UPDATE OCTOBER 17, 2023:
I HOPE THAT SOMEDAY SOON ANDREW WILL SAY, "THANKS MOM AND DAD FOR SAVING MY LIFE."
SPOKE TO ANDREW'S PSYCHIATRIST TODAY. THE PLAN IS TO START MEDICATION TOMORROW EVENING. THE MEDICAL TRANSFER IS BEING WORKED ON NOW.
Here is a beautiful reminder sent to me this morning. https://fb.watch/nKcP46KRlS/
The Humber Hospital called yesterday. We had the opportunity to speak with Andrew's nurse and psychiatrist. Andrew is not coping very well, being held against his will. To our surprise Andrew turned down the opportunity to see the Rights Advisor on Friday and on Monday.
We are now the Substitute Decision Makers and have authority to request medications and medical transfer. The SDM will stay in place until Andrew is deemed capable of making his own medical decisions. This could be a very long time. We are so thankful for this.
Andrew's psychiatrist understands his situation fully. She is compassionate and caring. We feel she will do her very best to help Andrew. She is in consultation with the Charlottetown psychiatrist. They will determine a medical treatment plan and move forward with the medical transfer.
I give you this information today but everyone knows that things can change on a dime. We have seen this happen more than once during Andrew's heartbreaking mental illness journey.
POSTED EARLIER:
WE NEED YOUR HELP, SUPPORT AND PRAYERS!
A Rights Advisor will be visiting Andrew this morning. This person will tell Andrew that he has the right to be back on the streets. We feel that Andrew will appeal the Form 3 which is a 14 day involuntary detention that he is serving now. The Rights Advisor will give Andrew a list of Human Rights lawyer names and Andrew gets to choose. The lawyers are paid by Legal Aid. A hearing must take place within 7 days. It would be virtual.
These lawyers are ruthless. They will do everything in their power to put Andrew back out on the streets of Toronto. Andrew has Anosognosia and does not realize that he is sick and needs medications and hospitalization. Anosognosia is a symptom of his serious mental illness.
Andrew's psychiatrist will have to be present as well as the Humber River Hospital lawyer. I feel that Andrew's doctor will ask me to be a witness. I would not be permitted to be present during the hearing until I was required to give my statements. Lloyd would be permitted to be present and take notes throughout the hearing. This whole system is CRAZY! We are waiting for a hearing date.
We have worked so hard to track Andrew, obtain the Form 2, Form 1 and Form 3 and now a Human Rights lawyer is going to step in and try to set him free! Andrew is vulnerable and this is cruel and inhumane! How can the Human Rights lawyer sleep at night knowing that Andrew could die on the streets because of his callous actions?
The Human Rights lawyer knows nothing about our son's hopes and dreams. They probably don't care that 10587 people from Ontario and P.E.I. have signed the PLEASE BRING ANDREW BRYENTON HOME TO P.E.I. PETITION. All they care about is a WIN!
Andrew's dream was never to be homeless on the streets of Toronto. What are they thinking? Andrew's dream was to get a University education. Get a good career in the finance field. Get married and have children. Own a home on P.E.I. Andrew got a BBA, became an Assistant Bank Manager. Got married and has a little girl and boy ages 8 and 6. They owned their home in Charlottetown. Andrew lost all of this when his serious mental illness hit.
Andrew deserves to get his life back with medication and hospitalization. The P.E.I. psychiatrist is willing to help him get back on the road to recovery. Andrew's year long journey has been filled with turmoil, heartbreak, sleepless nights, chaos and heartbreak.
We are not looking forward to the Consent and Capacity Hearing. MAMA BEAR has fought too hard and too long to let a hearing scare me. I will protect Andrew with every ounce of my being.
Please pray that we will be successful at the Consent and Capacity Hearing. Andrew is entitled to a better life and we want to make sure that happens!
Andrew needs a medical transfer to P.E.I. We sure could use your support. We presently have 10587 signatures. Let's rally together and show that Ontario and Prince Edward Island residents believe that Andrew deserves a fresh start in life. Here is the link: https://chng.it/TMKMZfHH2p
Here is a blog written by Dr. Richard O'Reilly, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry. It is titled WHY A MAN FROM P.E.I. (ANDREW BRYENTON) IS HOMELESS ON THE STREETS OF TORONTO. This article is worth reading! I have spoken to Dr. O'Reilly several times. He has been fighting for MENTAL HEALTH REFORM for many, many years. https://dawsonross.wordpress.com/.../guest-blog-why-a.../
Dr. O'Reilly has seen and experienced the flaws in the mental health
system. He is presently on the TEAM group which has a mandate for MENTAL HEALTH REFORM. Karen Scott Booth who assisted me with advocacy at the hospital is also a participant. This is a group of psychiatrists, police, lawyers, social workers and others who have a vested interest in MENTAL HEALTH REFORM. They meet with the Associate Minister of Health and Addictions, Hon. Michael Tibollo and his staff.
Our last visit with Andrew on Friday was not pleasant. Andrew told us he did not want to see us. We felt badly leaving Andrew this way. There were definitely no hugs and kisses. He is furious with us for keeping him in hospital.
We realize that the days and nights are getting colder. We know in our hearts that Andrew will not survive in the winter. He refuses to go to shelters and soup kitchens.
Prior visits with Andrew provided us with a glimpse of his life on the streets. He told us about all the people that helped him. He said that he made people happy when he accepted their gift. This was most insightful of him and surprised us. He told people that he suspected his parents were doing something as he was getting so much assistance.
People told us many times that they were glad that Andrew accepted their gift. However, there were many times that Andrew would politely decline food, water, money or clothing. Ontario residents were more than generous, caring and compassionate.
We asked Andrew if he had any trouble on the streets. He admitted that he did but that he was able to run away. We were always concerned about Andrew's safety on the streets.
Andrew can see Shopper's Drug Mart from his hospital window. He said they have food items including Boost and cereal. We knew that Shopper's Drug Mart was one of his favourite places to seek help.
Andrew was apprehended at Tim Horton's which was another of Andrew's favourite places to go.
In spite of the recent chaos, my song, God Will Take Care of You, continues to play in my head. Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkATe23l7f8
The PLEASE BRING ANDREW BRYENTON HOME TO P.EI. PETITION has 10587 signatures from caring and compassionate Ontario and P.E.I. residents. Here is the link: https://chng.it/TMKMZfHH2p It is fast and free.
HERE IS A VIDEO GLIMPSE OF ANDREW. HE WAS MENTALLY ILL AT THE TIME BUT NOT TO THIS DEGREE.
A lady sent this video blog of Andrew to me. I was not aware the video existed. It will give you a glimpse of Andrew, when he was relatively well. It was titled, "The Best Running Shoes."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=F3GVRyhd4iE
A lady sent the following message, "It is so powerful how a loving community can move its members for an altruistic reason."
Lloyd and I thank every kind soul who reached out and helped Andrew since January 2023. You gave him food, water, money and clothing. We received hundreds and hundreds of posts, and photos with date, time and location. You helped our son survive on the streets of Toronto. You helped give us peace of mind each and every day for the past 12 heartbreaking months.
We thank people that searched for Andrew and helped me in so many ways. We worked as a well greased machine. We were ANDREW'S ARMY OF ANGELS! How can we ever repay the people of Ontario for your kindness and love shown to our son, Andrew Bryenton?