been appointed by the courts to act as the patient’sconservator making both medical and financial decisions on behalf of the patient. Aninterview conducted by Ms. Tilthen found that the patient suffered from a markedpersonality change. The patient showed symptoms of disorganized speech and a lack offocus. Further observations by Ms. Tilthen revealed that the patient began to withdrawfrom social situations and developed an inability to cope with problems and dailyactivities.
The patient began to experience sporadic episodes of larger than life ideas and bothauditory and visionary hallucinations. One episode caused her to run away from theNewark Community Mental Healthcare Center and board a bus unattended.
After this incident the patient was referred to East Shore Medical Center. Pastmedical records were reviewed and showed that the patient suffered a broken leg andshowed previous signs of a possible mental illness. No further information was recordedat that time. A complete physical examination was conducted, along with blood and urineanalysis that showed no signs of commonly used drugs. An MRI scan was conducted thatrevealed no signs of a brain tumor and other neurological disorders. A diagnosticsconducted by Dr. Tabitha Ontarian was conducted in a controlled environment where thepatient was asked a series of questions. Using the DSMIV criteria for schizophrenia, Dr.Ontarian found that the patient experienced the following symptoms:
*
* Deterioration of functioning from previous levels in such areas as work, or school,social relations and self-care
* Delusions
* Hallucinations
* Disorganized speech
* Prominent auditory hallucinations
*
All of these symptoms were monitored for a six-month period. The diseasesymptoms do not suggest manic-depressive illness, organic mental disorders, or mentalretardation. The patient will continue to
