Welcome to the bears honey

Once again i am not sure this has been taken in the right direction... but i am going with it for now.

Welcome to the bears honey

It took Emmet over four hours to calm me down enough to leave the ECA but I left with a plan on a piece of paper clung to my chest that was going to be hung on the wall beside my bed so when the fear took me I could look at it And hopefully it would calm me down. It was an agreement of how the new arrangement at Newway close was going to work and both of us had made sacrifices on how we would have liked things but it was a start. It was something solid that I could look upon when I was convinced that I would fail. It was a new plan for my life. A better one, and we called it the Newway agreement.

The Newway agreement

14 Newway close will become Mi’s home and not a unit. She will become one of the family, and she will be loved and protected. It will be a safe place with safe people where she will not feel threatened abused or hurt. While the home is a family unit it has to be acknowledged that it is a big step from the hospital and for the first few weeks and months “rules and guidance” around certain issues will have to be implemented to help Mi make the transition into full family living as smooth as one as possible. Mi has discussed some “issues” that she feels “threatened and scared” by in the family home and Emmet and Esmee have agreed on “improving” their home to try and combat these. Mi has also agreed to try very hard  to keep to her part of the deal but is not expected to promise them as mental health issues can be very overwhelming and uncontrollable. Below are the points that have so far been agreed upon.

·         On arrival to the house Mi is to try very hard to hand in all sharps to either Emmet or Esmee for safe keeping. Sharps will be handed out to Mi on her request but if the intended use is self- harm Mi will be expected to try and “hold out” for at least five minutes with either Emmet or Esmee before commencing to cut herself.

·         While Mi is in the possession of sharps an “observation” will be put in place to make sure things are kept at a “safe” level.

·         Sharps will be confiscated if the self- harming behaviour becomes “too dangerous” this will be at the discretion of Emmet or Esmee.

·         Sharps will not be given if it is believed by either Emmet or Esmee that Suicide is the intention for the request.

·         Mi is too only self-harm in her room or her bathroom for Mia’s safety

·         All sharps are to be disposed of in the yellow sharps box for Mia’s safety.

·         A child lock will be fitted to the cupboard with the cleaning chemicals. Getting into to this cupboard will still be fairly easy but the lock will hopefully be a distraction. A note will also be put on the inside of the door encouraging Mi to “scream bloody murder” if she intends to use the chemicals for self-harm.

·         For the time being the knife block will be put into a cupboard with the same precautions as above

·         For however long is needed a lock will be used on the medicine cupboard that Mi will not know the combination to. All tablets are to be kept in this cupboard with no exceptions. In the event of an overdose Mi will try very hard to tell Emmet or Esmee or to seek medical attention.

·         After a good routine is in place and Mi feels comfortable. The lock on the medicine cabinet will sometimes be left off and replaced with a child lock and note. Mi will not be informed when these times are and the cabinet will not be left “unprotected” for any more than four hours at a time.   

·         For the first few weeks Emmet and Esmee’s razors will be locked away with gradual reintegration to their set places in the house.

·         The razor Mi uses for shaving will slowly be introduced to Mi’s bathroom after time.

·         There will be no physical restrictions to the food cupboards but Mi will try hard and be encouraged to seek help if she feels like binging and purging.

·         Meal times are still mandatory. Everyone will eat together in a non-judgemental way.

·         For no more than ten days toilet visits up to an hour after meals will not be allowed unless monitored by either Emmet or Esmee standing outside the unlocked door. This “rule” will also apply if a meal has been particularly “difficult” outside the ten day agreement.

While these things are expected, it has to be known that everyone is human and no one is perfect. People make mistakes and it does not change the love that someone feels inside them. Mi is a part of this family now, and Emmet and Esmee couldn’t be more prod or delighted to have her in their lives. Welcome to the bears honey.