Chapter 207L

8/21/2009

Ch 207L   Jess                                                                                     Jesse Rieber's story

BIO

Work: Psychotherapist

pertinent links:  http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jesse-rieber/6/a41/894

http://www.healthgrades.com/health-professionals-directory/Jesse-Rieber-LMHC-3AA7A49F

http://jessearieber.com

married 

living near New Bedford, MA

Stories

old co-op stories:

co-op contacts: I revisited your website today, having talked with Howie Walton yesterday. A wave of sadness came over me as I looked at the faces of those days again- "How I wish we could sit simply in that room again" - B. Dylan.

recent decade stories: So here is a little story from which you may draw any conclusion you wish.

Approximately 20 years ago I was an intern in a state hospital on the locked ward. My duties included interviewing and diagnosing all people admitted to the ward. I was presented with a young man in his 20's. This young man had lived in California and, while living there had a terrible auto accident from which he received a large, cash settlement. He turned the settlement, approximately $40,000 into a year of polysubstance abuse, had a hell of a time. When he was all done the money was gone, and so was any position and future he had in California.

He decided to come back to Cape Cod where he'd been raised and, where his brother was a house builder. He secured a position with his brother framing houses. His job was to frame the joists for the floors and the walls. As building was very rapid at that time, rather then hammer 2.5 inch common nails with a hammer, they were using an air hammer. After a week or so of work this young man took the air hammer, placed it against his skull and pulled the trigger, inserting a 2.5 inch common in his brain.

He was air lifted to a medical hospital in Boston. There they did surgery and removed the nail and, when he was medically stable, transferred him to my ward. In the interview I asked him why he had done this. He said to quiet the voices in his head. He then asked how soon he could be released as he wanted to go back to work with his brother. I told him I did not know, that decision would be up to the team headed by the psychiatrist. I then asked when he heard the voices in his head. Without missing a beat he told me - "When I'm at work"!

To some degree this story is part of my motivation to write a book (which I likely will not live long enough to write) entitled "The insane society and the age of greed". The best to all to my long lost friends and associates, I am happy to see you are still here on the Great Mandela.

Jesse A. Rieber, LCMHC, BCPC