 Katie's
Story
My name is Katie Slenker. I am doing well
now, but things have not always gone well for me. I am 17 years old and
have already lived a complicated life filled with many unpleasant events.
At the age of 5 everyone started to realize that I had
a problem. My behavior was very abnormal. I would get extremely depressed
and other times I would be very hyper. My parents took me to a doctor.
I was diagnosed with ADD and was put on medicine to help me cope, but
the medicine made me worse. I was on this medicine for about 3 years
and then I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
My parents and the doctor knew something was wrong when
I tried to commit suicide. I climbed up on the roof of our house on Christmas
Eve and threatened to jump off. After I was safely off the roof my parents
admitted me to a hospital where I stayed for several weeks. While there
I had group therapy with many counselors and I attended school. They
got my medication regulated and I was discharged to my parents' care.
After being home from the hospital for a while I was admitted
again. I was admitted and discharged from several facilities in the next
couple of years. I would be well for a time, and then things would just
seem to fall apart for me again. I was scared and confused by the whole
thing. I felt different from other kids. My parents had to give up custody
of me in order to receive treatment and that made me feel like they didn't
want me. I was placed in a shelter where I stayed for 2 weeks, and then
I went into a foster home, which was not supposed to happen. I stayed
with my foster family for 4 months and they could not live with me any
longer because they didn't know how to help me deal with my problems.
I was allowed to visit with my family every other weekend. I lived 2
hours away from them. I missed them, but I was mad because I still felt
like they didn't want me.
After I left the foster home I went back to a shelter,
where I stayed for a week. I had to be admitted to the hospital again
because someone at the shelter wrote down the wrong dose of Lithium on
my chart and I was overdosed. After about a week I was discharged to
Clarion Psychiatric Center RTF. That was the best treatment I ever had.
I was there for 1 year, 2months, 16 days, and 12 hours.
For about 3 months I had no desire to talk to or see my
parents. I was now 41/2 hours away and I was still very angry and not
dealing with my problems. But my parents didn't give up on me. Even though
we didn't always agree on things we worked out our differences. My family
learned more about bipolar disorder and that helped them to understand
me better. I learned how my actions affected them too.
By the time I got out of Clarion I was 15 years old. I
have been back home with my family for 2 years now and I am doing better
than ever. I am in 10th grade at Dallastown High School. I go to
my psychiatrist once a month for a checkup. I continue taking my
medication. I have a good relationship with my doctor because I trust
him and he listens to me when I tell him things. He sees me for an hour
each time and he knows what is going on in my life. I still have good
days and bad days but I have the ability to control my actions and feelings.
I feel like I have control of myself and I am having a good time and
doing well in school. I have allot of friends and I am working.
I want to go to college after high school. I think
I would like to become a psychologist. I have started a support group
for kids coping with mental illness. The Mental Health Association in
York sponsors the group. This group is my graduation project. In
June of 2003 I was awarded a Youth Medal of Excellence from the National
Mental Health Association. Since then I have been able to tell my story
to kids in residential treatment facilities and offer them hope for recovery.
I want them to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and
with hard work and commitment to their treatment they can be successful
too.
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