Kill or Cure : Karina Hansen ME Patient Incacerated For Psychiatric Treatment In Denmark
Confined to her bed since contracting an Epstein-Barr infection at the age of 16, Denmark citizen 23 year old Karina Hansen is like many people across the world coping severe ME. Before February 12th this year, she was cared for at home by her parents who follow the advice given by the ME experts and her GP about her well being and treatment. She has been diagnosed with ME by at least 4 Doctors. She has tried a Graded Exercise treatment programme in the past but it exacerbated her symptoms to such an extent, she had to stop.
Recently the Danish Government and the Psychiatrists at The Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics ( RFD ) became involved in Karina’s life and care.
The RFD is a clinic which focuses on the treatment of somatic disorders. Somatic disorders are ones where a person has multiple physical complaints, but no physical cause can be found.
Psychosomatic disorders are physical illnesses that are mental / emotional in origin. Within Denmark, they are both illnesses that can be approached and treated as Psychiatric conditions.
Despite the World Health Organisation agreeing that ME is a physical, neurological condition with no Psychiatric origin, in Denmark all ME patients are in a hierarchy of care from GP upwards and the buck stops with the two Psychiatrists running the RFD.
These Psychiatrists are given the right by the Danish Government – via the Medical Officer – to control and make decisions about all patients with ME. These decisions are based on ME being regarded by Denmark as a somatic illness only.
Karina needed to go into hospital to have a feeding tube inserted through her nose and into her stomach. From that point onwards, the machinery in the medical hierarchy started whirring. The GP involved with her care notified the Medical Officer who in turn involved the Psychiatrists at the RFD.
Despite Karina having been assessed as mentally fit to understand and make her own decisions ( something in the UK we call having ‘Mental Capacity’ ) and being diagnosed with ME, they assessed Karina again and changed her life completely.
In an extraordinary move, they contradicted the diagnosis of the 4 Doctors who had already diagnosed ME and her GP who was working hard to advocate for Karina’s care remaining at home. The diagnosis that was superimposed on Karina was that her condition was a somatic illness, Psychiatric in origin.
Within a short length of time, Karina was removed from her home against her will and taken to a clinic called the Hammel Neurocentre. Here she is being forcibly treated with a programme of Graded Exercise. Her previous regimen of medication or supplements has not been transferred into the clinic. A decision has been made that she unable to have visitors unless they support the treatment Karina is having. Anyone would have to be accompanied by a Nurse during that visit to ensure she was ” not affected in an inappropriate direction “.
Her sister, who is a Nurse, has had one visit and reported that Karina didn’t seem to know where she was. Again, in an extraordinary move, her parents have not been able to access her in a face to face visit since her committal to the Hammel Neurocentre. All the information that is given to her family is supplied by the Psychiatrists involved with her care and appears to be limited.
Karina finds speaking exhausting. When asked by her Nurses who are implementing GED on a daily basis – part of her treatment, Karen repeats the sentence: ” You are killing me “. She repeatedly said that she did not want to be there, particularly in the first week when she made numerous phone calls including to The Police and continued to do so until her phone stopped working.
Her words speak to the utter desperation she feels. She has recently been placed on suicide watch as she spends much of her time crying. There is no evidence that can be evaluated reported from the Hammel Neurocentre that indicates the treatment Karina is receiving is affecting her symptoms positively. From the scant information given out to family and friends, there is no positive change to her level of functioning in comparison to when she was cared for at home. Her parents report that she did not cry when at home, which is a noticeable negative change. That she has been assessed as a suicide risk is again, extremely concerning.
Despite the intervention of Rebecca Hansen, Chairman of The ME Association in Denmark and her family hiring a Lawyer, Karina remains in a locked ward at the Hammel Neurocentre undergoing this treatment. Recently, The State Administration For Central Jutland has been appointed as legal guardian for Karina. This is a worrying move. It means that Karina and her parents are not considered to be legally influential in her care and any decisions now rest with the State.
Rebecca Hansen recently attended a meeting at the Hammel Neurocentre with Karina’s family. The doctor who met with them received his information from the two Psychiatrists responsible and accountable for her care. The Doctor is quoted as saying that ME is a “ figment of the imagination ” and Doctors who believe in ME are “ imbeciles.” He believes that Karina has a mental illness which originated before she became ill. He regards the Doctors advice and input before her committal to the Hammel Neurocentre as ” Malpractice “.
Around the world, people are responding to this news with horror and a desire to help. Human Rights Legislation will be essential in this fight, but you can help as well.
You can gain information from justice4karinahansen@hotmail.com and follow Karina’s story on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForKarinaHansenwhere people around the world are posting messages, creating videos and posting photos holding a message saying ” Free Karina , Respect ME “.
Rebecca Hansen has asked that if anyone is interested in talking with her directly, particularly Journalists and Bloggers who can cover the story, she can be contacted aticerebel62@hotmail.com.
You can write to the Denmark Officials by following the link in Facebook here. If you write your own letter, be polite and courteous. What you write affects the tone of the entire campaign and may negatively influence the attitude of those controlling Karina’s care.
Send to:
Danish Health and Medicines Authority (Sundhedsstyrelsen)
Axel Heides Gade 1
2300 Copenhagen S
Denmark
Email: sst@sst.dk
Axel Heides Gade 1
2300 Copenhagen S
Denmark
Email: sst@sst.dk
Danish regional Office:
Statsforvalningsen Midtjylland
St. Blichers Vej 6
Postbox: 151
6950 Ringkobing
midtjylland@statsforvaltning.dk
Statsforvalningsen Midtjylland
St. Blichers Vej 6
Postbox: 151
6950 Ringkobing
midtjylland@statsforvaltning.dk
County Office:
Holstebro County – Mayor’s Office
Rådhuset
Kirkestræde 11
7500 Holstebro
Tlf. 9611 7500
email: kommunen@holstebro.dk
Holstebro County – Mayor’s Office
Rådhuset
Kirkestræde 11
7500 Holstebro
Tlf. 9611 7500
email: kommunen@holstebro.dk
If you get any replies, scan them and email them to Rebecca Hansen: she will use them in the Legal process.
There are petitions that you can sign:
Show Karina you care and send her a real-life postcard using this address :
Hammel Neurocenter
Kognitiv Klinik, H4
Voldbyvej 15, 8450 Hammel, Denmark
Att: Karina and Ketty Hansen
The horror and sadness that is felt in hearing such barbaric treatment, treatment that goes against all medical principles of doing no harm to others, against all ideas about patient choice and patient – centered care is utterly galling.
It is a pressing question how Karen is in this situation as she was assessed as having ‘Capacity’ to make her own decisions. The structure of the system in Denmark is allowing her to lose every human right, legally, personally and in terms of her health.
I will keep blogging about Karina – will you do one thing for her today and click on a link and sign a petition – or re-post this post - join The Justice For Karina Hansen Facebook page or send her a postcard.
It is a thing to ask which could make every piece of difference to Karina surviving through an ordeal we wouldn’t wish on anyone.
http://mecfsblog.com/2013/06/28/kill-or-cure-karina-hansen-me-patient-incacerated-for-psychiatric-treatment-in-denmark/
No comments:
Post a Comment