Instutionalized

A friend shared a link to this sad situation that has befallen Karen Vaughn, confining her to a nursing home after a hospital stay, due to bureaucracy and technicalities. Though I personally do not know Karen, and have only recently learned of her via this article, as someone with a lifelong disability, the fear of what has happened with Karen Vaughn has plagued me for many years. The thought of institutionalization is a horrifying one. Even the times I’ve had to stay in the hospital, and remain confined to my room have been bad enough. I can hardly imagine the suffering that Karen is enduring. The disappearance of Karen’s wheelchair makes her already horrific situation all the more terrifying. Like Karen, I share an inability to move in bed, and have often had to endure painful prolonged stays in bed, sometimes even leading to pneumonia. While in bed I cannot read, change the tv channel, or much of anything else without assistance. Likewise, eating and other general cares are often more difficult while laying down. I can only imagine the frustration and physical and emotional pain that Karen is enduring while confined to a bed.

While the cost of healthcare is expensive for in-home daily cares, the expense of staying at an institution often proves greater. These expenses, coupled with Karen’s risk of bed sores and other health complications from being confined to her bed, can add up to even greater hospital bills. Cost and red tape should never impair a person’s ability to live in the community.

I hope that a resolution is quickly found for Karen’s situation, and that she can return home post-haste.