Please reach us at if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Prescription Meds:
Anthony visits his doctor every three months. He receives an injection of Invega Trinza. Just now realized that I don't know the dosage (273 mg, 410 mg, 546 mg, or 819 mg). I'll check that out in January when Anthony gets his next injection.
He also takes 20 mg of Olanzapine in the evening and 40 mg of Fluoxetine (generic for Prozac) in the morning.
Over the Counter:
Anthony takes a multivitamin in the morning and 5 mg of Melatonin in the evening.
Sometimes he'll tell me he is in a lot of pain. I'm never sure what that looks like or means. He can't describe it. He may say he's 'being attached'. I'll ask him if he wants a 'pain killer' and most of the time he will say yes. I'll give him a Tylenol and he's satisfied.
Sometimes he will clear his throat, cough, inhale deeply through his nose, and get to a point of agitation. I'm not sure if it's something caused by cigarettes that is irritating his throat. His answer is to smoke more. I will usually prepare him tea with honey. Then if it seems to be very stressful for him, I'll give him some of the "blue stuff" (Equate Vapor Ice Nighttime Severe Cold and Flu Relief) which seems to settle everything down eventually. This is not doctor-approved or prescribed...just something that seems to do the trick.
Also, Anthony receives $35 each month to spend at CVS on over-the-counter products from a specific website. This is through his Medicaid insurance provider.
Mind-Altering Substances:
I know some indicate marijuana helps with the symptoms related to schizophrenia. This is not the case for Anthony. It's like poison to his system. If he could he would...and again without moderation. He occasionally smells it coming from the neighbor's house but at this time its just a passing thought.
If anyone offered him anything else (i.e., mushrooms, pills), he'd say yes. So I make sure that he is never in a situation that allows for that.
Showers:
Anthony shies away from showers. I can typically get him to take one 2x a week, To do this, I will set out a 'sign' on the counter that reads SHOWER and tell him in the morning that it i a "shower day". I then give him the choice of taking a shower before lunch or before dinner. Typically he will ask to wait until dinner.
If I'm cooking dinner, I'll suggest that he take his shower now so that it's out of the way. Ninety percent of the time he'll do it. Other times he doesn't want to. I'll tell him he cannot have his beer if he does not shower. Half of the time he'll eventually shower and ask for his beer. The other half of the time he will give up his beer. When that happens, I'll tell him he will need to take his shower before lunch tomorrow in order to get his energy drink after lunch. I'll leave the SHOWER sign on the counter and remind him in the morning. When I'm preparing lunch, I'll encourage him to take his shower so he can have his energy drink after he eats. He will comply as he wants that drink.
Teeth & Deodorant:
Anthony will only brush his teeth and put on deodorant when asked. And often he declines. I don't push it. This is a challenge for another day.
Clothing:
Anthony changes his clothing fairly frequently. However, he is always wiping his mouth on his shirt no matter how many times I offer him a napkin. I might then tell him to go put on a clean shirt and he complies with that request. He tends to wear many layers of clothing (ie robe, sweatshirt, flannel shirt) regardless of the weather so things can get smelly!
Bedroom:
A few times a week I ask Anthony to pick up his clothes off the floor and put them in his hamper, bring the cups to the kitchen, and put the cans in the recycling bin. He does this without complaint. But he must be prompted or things would just pile up.
I do laundry on the weekend and he brings his hamper to the laundry room when asked.
Inside the House:
He will often bring the kitchen trash and recycling to the outside bins when he notices they are full. He'll also replace the trash bags. If things get full and he hasn't emptied them on his own, he is happy to handle it when prompted.
We always eat lunch and dinner at the table. He will always take his plate, glass, and utensils to the kitchen. He'll scrape anything left on the plate into the trash. If he notices that I am done eating, he will offer to take my plate to the kitchen also.
Outside:
We have three ferel cats that came with the house when we moved in 6 years ago. We recently bought an automatic cat feeder. Prior to that, Anthony would always make sure the cats had food and water.
Anthony takes the trash cans to the curb on Thursday evening and returns them to the backyard once they are emptied on Friday. This requires a reminder but then he is happy to take care of this task.
Other:
He is usually happy to assist with tasks that take less than 5 minutes. Beyond that time frame, he loses interest and his attention is lost. If something is complicated (according to him), he will say he can't do it. If it's assisting with something heavy, he will say he can't do it.
Moderation:
Anthony is unable to moderate any type of drinking. And, I don't mean alcohol. I mean anything that a person can drink: soda, juice, water, shakes, yogurt, seltzer, coffee, etc. I cannot keep anything in the refrigerator or where he can grab it. In my bedroom closet, I keep his energy drinks, protein shakes, soda, coffee, and any other drinks in the house. Crazy as it seems, he will never go in there.
Alcohol:
Anthony has been without any alcohol for nearly two years. It caused him to be agitated and aggressive. The more he had the more he wanted. I had a conversation with his doctor and with his help we told Anthony that he should not have alcohol. I don't think he could tell Anthony he could not have alcohol because that is not medically true. Initially, Anthony kept asking when he would be able to have alcohol again. I would answer, "Let's ask your doctor next time we visit." When he would ask the doctor, he would tell Anthony, "It's not a good idea.". I'm fortunate that Anthony didn't push it.
