Stop the charade and listen to Senator Walsh tell the honest truth in the statement prior to the public hearing on SB 5753.
Personally, I’m tired of being ridiculed by so-called advocates who talk about parents who have fears – look at the mess we are in -parents and caregivers of those with significant support needs know all too well about the realities.
These fears are based on reality. For those who ridicule us, go visit people like Kevin in the hospital and tell his mom that she is just fearful of what can happen.
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.