Chapter115 "Ciara suffered a severe shock when she heard about Dwayne's death, and this had a significant impact on her mental health." Dr. Bethany explained, hervoice laced with concern at the news she's passing.n/n/In a nutshell, Gerald felt devastated upon hearing the doctor's explanation. He could see the same look of fear and worry on Aunt Elsie's face, and knew they were both deeply concerned about Ciara's condition.
It's clear they were not only pained at the news but confused, not knowing which one of the news to react towards -either Dwayne's death news or Ciara's mental challenge. It came too sudden and unexpected.
"What... what do you mean?" Aunt Elsie asked, hervoicetrembling. "Is Dwayne truly dead? And Ciara -is she going to be okay?"
Dr. Bethany paused for a moment before answering.
"I know this is a lot to take in," Dr. Bethany said, her voice soft and compassionate. "Let's try to take things one step at a time. First, I want to reassure you that while Dwayne's death is indeed a tragedy, we don't yet know what happened. We will need additional information before we can come to any conclusions."
Aunt Elsie froze in her seat when she heard the doctor's reply, luckily for her, she was able to regain her posture before she gets noticed -realizing there will be no physical charges pointing fingers at her.
In the end, they might say it's just a result of a home accident or, to crown it all, he's having some external disease he's conflicting without anyone's knowledge, which caused to his grave fall and led to his death.
Gerald, on the other hand, took a deep breath, trying to process what the doctorwas saying. "What about Ciara?" He asked, his voice thick with emotion. "How is she doing?"
"Ms. Fellers' situation is common, I will say. Mental health is a complex and individualized thing." Dr. Bethany began slowly. "So it's difficult to say for certain what the long-term prognosis will be."
She cleared her throat again before continuing. "That said, given the circumstances, I believe it's likely that Ms. Fellers is experiencing what we call an acute stress reaction, or sometimes called 'shock'. This is a normal reaction to a traumatic event, and often symptoms resolve on theirown overtime."
Gerald and Aunt Elsie listened intently, hope and fear warring within them.
"The symptoms of an acute stress reaction typically include feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and unable to think clearly. People often feel numb or detached from their emotions, and may also have trouble sleeping or eating." Dr. Bethany explained.
"These symptoms are often similarto the symptoms of PTSD, but the key difference is that an acute stress reaction is a temporary response to a traumatic event, while PTSD is a long-term condition."
Gerald felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He couldn't bear the thought of Ciara suffering like this. He struggled to find his voice. "How is she currently?" He asked, clouded with worry. "I hope her condition is not severe?"
"I'm afraid to say this, Mr." Dr. Bethany countered, butting in almost immediately. "Ms. Fellers condition is severe -her case is not similar to PTSD, but she is experiencing PTSD itselfalready."
Gerald felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. "Are you saying that Ciara has PTSD?" He asked, struggling to wrap his mind around the idea. "But it hasn't been long, and it's not like she's been in a war or anything."
"PTSD can be caused by many different trauma, not just military experiences." Dr. Bethany explained gently. "Other causes can include natural disasters, serious accidents, and even witnessing the death of a loved one; which is Ms. Fellers' case."
"But... but, this can't be happening to her." Gerald protested, shaking his head in denial. "All of these are false, right -it's not really happening to her."
"It's a lot to process, I understand." Dr. Bethany said, hertone empathetic. "But it's important to remember that everyone's experience with PTSD is different, and there's no set timeline for how long it lasts. Some people may experience it for months, or even years. But it is treatable, and many people do recover fully."
"You mean there's a chance she might get better?" Gerald asked, hope flickering in his eyes, but aunt Elsie, on the other hand, didn't like the idea of hearing she can recoverfrom it.
"Absolutely." Dr. Bethany reassured him. "Ms. Fellers is young, healthy, and has a strong support system -she will recover soon under close observation and care, I can assure that to you a millionth time."
"To be honest, doctor, this is a great relief to hear this from you." Aunt Elsie butted in after a couple of minutes of being silenced. "This is better than no solution at all."
The doctor acknowledged her with a nod, but before she could open her mouth to utter a reply, Gerald beat her to it.
"Can she come home with us?" Gerald asked, earning a raised questioning brow from Dr. Bethany. "I mean... whatever treatment and care she needed can also be given to her at home, right?"
"I'm afraid it's impossible to do that." Dr. Bethany countered. "She'll have to stay here with us for some days first -after then we can decide her fate." "Ah -I see..."Gerald mouthed simply. "I'm only worried. You know, with her kind of reputation, news as this can spark reactions."
"I understand you, but I need you to also know that the next few days will be crucial for Ms. Fellers' recovery." The doctorexplained.
"She'll need to be monitored closely and receive ongoing treatment to ensure the best possible outcome. I know this is difficult for you, but please trust that we are doing everything we can to help her."
"If she responds quicker than expected, then she can go home with you, but if not...she will have to stay at the psychiatric center as much as she is supposed to till we can guarantee her recovery." She added. "I want to assure you that Ms. Fellers will receive excellent care here. We have a team of psychiatrists and other professionals who are dedicated to helping her get better."
As Dr. Bethany explained to the duo seated before her, her attempt was to provide some comfort to them; seeing how greatly troubled they are at the moment.
"I appreciate your honesty, doctor." Gerald said, sighing heavily. "I just want herto be well again."
Aunt Elsie reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently. "We both do." She said, looking at Dr. Bethany.
"I understand your concerns." Dr. Bethany said, her tone understanding. "And I want you to know that I will do everything in my power to help Ms. Fellers recover as quickly and fully as possible. It's also important for you to take care of yourselves during this time. Please make sure to get enough rest, eat well, and take breaks when you need them."
Aunt Elsie nodded. "Thank you, doctor." She said, sounding calmer than she had before. She has to put on an act that she's sad about the news learned -of course, she is disturbed after learning Ciara has a high chance of fast recovery.
She'll have to find a way to make sure Ciara spend longer days at the psychiatric center-if not years!