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You really can't help some people. It's very sad. Mental illness is rampant.

I have a neighbor right across the hall who goes in and out of deep clinical depression. I was marginally aware of it before today.

She asked to be put on the list for food to be delivered to her from our local food pantry, during the month of November and December. (The Salvation Army delivers food to some of the residents here normally, but NOT during those two months). Some guys from my church and I are delivering to 8 families. That's all we can fit in our cars.

So we delivered food to everyone on Thursday this past week, and I knocked on her door several times, and she didn't answer. I figured she wasn't home. Turns out she was home.

[i]Another neighbor said she SAW this woman coming back in to our building on Friday, the day after we left the food for her.

Now, to get out of her apartment, she had to step over the food. To get back into her apartment she had to step over the food. Apparently she stepped over it twice.[/i] 馃槺馃槺馃槺

I was sick all day yesterday, to the point where I cancelled a cat scan of my brain, (now that's a case of congestion!), but last night I heard someone knock on her door and tell her that the frozen meat was starting to smell bad, and that she had a bag of fruit going rotten, and there were fruit flies flying around in the hall. I guess I am lucky that I am so congested I can't smell anything most of the time.

If I hadn't been physically ill I would have taken care of it yesterday.

This morning another person knocked on her door, to tell her that her meat was rotten and stank, and that there were flies everywhere. I decided to get into the shower to try to clear up my head, get dressed and take care of it. I was waiting for my hair to dry when another one of my neighbors knocked on MY door to tell ME that the meat smelled very bad and that there were fruit flies everywhere.

He very kindly offered to take care of the problem, and throw the meat away, and move her food box. THAT is when she opened her door.

She told me then, that she doesn't want any of the food, and PLEASE don't deliver any more. At no time till then did she tell me that she didn't want the food. When I told her about all the people knocking on her door, she said she had been sleeping. Apparently she was sleepwalking when she stepped over that food box twice. 馃檮馃檮馃檮

She said she had a lot going on lately, and that she was very depressed. I know that the holidays are very hard on people who live alone, and that if someone is depressed, it is even worse. But this particular neighbor seems barely functional.

I was able to see into her apartment and it appeared that her floor was filled with boxes.

My other neighbor then slid the food box down the hallway, and he threw away the rotten meat. It was such a shame, because there are people who live here who probably NEED meat.

I think about notifying management at times like this. I suspect she has been evicted, because about three weeks ago I heard a man in the hallway VERY loudly telling someone on his phone that her place was full of crap, and that she didn't even have anything to move, not even a dishwasher.

And that is why I will not notify management, or complain. There are already too many mentally ill homeless people in this world. And I fear she will soon be one of them.
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Kstrong56-60, F
You are showing compassion in those who can't help themselves, keep on doing that. We've not walked in her shoes or know the battles she's fought. We are called to treat others the way we want to be treated and to love .... You may be the only person that is doing that, and her connection to the present... She's someone's sister, someone's daughter... She's still human.... Don't loose heart.
4meAndyouF
@Kstrong Thank you for your kind words. I believe her family might be rallying around her now. Around 2 weeks ago, I peeked out in the hallway because I heard a commotion. There were two Spanish speaking cleaning people out in the hallway, and I asked them if my neighbor was moving. They said no, that they were there cleaning.

Then I saw her brother walk past, through the open doorway, and her sister or sister in law, and I heard him say, "There! Isn't that better? Everything is on the sides of the room and you can actually see the floor!"

Just living in a clean environment will raise her spirits...but I did see her slouch past me last week and she looks like hell.
Kstrong56-60, F
@4meAndyou choosing to live is a choice we make every day.... Our attitude is our choice.... And I learned at an early age, someone always has it worse, be grateful...
4meAndyouF
@Kstrong I am definitely grateful. Deep chronic depression is nothing to sneeze at, and it is not a choice. It's a mental illness. It causes my neighbor to be lethargic, to feel as though she just CAN'T take a grocery cart back downstairs, and she leaves it blocking the hallway. She will not cook for herself, but orders take out all the time. And I mentioned what happens if she feels overwhelmed.

I feel sorry for her...but I do at times wish that she didn't live right across the hall from me...馃檮馃檮馃檮
Kstrong56-60, F
@4meAndyou thank you for correcting me on that, I feel for her and that she can get through each day ... Keep checking on her ... I've got my own project next door to me too
4meAndyouF
@Kstrong Stay strong! Only through our strength are we able to help others. 馃馃馃