Horror Story

I have been following this story out of Texas. It makes me ill. Take a few minutes and read it, I will be right here when you get back!

I find this painful in so many ways:

• It sounds like these parents did everything right. They raised their daughter to be an individual with interests and abilities and moved her into her own home (with the supports she needed) so she would have her own life in place before something happened to them... and they have advocated for appropriate care for her... And doing everything right has not protected them or her.
• Ruling out medical concerns before giving antipsychotics is not just Best Practices, it is Med School 101. Bottom of the line basic medical competence.
• A 'secret hearing' with permanent consequences in the USA? No facing your accusers? No jury of peers? I could understand the courts having the right to make a temporary emergency judgement to get someone out of a dangerous situation, but a permanent secret decision?? This can't be right.
• Then criticism for the parents for taking it to the newspapers--when they were not allowed in the courtroom? They should just lie down and take it?
• The statement about the system meeting an average is not right--what this means is that the system fails in half the cases... therefore it is just right?

Here is another article with video. In the video, among other things, we hear that her daughter has gained 20 pounds and seems lethargic (or sad...) on this new regimen. This is evidence that she is NOT thriving, is it not? Is the secret committee intervening now?

This story terrifies me. From everything I read we are these parents. We care. We advocate. We insist that our daughter be considered and treated as an individual with significance--always.

I hope the parent groups in Texas are standing in solidarity. I hope they are realizing that their progressive and effective beliefs and expectations for their children may have no bearing either if they don't.