Today I had a very difficult client up in court. She is mildly mentally retarded, and has several other mental health issues. We've been waiting for the longest time to get her into a treatment program. Her case was called this morning, and shecame out into court. Then the case got passed while we waited for another caseworker to show up. I explained what was happening to my client, and that the case would be called in a few minutes. Shortly thereafter, the security guard called me into the jail holding room. He said that my client was throwing up, and that he needed me to get the case called right away, because it was disturbing the other inmates. I saw my client in one of the smaller holding rooms, hanging her head over the toilet. I did not see her get sick. Right away, my anxiety jumped up to about 70, and I started catastrophizing (what if she gets sick in the courtroom, I can't do this, etc.). I started writing my affirmations, and made arrangements for the case to be called early. The case was called, and my client was fine. The only thing I did differently than normal was to stand a bit further away from her (my boyfriend told me that this would be pretty normal behavior even for a person without emet). I later found out that she was making herself sick because she was unhappy about the case being passed (this particular client is also quite manipulative).
Anyway, the triumph is....I did not have a panic attack. I used my coping tools, and went about things in a mostly normal manner. I did not run away, and I even managed to eat lunch and dinner after the incident. Yay!!!
I still, however, maintain that I am a "magnet" for vomit. I have had two clients have vomiting incidents either in court or in the holding room over the last year. My co-workers haven't had any, nor has my boyfriend (who has been working in another division for four years). Very annoying!
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