|
Don't hate the person, hate the illness
In early September, 2005, Toronto police picked up a “dishevelled and confused” Chinese immigrant as he wandered aimlessly along the city's Highway 427.
..................
For several days, he followed the sun along Toronto's highway system until police found him and, against his will, took him to the emergency room at William Osler Health Centre in Etobicoke.
Within 10 days, Vince Li said that he fled the hospital and returned to Winnipeg, defying doctors who had begun treating him for schizophrenia, according to the report.
......................
The Etobicoke hospital did not return calls for comment Wednesday. According to forensic psychiatrist Jonathan Rootenberg's evaluation, Mr. Li disputed his 2005 schizophrenia diagnosis.
“I didn't think I was sick,” Mr. Li is quoted as saying. “I lost my temper one night and they gave me a needle and I slept for two or three days. When I woke up, I saw the doctor, who told me I should stay longer, but I got scared; I took my stuff from the nurse and took the bus back to Winnipeg.”
Despite being placed on a Form 3 certificate – an involuntary admission document that forces patients thought to pose a risk to themselves or others into a psychiatric facility for up to 14 days – Mr. Li defied doctors by leaving after just 10 days.
Patients can appeal a Form 3, but there is no public record indicating that Mr. Li did so.
“If he was still under certificate and it was thought that he might harm himself or others, the doctors can call the police,” Dr. Hucker said. “But there is always that tension between the rights of the individual and the rights of the rest of us.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/s ... Story/National/home |
|