@goutzi That's actually one of the most important things you can do. Appointments are stressful times, and having someone there with a pen and notepad to write things down can capture a lot of information that might slip a person's mind afterwards. You free the patient up just to talk with the medical team without worrying about remembering details.

And on a personal note, I think you're being unfair to yourself calling schizophrenia a "cancer of the psyche." I understand that — like cancer — it's difficult to manage and adds friction to your life, but it's also part of who you are, and you don't have to feel bound by the norms of neurotypical people. If you take a close look at yourself, there are probably some things that you can't do as well as neurotypicals, but other things that you can do much better. Don't forget to celebrate your strengths. 🫂

@goutzi And on the principle of "Put on your own mask before assisting other passengers" (as they say in airline safety briefings), I wonder if you might find some useful support for yourself in these other groups:

Caregivers: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/caregivers/

Mental Health: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/mental-health/

It's very likely there are others in very similar situations to yours, living with schizophrenia while trying to care for an ill parent, and they can share experiences that most of us here don't have.

Best of luck!