The Older the Wiser

Anthony Jules Gannon.  You may call me Jewel.  I am 76 years old and getting older every day.  I am a psychiatrist at Thornewood Mental Hospital

[goldielockedhunter]

Visitors: Tara and Jewel

[goldielockedhunter]

Her eyes narrowed, “You’re funny doc, real…Funny. Of course Annabelle told me everything, she’s my sister. She would have been my guardian if she didn’t have to run off so much.” 

[jewel-can-help]

“Tara, you don’t have a sister.  I checked everywhere for her.  Did your parents talk about her?” he asked.  Jewel ran a hand through his thinning hair and sighed.  This was frustrating for him because he knew there was no Annabelle.  “Would you like to go to the camera room?” the old man asked.  He knew if he showed her that Annabelle wasn’t on the screen that she’d believe.  Jewel knew he’d have to get medication for her now.

[jewel-can-help]

Heartbeats || Jewel and Esmeralda

[esmeralda-anderson-deactivated2]

Esmeralda blushed furiously at his compliment before grabbing a cup from the nurses’ desk and filling it with water. “Can’t have bleach in here. It’s too bad. It is for you. I thought it would bright up the room.” She sat beside him before asking, “Is there anything that I can do? Do I need to kick Phillip’s ass into gear?”

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel smiled softly when he saw Esmeralda’s blush.  It was beautiful seeing a person blushing, seeing how anyone could be soft.  “Well thank you.  It’ll be nice seeing the flowers.  Reminds me that I should put some in my office.”  If he could he would have all of his sessions in the garden.  But he knew that that wasn’t the best idea.  Chuckling lightly but soon groaning in pain he put a hand on his chest to stop the pain but he knew it wouldn’t help.  “No, everyone has been very kind to me.  Some water would be nice though.”  Jewel wished that he could do everything himself so he wouldn’t have to bother others but it wasn’t possible in his condition.

[amelia-anderson-thornewood-deac]

Another Year Older

[amelia-anderson-thornewood-deac]

“Well I’m always telling my patients that they shouldn’t let their fears control them…I finally figured it was about time I took my own advice,” the Warden said with a smile. Happy that Jewel had a little time to speak, Amelia began to walk toward the kitchen, the older psychiatrist by her side. “I never get to speak to the staff as much as  I would like, and when I do, it’s always so formal and usually between emails. There’s so much more to be said for a friendly chat over a cup of coffee.” As she entered the dining room, she was happy to see that it was empty, the patients out and about with their other activities. “How do you like your coffee Jewel?”

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel was delighted that he was doing her best not to be a hypocrite.  Many people were and it was always sad to see them not take their own advice.  “Well I’m happy you were able to concur your fear.”  His fear of his body decaying and withering to dust was not a fear he could take head on, but live with day by day.

As he followed Amelia he was happy they were taking a slow pace.  It was getting a little harder for him to keep up with everyone recently.  He was fearing that he might be getting arthritis in his knees.  But he didn’t let that keep him down.  “I understand that completely.  I’m happy when I have time to talk to others in the building.  I talk to Esmeralda quite a lot.  She’s a wonderful young woman,” he sighed happily.  She had an older soul but was in a young body and appreciated it.  Jewel was glad that he could call her a friend.  Sitting his coffee he smiled, “It’s perfect Amelia.”

[jewel-can-help]

Therapy Session || Jewel and Asher

[asher-phelps-blog]

Asher chuckled, his eyes moving around the room, taking in his surroundings. “Good, because you’re definitely not mine.” His eyes set on a painting of the Oakland Bay Bridge. Memories of childhood visits flooded to him. Not all of them quite so fortunate. Asher had definite memories of wondering if he could fly off the bridge and his mothers shouting.

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel laughed as he nodded.  So the boy had a sense of humor.  He’d have to play around with that to try and get a medication that was right for him.  Seeing him eyeing one of the paintings on his wall he turned to see the bridge.  A small smiled played on his lips as he asked, “Have an interest in that painting?”  If he asked he could have it.  Being a Buddhist meant that the old man didn’t care much for

[goldielockedhunter]

Help: Tara and Jewel

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel had sadness in his eyes when Tara scooted away.  She looked terrified and he knew that she had schizophrenia.  She must have been terrorizing Tara the entire time she was in here.

Seeing her how she was broke his heart.  His unofficial daughter gone and replaced with this scared little girl.  This must be how she looked that night when her parents died.

Staggering back when she screamed at him like that he felt his heartbeat quicken.  Clutching his heart he felt himself growing weak and nauseous.  “Guards,” he was able to say before he fell to the ground with his breath growing shallow.

