St. Joseph Hospital | Carrie's Take

The Dictators of Non-Compassion: Gary Harvey Case and the Unexpected Twist

Sara & Gary Harvey

How long has it been since Gary Harvey fell down those basement stairs? Some days it seems as though it was only yesterday, but it wasn’t. It was January 21, 2006. It has been nearly seven years and little has changed, since the county took over and began their reign of merciless dictatorship.

Oh, Gary & Sara Harvey have gotten seven years older and he is no longer in the nursing home, but a ward connected to St. Joseph Hospital. Only his location has changed, as the desperate and uncalled for battle goes on with the power hungry feeding upon, demeaning, and controlling this husband and wife.

On December 10, 2010, I wrote:

Amazing! I can actually recycle my article as if it was current and remaining accurate. How often does that happen?

Here it is the holiday season of 2010 and Sara Harvey gets a letter from Bryan Maggs, Chemung County Attorney, stating that her visitations with Gary are suspended immediately. Isn’t that the same gift they offered last year? I’m so impressed with the repeat gift and the timing – NOT! ( Wife’s Visitation in Jeopardy: The Recycling of Gary Harvey’s Holiday Restrictions)

Would anyone be surprised to learn that Sara didn’t get to visit Gary on Christmas Day 2012?

It isn’t often that one can continue to recycle articles and pretty much be assured that there is going to be some excuse… some mistake… some problem raising it’s ugly little head and taking away anything that could be considered special for Gary and Sara, especially during this special holiday season. It isn’t often, unless the articles happen to involve Gary and Sara Harvey, Chemung County and St. Joseph Hospital.

Anyone see a pattern?

Welcome to St. Joseph Hospital of Elmira, New York, where they claim on their website:

St. Joseph’s Hospital, a Catholic health facility, is a voluntary not-for-profit community general hospital founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester in cooperation with the physicians and citizens of Elmira, NY. The St. Joseph’s Hospital community, by maintaining a deep respect for the dignity of each person, strives to heal, as Jesus did, in mind, body and spirit, all who come to us.

“Maintaining a deep respect for the dignity of each person”… except for Gary Harvey.

Oh, I’m so sure Jesus would be quite proud of the staff of the hospital, the guardian group of people and attorneys involved in the Harvey case. Of course, I wouldn’t be counting on him having picked out everyone’s heavenly spot yet.

It was Thanksgiving Day and Sara Harvey had made the arrangements to visit her husband. She and the guard arrived only to be told that the hospital hadn’t received an okay. Guard is not authorized if visit is not authorized, but the dignity people continued with their refusal.

(Cliff Note: A guard is required because Sara is supposedly a danger to her husband because she supposedly didn’t follow medical advice. The hospital, guardians et al petitioned the court to starve & dehydrate Gary to death, but she is the danger. Irony at its best.)

So, while all the important people, who should have made sure the visit was authorized and those who could have given the okay after the failed communication, enjoyed their Thanksgiving meals with the ones of their choice, Gary was denied a mere visit from his wife. The wife that loves him… talks to him… reads to him. Instead, he, a person who has always loved holidays and spending them with the wife he loves — got to lay there alone in the isolation that is his life.

What a group of people…

Local politics of control at its best with the dignity people so proud of their compassionate behavior — the refusal of a simple visit on a special holiday! But then… it was only Gary & Sara Harvey!