Patsy Lou - A Family Blog

I have an Aunt that I've never met.

My Aunt Patsy Lou has been institutionalized since she was a small child. When she was around three years old (my family can correct me if I'm wrong on any of this story), she had to go for her vaccinations at the local health department. Since she was a little behind on one of the vaccinations, they gave her a double dose. That night she started running a fever and when it finally broke, she wasn't the same child.

Patsy Lou, up until that point, had been a normal, healthy baby girl. The first baby girl in the family if I'm correct. My Mamaw eventually had 11 children, of which my Father is the youngest. There was John Henry, Clayton, Leonard, Hershel, Odell, Eugene, Douglas, Ida, Loretta, Patsy Lou, and my Dad, Eddie. (Although that isn't their birth order, I can't remember what order they were born in, but I used to know...and yes, I do keep track of things like that in my family.)

My Mamaw Mae kept Patsy Lou at home with her for as long as she could, but with younger children in the house, it became too much for her to tend to, so she made the heartbreaking decision to send her to a state hospital. Ida told me today that Patsy Lou first went to a hospital in Frankfort. In 1971, she was admitted to a facility in Louisville. Keep in mind, my family lives in Gray Hawk, so that's quite a distance if someone wanted to travel to see her. My Mamaw didn't know how to drive and so I'm not sure how often, if ever, she was able to go visit Patsy Lou. Not that it mattered much to Patsy Lou, because she had suffered such severe brain damage that she had pretty much regressed back to infancy.

Several weeks back Ida and I had planned to go visit with Patsy Lou in Louisville. She has been assigned a Social Worker that I would like to meet and discuss Patsy Lou's care-plan with her (Ida was named Patsy Lou's guardian when my Mamaw passed away). I wanted to tour the facility. I wanted to meet Patsy Lou. And I'm not going to lie, considering that I would like to work in a mental hospital at some point in my social work career, I was curious as to what that would actually require.

I don't talk about it much, but mental illnesses and especially mental disabilities are both things I can be quite passionate about. There's a lot of stigma associated with both things, but believe me when I say, I'm a firm believer that at some point in our lives, we all suffer from a mental illness...we just don't always get diagnosed for it.

Mental disability is different from illness though. Patsy Lou doesn't have a mental illness, she has a disability. It bothers me that all too often people with mental disabilities that are institutionalized are forgotten about. Its much the same way when someone is incarcerated. "Out of sight, out of mind" is very true in these situations. So I wanted to go see Patsy Lou because even though she won't know the difference, I wanted her to know that I was thinking about her. Every day I think about her. Which may sound strange to people, seeing as how I've never met her. I still consider her my Aunt though, just as much as my Aunt Loretta and my Aunt Ida. I'm sure that if circumstances had of been different, she would have been a great aunt too, just like Loretta and Ida. It makes me sad to think of things she has missed out on in life and by default, the things her family has missed out on as well. And I can't imagine what Mamaw Mae felt like.

Today Ida got a package in the mail that contained copies of Patsy Lou's "Individualized Support Plan." I told Ida I wanted to take it with me and read it tonight. I'm learning new things about Patsy Lou and because I don't know her well enough to have a family post containing all my thoughts and memories of her, I wanted to include a few things from her files.

First, her "profound mental retardation" was caused by encephalitis due to the vaccination. If you want to know what encephalitis is, then follow this link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002388/
She obviously has other physical and mental problems due to the encephalitis, her age (she's 60) and to being institutionalized for so long. During one of her evaluations, it was noted that she could "hit the switch" during one exercise and that she maintained eye contact and "leaned forward...as if trying to initiate an interaction" with one of the test administrators. I know those things don't sound like much, but they actually made me smile.

The thing is, I'm not writing this to be sad or make anyone feel bad. I'm writing this to celebrate the life that Patsy Lou does have. It may not be what I wish it was, but it doesn't mean that she's less worthy of celebrating or loving. People with mental disabilities are still people. If you have a child that is healthy and happy and "normal" then thank your lucky stars. Be grateful for the small things in life. If you have a child with a mental disability, then be grateful for them too. Love them no matter what.

I may not have any memories with Patsy Lou to share in this particular family blog (the trip Ida and I were going to take never happened due to circumstances beyond our control), but I felt like she deserved a family blog of her own just as much as anyone else in my family. So here's to Patsy Lou. I hope to meet you soon!

Human Rights

In one of my social work classes today, the teacher was giving a presentation on human rights. Apparently, only 10% of Americans know about the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. You can research the history on how that came about, but it kind of bothered me that only 10% of us had ever heard of this document. (I first heard about it as an undergrad through a charity I support.) So, in this blog, I will be posting the document. Just so ya'll know your rights.

"UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Preamble:
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the people's of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
Now, therefore, The General Assembly, proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional, or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
Article 4: No on shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6: Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7: All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8: Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10: Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11: 1.) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense. 2.) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offense, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offense was committed.
Article 12: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13: 1.) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State. 2.) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14: 1.) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. 2.) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15: 1.) Everyone has the right to a nationality. 2.) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16:
Article 17: 1.) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. 2.) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20: 1.) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. 2.) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21: 1.) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. 2.) Everyone has the right to equal access to public services in his country. 3.) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22: Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social, and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23: 1.) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment. 2.) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work. 3.) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family and existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection. 4.) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24: Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25: 1.) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. 2.) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26: 1.) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. 2.) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. 3.) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27: 1.) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. 2.) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28: Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29: 1.) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible. 2.) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms or others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society. 3.) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30: Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein."



For further information you can check out the following:
http://www.un.org/en/