The guards rushed in and saw Jewel on the ground and picked him up.  “Nurse!  Dr. Gannon had a heart attack!” one of them screamed.  They got him out of the room as soon as possible and left Tara in the room to rot.

[goldielockedhunter]

She glanced up when the sounds of labored breathing filled her ears. His hand clutched at his chest, the muscles in his neck tensing. Her own heart had skipped a beat, “Jewel?”

“Jewel!” she shouted at last when he had fallen to the ground, she had ran for him then, but the guards had pushed her away. One had given her an icy glance, as if she were the blame for what had happened. She wasn’t…She…

“Let me see him! Just let me–” he had been taken away before she could. Did her words hurt him? Did they…Kill him?

“J-Jewel…” she hiccuped, “Jewel I’m sorry!”

[jewel-can-help]

Heartbeats || Jewel and Esmeralda

[esmeralda-anderson-deactivated2]

The moment that Esmeralda heard about Jewel’s heart attack she had ran up the stairs from her office and demanded to be told what was going on. The nurses were more than nice with telling her about his condition, and after all of her appointments with her patients she returned back to his side with bouquet of hydrangeas from the garden in Thornewood. “How are you feeling?” 

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel coughed lightly and he felt like he could feel everything rattling around inside of him. How was he suppose to care for his patients if he couldn't care for himself? Who was going to take care of Daisy? He'd have to call a sitter. Turning his head and seeing Esmeralda he had a faint and pained smile as he replied, "Not feeling too good dear. But having you light up the room helps." Seeing the flowers he asked, "Are those for me?" The old man loved flowers and had a complete garden in his backyard.

[shaefierce-blog]

[jewel-can-help]

Heartbeats || Jewel and OPEN

Jewel was dizzy when he woke up, the lights on the ceiling blinding him.  His chest still hurt and he could hear the faint beep of a heart monitor.  Looking down at his arm he saw the IV and realized it was his heartbeat he was hearing.  The last thing he could remember was seeing Tara, then his chest hurting.  The old man had had a heart attack.  It was so hard accepting the fact that he was getting old.

[2013yearoflettering]

[goldielockedhunter]

Help: Tara and Jewel

[goldielockedhunter]

She snatched her hands away, crawling away from her doctor. She wanted to be left alone, where she would no longer be poison to those around her. When she would breathe, her breath would hang like an acidic cloud, where it burned whoever it touched. Tara had closed her eyes then, where they felt scratchy from crying.

“Just…Just go…” she whispered as the whispers had started once again. What was left of her fingernails had dug into her arms as the whispers built up. Tara knew what came with the whispers and she didn’t want Jewel to witness it. She had made her start the fire. She made her harm people, kill people. 

“Do it, do it, do it, do it. DO IT!” her voice had hissed in Tara’s ear, her stinking breath made it hard to breathe. She had known what she had wanted her to do to Jewel, to kill him. Tara had started to rub her face into her arms as her nails bit harder into her scared arms. She didn’t feel that she had broken the skin. 

“GO AWAY!” she screeched at Jewel, her head snapped up. She looked deranged, like an animal that had been locked up for far too long. Her hair had been in tangles, her eyes blood shot, and her lower lip bitten. She had snarled as she spat once again, “She’ll hurt you! Go AWAY! I DON’T NEED YOU! YOU ALREADY LEFT ME, SO JUST LEAVE ME AGAIN!” 

It pained her to shout such words, but she was forced to do so in order to save her doctor’s life.

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel had sadness in his eyes when Tara scooted away.  She looked terrified and he knew that she had schizophrenia.  She must have been terrorizing Tara the entire time she was in here.

Seeing her how she was broke his heart.  His unofficial daughter gone and replaced with this scared little girl.  This must be how she looked that night when her parents died.

Staggering back when she screamed at him like that he felt his heartbeat quicken.  Clutching his heart he felt himself growing weak and nauseous.  “Guards,” he was able to say before he fell to the ground with his breath growing shallow.

The guards rushed in and saw Jewel on the ground and picked him up.  “Nurse!  Dr. Gannon had a heart attack!” one of them screamed.  They got him out of the room as soon as possible and left Tara in the room to rot.

[goldielockedhunter]

Visitors: Tara and Jewel

[goldielockedhunter]

“What are you looking at? It’s true, I’ve seen her ever since I was a little kid. She’s helped me through everything, I’m not lying Jewel,” she had furrowed her eyebrows now. She had been telling the truth, well, most of it. She had been arguing with her sister. “She just told me not to tell anyone that she lived, because she would be taken away from me, or at least that’s what she told me when we were younger.”

