Kevin’s 33rd day in a hospital room.

The last 4 days Kevin has become increasingly desperate. The nursing staff at

the Medical Care Unit where he is are such a great group of professionals. They

have tried to keep him occupied, even taking him on wheel chair rides around

the floor, but each day that passes he grows more restless. Kevin is a 5 year old

(6’2” tall) that wants to go back to his safe/familiar room, surrounded by his

things. He also wants to go for hikes, to the store, the movie theater, and the

library. Now he is hitting himself in the stomach and legs with such force that

his legs and abdomen are completely covered with purple and black bruises.

This is the only way that he can deal with this overwhelming stress. He is

limping because he hurt his left leg during the self-injuring actions that now

are happening continuously throughout the day. Yesterday he became

increasingly anxious with each passing hour, pleading for his “Bellingham

house”. He began to scream, hit his room door and window and security was

called. Kevin hit his RN and one of the security guard during the incident when

they attempted to keep him safe in his room. Throughout the day he was

heavily medicated with no success. At night, he managed to escape from his

room and run downstairs to the hospital lobby and then outside where he was

wrestled by security until Bellingham police arrived.

After he was guided back to his room by the police he was finally medicated

with an IM injection of B52 (Benadryl/Haldol/Lorazepam). He has been asleep

since then, in a way I feel this is better for him to stop his mental anguish and

physical self-inflicted pain.

This situation is a disgrace, my child deserves better from our system. He will

severely injure hospital staff or will be gravely injured by medication

administration and/or being restrained.