Daily Notes

     If I could give any advise to someone who is new to the whole MI realm, I would have to speak about how important it is to keep a daily log on your loved one. This may sound stupid or like too much work but it is so necessary in being able to keep track of the moods, actions and/or sleep patterns among other things. I know with my DD #2 I keep track of her moods, interaction with siblings, appointments, med changes, menstrual cycle and the level of anger (physical violence verses verbal issues).
      I spend about 30 minutes every night typing up what happened that day, good and bad. This prevents "lost information" due to my lack of memory with all that goes on day to day. When we are in the middle of a crisis I can look back and see where things started going down hill. During stable times you can also go over past logs and be able to see what worked and what obviously didn't work. You can also chart the changes and even try to figure out why some times happen.
      I know that daily logs help fill in any new people involved with your loved one's care. It can save on time that it would take to go over all the history and lower the "forgotten" information due to stress during a crisis time. I have a color coded system that I use when doing my daily log. Black font is for the information that doesn't have direct input on the loved one (ie: appointments, med changes, who I talk to and what was said). I use the red font for angry or violent times so that they are easily found just by glancing at the log. Green font is used when the loved one makes good choices in a situation or when they use their coping skills. I use an orange font when writing about a difficult situation but good choices and coping skills were used.
      Everyone has different ways to do a log and keep track of everything. Some people like to use an actual chart or graph, so will use a number system 1-10. Some just use a calender and mark off difficult days to be able to show any seasonal patterns. It doesn't matter what kind of system you use, anything is better then nothing. Think about what you need to keep track of and make a system that works for you. This is not meant to add to your already stressful life, but to help you figure out the whys and whens of MI.