Woman asks for help for her mentally ill son

Dazzle Carrington (Nylo Intern)

Valencia resident, Sheila Patrong is the sole caregiver for her 47-year old son, Lynly Patrong, a schizophrenia patient. Lynly was diagnosed with the mental illness more than 20 years ago after the tragic death of his girlfriend. Now, Patrong who is a pensioner has the responsibility of caring for her son all by herself. Lynly has been an outpatient of the St. Anne's Medical Hospital for many years which means that he has to take medication to control his illness. Medication that is very expensive.

Patrong previously had her son in a home because she believed that he would be able to receive the proper and full attention that he required. After some time, the owner and care giver of the home told Patrong that she would no longer be able take care of Lynly because the disability cheques that she was collecting from the government for him was not enough. Patrong was not able to pay the home any more money so she had no other choice but to take her son home and care for him the best way she can.

Lynly was a patient at the hospital two weeks ago until one morning his mother returned home from an errand and found her son liming on the corner of their street with some men known to him. She said that he told her that the hospital's van dropped him off with discharged papers stating the need of prescribed medication, dogmatil. She later went to the hospital and asked the medical officer if she would be able to get a prescription for the medication so that she would be able to get it at a clinic as she does not have the money to just go out and buy it. The doctor told her that he could not give her one but instead, gave her a day's worth of tablets. Ms. Patrong said that without his medication, her son is very difficult to deal with. Not only does he walk all over Trinidad not returning home until days later but he is also digressive which is very worrying for his aging mother.

Ms. Patrong is now asking for help in any way possible. She would like to be able to afford to either put him in a home or find help to care for him. Most importantly, she would like to be able to access his medication.