When the Facts Fail You..

...Just go straight for the personal attacks.
That seems to be the policy around here.

Since the issuing of the court order preventing my grandmother's discharge from hospital I been on the receiving end of a lot of anger from other members of my family. The main threat seems to be that I'm about to be disowned. The worst of it has come from my mother who has access to all the latest hospital gossip. On Wednesday (9/11/11) she sent me a series of text (sms) messages accusing me of endangering my grandmother's health. I got another series of messages in a similar vein on Thursday (10/11/11) morning so I replied pointing out that court orders aren't granted on a whim so to get this far I've already had to win arguments over jurisdiction, proportionality and evidence tests.

That evening my mother sent me about another 7 barely coherent texts demanding that I show her all the court documents. I replied pointing out that I was unsure I could show her sealed court documents especially as it might have been the behaviour of members of her staff that had given the court cause for concern. I went on to remind her that in her professional capacity she could access my grandmother's medical records and use them to inform her opinion. After several hours I sent another message explaining that along with unlawful imprisonment, Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and attempted murder contempt of court is considered a serious offence. I went on to explain in detail how my mother could add herself as a party to the proceedings and apply to the court to have the order lifted as in her opinion it endangered my grandmother's health. I did warn her though that the hospital's legal department would have already explored that route and chosen not to take it.

This morning (11/11/11) I received another 3 texts conveniently ignoring everything I'd said and telling me that I was never in my grandmother's will and basically trying to rub my nose in that fact. I replied that I was already fully aware of that fact because I'd discussed the matter at great length with my grandmother prior to the will being drawn up and actually advised her not to put me in it. I went on to point out that if I was simply interested in getting the local authority/council to fund my grandmother's care I would simply rent her vacant property under the housing benefit system and possibly make a small profit.

I am currently waiting for my mother to clarify if she is speaking to me in her personal capacity as my mother or in her professional capacity as a representative of Croydon University Hospital. At the moment it is hard to tell especially with all these NHS cuts and job losses allowing the senior management team to exert undue influence over their employees.


Edited at around 22:40 on Friday 11/11/11 to add: My mother has replied and stated that she is speaking in her capacity as my mother "who loves me very much." She then went on into what I can only term as emotional blackmail. What I'm doing is going to cause me great pain, my father great pain and grandmother great pain etc.

So I responded by stating that it felt as though I was speaking to a middle manager who is so in fear for her job that she's desperate not to make a fuss no matter what the consequences are. I then reminded her that she could always make an application or get my father to make an application to the court to explain to their medical officer that their risk assessment is incorrect. As it's hard to get poetic in a text message I followed that up by stating that I would support such an application provided her (Croydon University) hospital agreed to continue to consider my grandmother to be one of their patients by continuing their duty of care to her. I also explained that they wouldn't accept that compromise because they don't care what happens to my grandmother they just want to make sure she's not their problem. I left off the bit about how other people who've reviewed the case have expressed concerns that Croydon University Hospital (CUH) doesn't even seem to be classing my grandmother as a member of the human race. That seems to have shut her up a bit.

As for the secrecy issue surrounding the Court of Protection (COP) hearing I can't remember the Latin but it is most certainly not a super-injunction so I am most certainly allowed to acknowledge that a proceeding is taking place. Of course the seal could be lifted if an application was made stating that there is a significant public interest in the case. Obviously such an application would sound much better if it was made by someone who's not me not has ever met me. A British Member of Parliament (MP) would be perfect and have the added advantage of allowing the COP to know what they're dealing with. I'm sorry but I'm a soppy old liberal, I think that things like that are kind of important.

Elsewhere in technology news at around 20:00 my father discovered that his mobile phone was not working. This prompted him to spend ages turning his phone on and off again before giving up and trying to charge up his new handset with various chargers. All the while I was sitting there saying "Don't worry it's just a mobile phone."

My mobile phone was of course working perfectly allowing me to learn that tomorrow (12/11/11) my friend ( I'm only allowed the one) won't be coming up to visit me. Instead I'll be going down to Brighton to visit him. Although this will clash with an Arab League meeting on Syria I only mention it to warn Brighton because the mood I'm in I'm going to hit that town like a f*cking freight train. A freight train fuelled by cocaine, cheap whiskey and a whole lot of anger.

Until then though I'm going to watch Jame Murdoch's appearance yesterday (10/11/11) before the House of Commons select committee on culture media and sport while smoking a fat spliff and saying; "Ohh he's definitely a Brit." and "Wow he looks like my housemate Dan from my Grande Parade days."

Or alternatively I might just look at porn.