As the RSM has its cosy conference on M.E today (not that it will acknowledge this terminology, preferring the lamentable and lame 'chronic fatigue syndrome'), I am linking to this new website by Criona Wilson, mother of Sophia Mirza who tragically died of severe M.E in 2005.
I repost these words of Criona:
'In June 2003 a warrant was granted through Brighton Magistrates Court that resulted in the sectioning of my daughter, Sophia Mirza, because she would not accept psychiatric treatment for her physical condition, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
I repost these words of Criona:
'In June 2003 a warrant was granted through Brighton Magistrates Court that resulted in the sectioning of my daughter, Sophia Mirza, because she would not accept psychiatric treatment for her physical condition, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
Despite our Solicitor being confident that there were no grounds for a warrant to be issued, a warrant was granted and my very ill daughter was sectioned against her will until a Tribunal sanctioned her release almost two weeks later.
My daughter never recovered from the shock of this incarceration and died in November 2005. The coroner’s verdict recorded that she died of CFS/ME.'
11 comments:
Dreadful story.
Simple.
That is truly, truly awful. What has started through the sheer greed of insurance companies has led to the most depressing failure of chronic illness provision in our time.
Having been referred to a mental health worker myself, and been discharged by him approximately five minutes after meeting him, I can attest to the pointlessness of the exercise of passing the buck.
If GPs and specialists cannot deal with ME patients. If they have nothing to offer by way of alleviation or cure. And if all they can do is insult the patient or refer them inappropriately, it would be better for them to simply admit that there isn't sufficient research for them to be of help, admit their failure to understand the disease and the failure of the system which consistently pushes us into the hyperchondriac bracket.
Hey Merk, Yes, it is truly dreadful. Truly. We have to keep fighting.
Hey Flutter, There are, thank goodness, supportive specialists and researchers dedicated to getting to the bottom of M.E in a neurological/biochemical context, but they are simply not getting the funding required. They are constantly being undermined by the Wessley-ites. It is downright sinister and seems to be mostly a UK phenomenon these days. You can read about Simon Wessley here if you don't already know about his influence. Point 110.
I hope that the mother of Sophia Mirza has taken action against those responsible.
My sister is a Doctor and I must ask her for an opinion.
From past experience, I know she takes a dim view of anything unorthodox (even though her father was a hypnotist and we have an aromatherapist in the family).
Let's hope the protests went well at the RSM. At least the weather was reasonable enough for those brave souls who made it up there in person.
I don't expect the RSM will take much notice --- if any --- but you have to try and I admire those who have. Hopefully someone will have been able to bat The Weazel round the head with a placard and knocked some sense into him
hey merk, no one has been held accountable from what i understand: in poor sophia's mother's words -
***
After the inquest on Sophia, I went through the correct channels to try to get accountability from those involved and thus change things for the better for all the others who suffer from this most awful disease. I entered complaints about 6 doctors to the General Medical Council (GMC). I also complained to Social Services (SS) about the social worker. I then tried, unsuccessfully, to implement legal action (legal file). I felt that such steps had to be taken, so that not only had I followed the correct procedures, but at a later date it could be seen that it had been so. I have done everything possible. Sadly, I have failed.
****
she has started her website to allow public access to all the correspondence regarding sophia's 'care'.
i have felt so angry and hurt all day today on her and her daughter's behalf.
hey cusp, no, they will not lose any sleep, but ONE day they will have to admit they are wrong and acknowledge the damage they have done. it will come. x
ps. cusp - i tried to comment on your site but i can't just now for some reason...
Hi NMJ. Sorry I have been around much: assignments, retreats, job hunting, training, love distance love-affairs, step-daddery practice and general prep to moving up to Ed in the summer.
So I'm just speed reading your blog with my new Google Reader RSS thingie, which makes keeping up with blogs so much easier!
Anyhow. This is dreadful, and just another sin in Psychiatry's hall of shame.
Good to see you staying fairly OK, despite all the book crapiness.
Nice to see you, Bobo - promise me one thing - that when you move up here, you will bring some sun from the south! We had a taste on Sunday and it was truly wonderful...
Looks like the RSM protest went well. Sophia's Mum's site is harrowing. Even though I have read it before it sends a chill to read it again.
Sorry you cannot leave comments on my blog. I did get one from you on the post before last...not sure what is happening at your end: browser ? Maybe try an alternative to Firefox ?
Just spent a long time reading a lot of the documents on the site. It's a truely awful story of neglect, misdiagnosis and sheer and total incompetence. Too many doctors only interested in covering their own backs.
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