Emery and Franco
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
About a year ago, Emery was admitted to hospital because of an ‘autoimmune issue with his kidney’.
Franco, his son, was concerned about Emery’s compromised immune system. When he was placed in a ward ‘full of infectious patients’, Franco pleaded with the hospital ‘to move him to a room with other non‐infectious illnesses’. Any ward other than ‘a general ward with infectious cold and flu patients’ would have been a better option.
The hospital kept Emery where he was.
The man in the opposite bed had cellulitis – a common bacterial infection. Emery contracted this infection, causing permanent injury to his leg.
Emery also contracted ‘a lung infection which almost killed him’ and had to spend nearly two weeks in the intensive care unit. Not long after leaving intensive care he contracted another bacterial infection that ‘devoured his aortic heart valve’. Emery had to have open-heart surgery to replace the valve.
During his seven-month hospital stay, Emery told Franco ‘he was assaulted by being slapped during the night’ on three occasions. Franco reported the first assault.
‘The second time and third time, I stopped making complaints because of retribution against him while he is alone at night.’
Franco says Emery is now ‘essentially bedridden’. His leg muscles have atrophied and he finds it difficult to walk any distance. A hospital physiotherapist is working with Emery, but Franco says the exercises they are attempting are too hard for him.
‘He is dejected and deflated.’
Franco says staff threaten his father and tell him he will ‘go to a nursing home’ if he doesn’t walk.
‘He has started crying after his physio sessions, and in one case during the session, saying, “I can't, I just can't. I don't want to go to a nursing home.”’
Emery describes it as a ‘torture session’.
Franco spoke with the physiotherapists about how hard it is for Emery, but says they did not listen.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.