Man’s medical condition leads to indefinite detention, forced medication

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Man’s medical condition leads to indefinite detention, forced medication

http://www.policestateusa.com/2014/bret-bohn/

ANCHORAGE, AK — (EXCLUSIVE) — A young man’s deteriorating health led the state of Alaska to assume full control of his medical care — against his own written will and the against the wishes of his family. Since last October he has been trapped in a hospital, isolated without visitors, on an extensive series of psychotropic drugs, in a condition that continues to diminish.
Medical Misfortune

Bret Bohn is a native Alaskan who loves hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and most outdoor activities. He lived an exemplary life receiving many awards as a youth, became a member of the National Honor Society, and achieved the distinguished rank of Eagle Scout. He had recently graduated from a program in Aviation Technology.

At 26-years-old, Bohn worked as a field guide for hunters and outdoorsmen on expeditions in the Alaskan wilderness. While otherwise healthy and athletic, his only medical issue was the development of some nasal polyps which impeded his ability to smell. He had them surgically removed, but they grew back. He was prescribed Prednisone — a powerful steroid and immune suppressant — to attempt to regain his sense of smell.

While on Predisone, he began suffering with the inability to sleep for a prolonged period. After a week of insomnia, his family took him to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage. They hadn’t realized it at the time, but one of the listed side effects of Prednisone is sleep disturbances (insomnia).

Rather than take him off of the drug that was likely causing the sleep problem, doctors prescribed two more powerful drugs to supposedly calm him down and help him sleep. He was given Zolpidem (brand name Ambien) which treats insomnia, as well as Lorazepam (brand name Ativan) which treats anxiety, depression and insomnia.

After taking the prescribed combination of drugs at at home, Bohn had seizures — potentially because the drugs he took are known to cause seizures. His family took him back to the hospital, looking for answers, and he was given more drugs, and had more seizures. He was put into intensive care.

His hospitalization would be marked by periods of prolonged periods of sleep deprivation, apparently related to his medications.

Physical tests to this point had turned up no signs of what could be wrong with Bohn. Over 35 lab tests failed to produce abnormal results.

Bohn remained unable to sleep for a total of 24 days. His condition was severely diminished. His family assumed power of attorney over Bret through a written agreement he had previously drawn up.

At one point the exhausted patient decided he had enough and removed himself from his IV, unplugged himself from his machines, and removed his catheter. He wanted to leave.

Bohn was convinced to calm down with the help of his family, whom at first trusted the doctors’ course of action. They began to object to when it was evident to them that the drug therapy was hurting Bret, not helping. Soon they were pleading with doctors to take him off of the drugs in order to let him sleep. At one point doctors briefly relented, and Bohn was finally able to sleep — for a time.

The hospital filed a notice with the court of the “escape attempt” and that Mr. Bohn was a danger to himself and that his parents were not suitable guardians. An emergency guardianship role was granted over him. His parents’ power of attorney was considered null and void. His written will was overridden.

Doctors characterized his disgruntled, combative state — after weeks of insomnia — as a sign of mental illness, and that he was irrational and a threat to himself. Hospital staff put him into a psychiatric ward, physically forcing his compliance. They began administering psychiatric drugs, beginning with Haldol, which is used to treat schizophrenia.
No Diagnosis, No Rights

After the disputes between doctors and parents over his medication, Providence portrayed Bohn’s family as interfering with his treatment and a threat to his well-being. They alleged that they were going to help him leave without being medically discharged, and that they did not have his best interests in mind in light of his supposedly life-threatening illness — which as of then remained undiagnosed.

His ability to have visitors was reduced to once per week. Phone calls were not allowed. He was effectively a prisoner on the 5th floor of Providence, and doctors were free to medicate him with impunity.

That is just unbelievable. What are we coming to?

WHL wrote:That is just unbelievable.  What are we coming to?

Authoritarian fascism...in regard to forcibly medicating and detaining people against their will, it's a road we've been down before.

I am having a hard time believing what happened at Huggins!! I had no idea they could hold someone there against their will.