CHAPTER 87

2026-08-28

Because there has been no progress in Lun’s condition, his discharge has been scheduled for the middle of next week. I can only accept that, in life and in our daily lives, there will always be situations beyond our ability to handle. All I can do is “feel my way across the river by stepping on the stones.”

The reason Lun can be discharged is not because his condition has improved, but because, after repeated attempts, there has been no change in his condition. Keeping him in the hospital longer will not improve his condition. On the contrary, as a hospital is an emergency facility, it lacks the complete living arrangements and regular daily routines of his group home, as well as the constant interaction that one would have with family-like members. The reduced level of normal stimulation may actually be detrimental to Lun’s physical and emotional well-being, development, and recovery.

The psychiatrist on duty at the hospital expressed these thoughts when he asked me about the situation the day before yesterday (Wednesday).

When I was asked for my response regarding Lun’s discharge, my first answer was: “From a father’s perspective, because there has been no progress in Lun’s condition, I cannot say that I support discharge as an option.” Through our subsequent discussion, I came to the conclusion that, within the psychiatric services of this regional hospital, Lun is an unusual case.

The characteristics of this case include:

(1) a sudden and severe emotional disturbance;

(2) no behavioural problems or violent tendencies;

(3) severe autism; and

(4) a complete lack of verbal communication ability.

Most importantly, because it is impossible to communicate with the patient, the medical team has so far been unable to confirm a definitive diagnosis. As for medication, there has been sufficient time to observe its effects, allowing the team to rule out certain psychiatric medications.

At yesterday afternoon’s video conference to follow up on Lun’s discharge, the participants included representatives from the group home and its operating agency, the hospital psychiatrist, relevant administrators from the regional health authority, the social worker, and myself. Everyone agreed that the underlying trigger was Lun’s sudden realization that he could no longer find his mother.

Yet no one can describe Lun’s cognitive abilities, their scope or extent, or how he perceives, responds to, and processes emotional trauma. I can only accept that, in life and in our daily lives, there will always be situations beyond our ability to handle. All I can do is “feel my way across the river by stepping on the stones.”

The meeting also agreed that the group home needs to increase one-to-one staffing during the overnight shift to safeguard Lun’s personal safety. The health authority will contact the Community Living BC, a crown corporation responsible for services for adults with special needs to support the proposal for additional staffing. The group home has already added an alarm system, and the medical team will provide the group home with a detailed medication instruction list covering both routine and exceptional situations.

This week, I visited Lun every day. He continues to pace anxiously as usual. The blisters on the soles of both feet have all dried up, but he continues to lose weight. Fortunately, he still has a good appetite for takeout food. He has also stopped resisting milk drinks, which he had completely given up since he was two years and three months old. That was another surprise for me.

Once he became convinced that I would no longer stay up all night accompanying him, after finishing his takeout food and snacks, he would spend at most an hour before taking hold of the middle and ring fingers of my right hand and returning to his usual routine. He was signaling that he wanted to “sweep me out the door” and did not want me to interfere with his going to bed and getting some rest.

Naturally, Dad obeyed and left.