Update on Alison Hymes: next action step

First posted at Going Through Hell.

This post is guest-written by Adinah Caro-Greene
510.495.7608

Alison Hymes, who I wrote about a couple days ago, is having a CAT scan at UVA hospital today.  UVA is the same hospital which nearly killed Alison after they put her on psych drugs after a kidney transplant (when psychiatry destroyed her kidneys and bladder with longterm Lithium use).  The CAT scan is going to monitor the brain aueurysm.  Supposedly, Alison’s aneurysm is too small to operate on.  However, WE STILL NEED to ask the doctors at Western State to take her OFF of the psych drugs which cause strokes.

Alison’s treating psychiatrist, Dr. Ann E. Walling has decided that Alison has signs of dementia.  This is patently false. When Alison is not on psychiatric drugs, she sounds sharp as a tack.  When on them, she does sound “out of it”.  The logical thing to do, would be to help her taper off, right?  Well, this is psychiatry we’re talking about.  Now her doctor wants to add Aricept to Alison’s regimen.  Aricept is an Alzheimer’s drug.  Fantastic, another drug for her weak system to process.

We still need people to call Jack Barber at:
540-332-8000 (switchboard) and demand why Alison’s medical needs aren’t being strongly considered.  She should be slowly tapered off the drugs, which she does not want to take, to reduce the risk of the aneurysm bursting and causing stroke.

IN ADDITION:
We need people to CALL Mark Seymour, Alison’s Human Rights Advocate at Western State.  His number is 540.332-2149.  Ask why her doctors are refusing to let her sign a medical release for the hospital to talk directly with Alison’s friend and advocate, Adinah Caro-Greene.  Insist that Alison be supported to sign that release.  Without the release, Alison’s help is seriously blockaded.

This is a major issue.  Those of us with labels, if we’re lucky, are going to age.  We are going to have a time when we need real, actual medical help.  This discrimination against the psychiatrically labeled is a threat to our quality of life.

Please circulate and post everywhere.