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel shook his head.  He couldn’t believe that Tara was schizophrenic.  “Tara, did your parents ever talk about her?  Were there ever pictures of her?  Has she ever explained anything to you?” he asked.  The old man gulped as he stated, “Tara, I fear that you have schizophrenia.”  He knew that there was something missing in the equation but he didn’t know what until now.

[amelia-anderson-thornewood-deac]

Another Year Older

[amelia-anderson-thornewood-deac]

“That’s wonderful to hear Jewel,” the Warden replied, “You truly deserve it and I know how much seeing old patients make a difference. I try to visit with a few of my occasionally.” There was something simply uplifting when speaking to an old patient, someone who had taken the skills and advice you had given them to build themselves a better life. “Oh yes,” Amelia replied with a slight chuckle. “It was lovely. I went skydiving.” Her cheeks grew a bit pink thinking of the adventure she had had. “I’m trying to overcome my fears. It was an amazing experience.” Seeing that the psychiatrist was still holding his briefcase, she looked toward the kitchen. “Would you like a cup of coffee Dr. Gannon. I feel like we haven’t had much time to sit and get to know each other. Of course, if you must get to your patients, I understand as well.”

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel nodded as he said, “It truly is delightful seeing old patients.  I love seeing how they’ve grown and become someone new.”  It was always a pleasure viewing the transformation old patients made under your care.  It was nice to know Amelia had that same feeling.

“Skydiving?  Now that is something I shouldn’t have done at your age.” he exclaimed with an impressed smile.  “Well I’m glad that you could overcome your fears Amelia.”  Nodding he would be very happy to sit down and have a chat with her.  He never got much time to talk to anyone other than his patients in his opinion.  “I have scheduled my patients later so I would love to have a cup of coffee.”

[jewel-can-help]

War Boys || Jewel and Jackson

Jewel was wandering around the facility after the Fourth of July.  It was a hard holiday to get through but he was able to survive like he did every year.  As he walked he noticed that he had no idea where he was.  Seeing no one around he decided to keep walking and he’d eventually find someone.

After a couple minutes of searching he found a guard.  Both of them looked worn out and like they hadn’t gotten any sleep.  Knowing where he was now he gave the other a tired smile, “Hello.”

[thornewoodconfessions-deactivat]

[jewel-can-help]

Therapy Session || Jewel and Delilah

[miss-delilah-scott-blog]

My mum. I’d really like to see my mum. Please.

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel was a little worried when she asked for her mother.  It wasn’t as easy getting a person to come to Thornewood as it was an object.  “I can call her and see if she can.  I’ll arrange it with Amelia and we can try to get her here soon,” he answered with a calm smile.  He knew that Delilah needed some support from someone she was familiar with.

[jewel-can-help]

Therapy Session || Jewel and Asher

[asher-phelps-blog]

Asher shrugged “what can I say, old man, I’m a hit with the ladies. They all want a piece of this” he smirked and ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I think she was too busy drooling over me to pick the right meds. But I know that won’t be the case here. I hope it won’t be” he burst out laughing.

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel nodded with a blank face.  He didn’t find it amusing that he was messing with girls.  Unless you planned on seeing if they’re marriage material you shouldn’t date them.  No one should play with someone’s heart if they intended on breaking it.  “It won’t be a problem here Asher.  Other than my age you’re not my type,” the old man laughed.

[jewel-can-help]

Therapy Session || Jewel and his Patients

[alexistorres-ross-blog]

Alexis opened up the door and looked around. She knew she’d had her doctor changed to the old guy she’d met in the hallway when she was having a flashback. She didn’t care too much, since she never showed up for therapy anyways. However, today was an exception. He’d promised to give her food and let her keep a soccer ball or basketball to herself if she showed up, even if she didn’t say anything. Alexis fully intended to take advantage of that.

“Hi,” she said, stepping inside to the room and giving it a quick once-over. It was a clean and simple room. Alexis, however, was more interested in seeing if there was a ball or anything to eat.

[jewel-can-help]

Jewel smiled when he looked up and Alexis was the one to walk through his door.  He knew she had a hard time going to therapy so it was nice seeing her.  It was probably because he was offering her rewards if she did.  He did say that she didn’t have to talk but he would like it very much if she did.  Even if it wasn’t on topic.

“Hello Alexis.  It’s nice to see you again,” he said as he went behind his desk.  Pulling up a small hand-woven bag he asked, “What type of food do you like?  I have some sweets, soup, bread.  I didn’t know what to get you since I didn’t have time to ask.”