by John Lawrence
The following is a work of fiction. Contrary to the Thomas Wolfe novel, "You Can't Go Home Again," you do have a right to go home again despite your hospital doctor's attempts to have you go to a nursing home. None of the names or places in the following bear any resemblance to actual persons or places. Part 1 can be found here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here.
I talked to Bonny, and she told me she was done with Oliver and Dolly. Dolly had peed on her carpet, and she had just had it replaced. She was dead set against Oliver coming home. She thought he needed to be in a nursing home. She had talked to Matie Belle, his sister, and Matie Belle wanted Oliver in a nursing home too. She said Matie Belle was even going to get a conservatorship so she could enforce these decisions in Oliver's case.
At the hospital, I happened to be there when the doctor came in. He said, "Oliver, we're going to discharge you to a nursing home." Oliver said, "But I want to go home. I don't need to be here. My home is paid for. If I lost my dog, I wouldn't want to live." I asked the doctor, "If he wants to go home, he has the right to do so, doesn't he?" The doctor said "Yes, but it would be against medical advice. I would advise you very strongly, Oliver, that you should go to a skilled nursing facility."
After that I had a discussion with Oliver. I told him to insist on going home if that's what he wanted. He had no injuries. He was in his rational mind. He just kept slipping out of his wheelchair and calling the EMTs. There were probably limits on how many times that would be tolerated by whatever authorities were in charge of such things. It probably cost a fortune every time the EMTs came out with two vehicles, sirens blazing.
A nurse was right outside the door working on her portable computer overhearing my conversation with Oliver. Somehow it got back to Matie Belle in Banak, Utah, that I was in favor of Oliver coming home. It seemed that I was the only guy advocating for that eventuality. Everyone else was against him. Bonny told me that Matie Belle wanted me to stay out of Oliver's business, that I was an "enabler" and to give the house key back which I didn't do.
On another occasion I was there when the social worker came in. She said, "Oliver, you're going to a skilled nursing facility." I said, "Doesn't he have the right to go home if that's what he wants to do." "Oh no," she said. Your rights have been taken away, Oliver. We've had you declared incompetent." That was complete bullshit. They even lie to you at the hospital as I found out. "Your sister wants you in a nursing home. That's where you're going. It's not safe for you to be alone. You need 24/7 supervision."
"Well, I guess they've taken control over your life and you have no say about it," I said. Oliver said, "I haven't talked to Matie Belle more than 4 hours in the last 10 years. She's blind, but she can still get around. Her daughter takes care of her. Matie Belle has no right to decide my life for me. I want to go home. I want to be with Dolly." "So Oliver", I said, "you just insist on going home. Don't sign any papers."
