The Elephant in the Room

Cristine
Jun 2, 2024
5 min read

Brandon* had always been an energetic and intelligent child. Throughout his toddler years, he had become an avid sports fan: basketball, soccer, hockey, you name it. He collected sports players' cards and was able to name over a hundred of them without having learnt how to read yet. Additionally, Brandon demonstrated a level of humility that, in turn, shed light on his love for his family and on his capacity to empathize with those around him. Although he was the youngest of the family, he would always share what was in his possession: toys, food, drinks from his sippy cup, etc. Brandon radiated joy and care to those around him; it is only natural for his loved ones to return such positive sentiments to him.

Throughout elementary school, Brandon excelled in various subjects. With his impressive memory and his curiosity, learning was not a chore, but rather a challenge. At every parent-teacher meeting, and every report card, comments on his politeness and quietness were of many. His praises on his calmness at school started an inside joke within the family as he was, like any other kid, wild in the household.

As he progressed to high school, adapting to new and unfamiliar territory proved to be difficult for him. His demeanor subtly changed; he kept to himself most of the time. He befriended very few classmates. Gradually, studying brought upon a level of stress that led to a downward trend of his grades.

As his fifteenth birthday was approaching, Brandon was brought to the pediatric emergency room by his parents. His mother explained to the triage nurse that, in the middle of the night, Brandon had run out of the house in a panicked state. By the time his father had caught up to him, he had ran a block away from home barefoot and without a jacket, ... in the cold and snowy month of November. When he was brought back home, Brandon appeared distrustful of his surroundings, bringing about swings of emotions that ranged from anger, fear and inconsolable sadness. With his parents unable to calm him down, they decided to seek professional help in hopes of demystifying what was occurring in Brandon's mind. Brandon was later admitted to the pediatric medical ward for further investigation.

Multiple tests were done in order to pinpoint the organic cause of the change in his mental state: imbalances in electrolytes, presence of drugs in his system, abnormal copper or iron levels, genetic tests as well as an MRI of his brain. Certain tests required more time for their results to be processed. In the meantime, the medical team interviewed Brandon and his parents daily to explore everything from his birth, his upbringing, his mental and physical development, as well as his family, social and school life. The most notable detail, and most likely explanation behind Brandon’s current ailment was something that unfortunately most teenagers go through nowadays: bullying. For about a year, Brandon was picked on for being himself: excelling in math (he was coined the nickname “Calculator”), wearing glasses, being Asian. Although one instance of physical harassment occurred, it was the constant pestering and mocking that placed a mental toll on him.

The first few days in hospital were the most difficult for his parents and his siblings. Watching the youngest of the family exhibiting behaviours differing from his norm was heartbreaking. His mind was presenting a different reality than those of his loved ones. He felt a threatening presence watching his every move. He heard voices that spoke ill of him and his family.

“I’m going to kill your parents.”

“Kill them!”

“If you go to the bathroom, I will do bad things to your mother.”

“That nurse isn’t a real nurse, she’s out to get you”

“That’s not your real sister, watch out…”

One minute, Brandon cried and pled the voices to stop. The next, he yelled out profanities and attempted to hit his head on the walls. At times where he was silent, it was evident that Brandon was fighting a battle within himself that seemed to be eating him up alive.

One day, as his siblings came to visit and his parents went home to rest and wash up, hints of his true self would resurface. Brandon laughed, smiled and spoke in a less monotonous manner. Although the mystery behind his condition was not yet solved at the time, it felt that things were heading back to normal. As the children of the family were conversing, out of the blue, Brandon’s demeanor changed slightly. He appeared distracted and on edge. He was not with his siblings anymore. As the signs of an impending outburst became progressively apparent, one of his siblings stepped out to inform his nurse. A few minutes later, his nurse entered the room, calmly. Despite initial reluctance, Brandon complied with taking the medication that would help calm his nerves. Thirty minutes later, unfortunately, Brandon became frantic and paranoid to the point where he attempted to smash his head on the wall and strangle himself with the hospital blanket. His brother swiftly grabbed on to Brandon and held him in a position that would prevent him from hurting himself. Simultaneously, his sister tried to de-escalate the situation by using techniques that would help bring him back to reality. Unfortunately, they were not successful.

“Code White, Unit 7B, Room 2”

Brandon yelled at the top of his lungs and tried to escape from his brother’s grip. The nurses of the floor, the head nurse, the security guards, the orderlies, the doctors and his sister were outside of the room devising a plan to get Brandon to safety. In the meantime, his parents had returned to the hospital and were on their way to his room, unaware of the current situation. Once they have arrived, they are informed of what has happened and what will be occurring in the next few minutes. With the parents’ approval, the plan is executed. The nurses prepare three injections: Haldol, Benadryl and Ativan. Meanwhile, an orderly is preparing his bed with body restraint. When everyone is ready, four security guards enter the room and each pin one of his limbs. Thereafter, the nurses give the medications. Brandon screamed and squirmed for a few more minutes, until finally, the sedatives kicked in. He was then brought to his bed where he was strapped for the night.

As Brandon slept, his brother, sister, father and mother sat silently teary-eyed in the family room. Despite the events that unfolded, all were relieved that Brandon’s mind for the night would be at peace. One thing that was clear was the unconditional love they had for him, and the one Brandon had for them. He did not want to cause harm to his family and fought to defy the voices within. Although fear for what lies ahead of Brandon’s future is inevitable, each of his loved ones were prepared to face the unforeseen obstacles. Brandon will fight, and so will his family.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”

―Wendy Mass,The Candymakers