He no longer asks the doctor. And only once in a great while will he ask if he can have something alcoholic. I respond, "No." and he lets it go.
Decaf Coffee:
I create containers of decaf coffee that are available for Anthony to grab at any time. I don't monitor the consumption. I just fill the bag that holds the containers when I see that it is empty. I think he might go through 3 containers of the decaf each day. This is one of the items that I let him have control over.
Water:
Anthony drinks a lot of water. There was a time when he would stand at the sink and drink 8 glasses of water one right after the other. When I asked him what he was doing, he answered, "Water prayers." I told him going forward he could only drink 3 glasses at a time and would he respect that. He said he would. Now he will stand at the sink and drink 3 glasses of water one right after the other...water prayers. This currently happens 2 to 3 times per day.
Driving:
Anthony has not driven since 2009. He doesn't ask to drive. Rather he will tell you that he doesn't know how and it seems scary.
Leaving the House:
Anthony doesn't like to leave the house very often. Occasionally he is willing to go to the gas station with me to get a cup of coffee. Back when we would eat fast food, he would ride with me to go through the drive-through half of the time. His desire to leave the house has decreased over the past two years.
However, he willingly goes to some things: the doctor, and Thanksgiving dinner at his aunt's house. Not sure what's different...maybe it's the one-off special trips?
Road Trips:
Now this is rather unusual. If I ask Anthony if he wants to go on a road trip, he's all in. Last summer we drove from Florida to Wisconsin, stayed for two months, and drove home. He quietly focuses out the window most of the time. Only 5% of the time is filled with conversation. We stop for drinks, and snacks, smoke a cigarette, and use the bathroom. He enjoys it. I often wonder if the passing landscape is a bit like the ever-changing background of a music video or online game. He is looking forward to another road trip to Wisconsin in the spring.
When I'm Out:
I have a camera at the house. I turn it on when I leave. Its precautionary more than anything. It captures movement and records short videos. I can review the saved videos or take a look at the camera live from my phone. Anthony's routine does not change whether I am at home or not.
Anthony doesn't have a phone and we don't have a landline. I have an Alexa Show mounted in the kitchen. This allows me to call Anthony when I am out and about via the "drop-in" option. I can see him via video and he can see me. Sometimes I like to let him know when I'm going to be home, ask him if he needs anything (the answer is always no), or just check in for no reason other than to let him know I'm thinking about him.
Computer:
Anthony has a computer in his room. He uses it to watch YouTube vidoes and play Everquest.
He becomes fixated on certain songs and certain artists. For instance, I may hear nothing but the Eagles for days on end. Or I may hear a specific song by the Eagles on a loop for hours on end. Or he may focus on Marilyn Manson, Enigma, or trance music.
TV:
The only thing Anthony watches on TV at this time is BBC News. When he does watch it, it might be for 30 seconds or 20 minutes. No matter the time he spends in front of the TV when I ask what is on the news, he doesn't know. Occasionally he will say that he heard there was a war. Or he might say they talked about President Trump. For the most part, I think he just watches the movement on the screen and hears people talking.
Alexa:
He will ask Alexa to play a specific song, or songs by a particular artist. It's usually something he listens to for a few minutes and then he's off to other things. He's respectful with the volume when I'm around. I know he turns up the volume when I'm out of the house
Massage:
I'm putting this here because I don't know where else it fits. About a year ago I was in the habit of giving Anthony a little shoulder massage when he was sitting in his chair watching TV. Then I got to noticing that when I did give him that short massage, it seemed to calm him. I told him to start asking me for a massage whenever he wanted one. He typically will ask me 2 to 3 times a day. I'll massage his neck and shoulders for about 5 minutes. This is the ONLY thing he will ever ask for. No special food, no special clothing, no special gifts, etc. So, I am happy to provide him with this small service.
Health:
Yes, I know smoking cigarettes is dangerous to your health. Yes, I know there may be a heavy price to pay for allowing Anthony to continue with this 'bad habit'. I'm not sure if I'm burying my head into the sand or not. I'm aware of the consequences. And, yet, I do not know how to take away this one thing that provides him with an activity that is calming to him.
Cigarettes:
Anthony smokes cigarettes...a lot of them! He rolls his own. I purchased a Powermatic 2 Electric Cigarette Injector Machine which has lasted for 5 years so far (~$65). I purchase Gambler Gold King Tube Cut Cigarette Tubes and 5 cartons last a little over a month (~$20). And finally, I purchase pipe tobacco from Smokers Outlet Online (~$14 for 16oz). Anthony wastes a lot of it when he's rolling so he goes through about 3 bags a month. So, all in with shipping, the cost for his smoking is about $80/month.
We live in Florida and have a covered porch. All smoking is done outside. When he is not busy doing something else, he's out on the porch with a cigarette or two.
Treat:
With packs costing between $6 - $10, we cannot afford to buy them regularly. On his birthday, he received a pack of cigarettes as a gift. This then turned into a treat that he gets on the 25th of every month.
Copyright © 2023 Anthony's Life - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.