Update

Very early yesterday morning, our loved one called, after being gone for 36 hours. They explained that they were at the Eugene bus station, the city where we lived 3 years ago. My husband needed to pick them up ASAP, and take them to another state. They didn't want to be in Eugene, or in Portland. 

They insisted the conversation be hushed, because the FBI had put tracking devices on them.  My husband tried to explain that if he drove the 2 hours to pick them up, they'd be returning to Portland. They were insistent they weren't going to return, and again reiterated their request to be picked up. 

We've pieced together that we think they left our home in the evening of Monday, 7/19, and spent the night somewhere in Portland. We heard them come into the house and into their bedroom very early the morning of Tuesday 7/20, but then they left immediately. 

We didn't hear anything until yesterday morning, Wednesday 7/21, when they were in Eugene, allegedly.  Presuming that was true, they'd gone to Eugene some how on Tuesday, and spent Tuesday night in Eugene, calling us early Wednesday morning.  

It turns out the Greyhound bus station moved to a neighboring city, so we spoke with the police from that city to see if their mobile crisis team could check to see if they were there. Gratefully, they did check, but didn't find her. We followed up with the crisis team from Eugene, the well regarded CAHOOTS team, and they also checked the local bus station but didn't find them. CAHOOTS called back about 10 minutes later, explaining that they'd found her at the Amtrak station, which I believe runs busses between Portland and Eugene, hence the bus station reference.  My husband and I would never have checked the train station. So grateful for the professionals who did. Our loved one was easy to identify with the pink bike helmet with spikes on the top. This was our loved one's contact with CAHOOTS in 3 months, and like the previous contact, they did not want to go with the crisis team, because there's nothing wrong with them. Besides, they explained, John was going to be picking them up shortly. 

With confirmation that they were in Eugene, we prepared to go,. I offered to tag along to offer support, although if I weren't careful, I could easily escalate things. I offered to only speak if my husband spoke to me, but otherwise, let their barbs or illogical comments go unanswered.  My husband would be immensely better at this, and I'd be there to support him, and step in if my skills were needed. 

We drove down, wondering what we'd find.  It turns out, we found nothing. Our loved one was no where to be found. We recontacted that police, who noted on the police log that yes, the crisis team had contacted her, and then they received a second call about her and sent officers to check. But they didn't find her either. 

We trolled through town until lunchtime, when we found a favorite old spot and took a break with lunch and yes, we split a beer.  Then we made one more pass through town, and found a quiet park, were we reclined in our seats and took a quick power nap. 

Our loved called us at 4:30AM from their phone, so we knew they still had their phone. If they'd wanted us to connect with them, they could have either called back, or been where they'd reported they'd be.  After multiple passes through town, to previous spots we'd found them, and to other unlikely but possible places, we returned to Portland without our loved one. 

For those following along on this journey, this feels like the crisis that never ends. But crisis seems to imply a limited duration problem.  The problem with schizophrenia is that it isn't limited. This state of 'crisis' is our new normal. Presuming we find our loved one, it will only be a matter of time before they run away again because the FBI is tracking them, because we're abusing them, because their fans want them.

Chicken Little ran around, claiming that the sky was falling. It sounded like an imminent threat, and eventually people stopped listening. That's the risk of talking about schizophrenia. The crisis may not end for another 10 years. If it's exhausting to read about, I feel you. Imagine what it's like for my loved one. 

I know of no other illness where society has allowed the ill person to be in this kind of illness-induced crisis of this severity for this long. 

I will share another update when something changes.  Until then, we wait.