Part 3

Lisa's New "Parents"

Prisoners shall have opportunities for taking physical exercise, including sports and games, and for being out of doors. Sufficient open spaces shall be provided for this purpose in all camps.

Article 38 Geneva Convention

Lisa's shrunken little body seemed further dwarfed by the large empty room she solely occupied at the John Hunter Children's hospital. She would be twelve years old in a few weeks, normally a joyful occasion when her family would put on a celebration for her. Now the thought held only a painful reminder that she had lost her family, possibly indefinitely. The recent events also claimed 20 percent of her body weight since she last weighed herself at home. She now weighed just over 30 kg. Most of the day, she sat on her bed gazing out of the airtight and screened window at the trees on the hospital grounds. She was a little farm girl and it was the only bit of nature she had seen for weeks. Her mother had asked the staff's permission to take Lisa for a walk outside but the request was refused. By then Lisa had not had fresh air or sunshine for weeks. Her head was entirely bald and she only managed a smile when her parents were there. Lisa did not know why the judge had restricted her parents from seeing her. She was allowed to see her parents or sisters for only two hours a day and the hospital staff had included the time she had spent on the phone to them as being counted as visiting time. Lisa was twisted into anxious despair most of the day waiting for her family to come, her limbs folded up into a protective posture. Food trays came and went, laden with milk, ice-cream custard, coloured jelly and bacon. She did not eat those foods. She had been used to fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, whole-grains, chicken and fish at home. Her trays went back untouched and her weight steadily declined. Dr. Roehrich had requested that Dr. A allow Lisa to eat the nutritious foods that she was accustomed to. He mentioned that Lisa appeared nutritionally deficient and in all probability was suffering from the early effects of mal-nutrition. He also recommended Lisa continue taking the minerals and vitamins he had prescribed for her earlier, to promote her recovery, and to correct the deficiencies. Dr. A explained that he had decided on an ordinary hospital diet for Lisa and nothing else. Evidently the oncologist felt strongly that only chemotherapy was indicated for her condition and that did not include fresh air, sunshine or adequate nutrition. Dr. Roehrich was also deeply concerned about Lisa's emotional welfare. She had been a happy and carefree child when he'd first seen her, despite her diagnosis. She was mischievous and engaging. She adored her parents, four sisters and brother, and they clearly adored her. Her mother was a wholesome woman, a nurturing type and father was clearly the family protector. Now the family was broken and Lisa appeared anxious and despairing at the thought of being placed into a foster home and not seeing her family again. Dr. Roehrich mentioned his concerns to Dr. A.

Meanwhile Dr A had also become concerned about Lisa's mental and emotional wellbeing. Lisa had told him "I hate you," earlier. Now he was determined to find out why. He expected the psychologists report would clear up the mystery as to Lisa's attitude towards him. The report written by Dr. Lucy Blunt stated that neither parent was suffering from any auditory or visual hallucinations, a fact that they were undoubtedly pleased to hear after they had been sleep deprived for several months since DoCS came into their lives, and sent virtually broke with legal bills. Dr. Blunt had given Lisa a complex intelligence test just a few days after Lisa's major surgery and at a time when the child was beside herself with worry about what would become of herself and her family. Lisa's performance was below par for her age, which Dr. Blunt thought would affect "the degree to which her wishes should be taken into account [as to] decisions to be made in her best interests." Evidently Lisa did not pass the test that would entitle her too much of an opinion about what should be done to her. The psychologist felt duty bound to tell Lisa that she would die if she did not have chemo, and she probed the child on what it might be like to die. After this lengthy (and unhappy-sounding) cross-examination, Dr. Blunt noted that "given the right foster parent (preferably a childless woman or a childless couple), foster care may be able to provide a more 'normal' environment" for Lisa. It is difficult to understand why the doctor would match Lisa with a childless single woman when the child came from a large farming family with six children. Unfortunately Dr. Blunt did not define what was her understanding of the word 'normal'. Dr. Blunt, a psychologist, then went on to recommend that Lisa should have chemotherapy.

On one July evening, just after the new court order restricting the family's access, it was time for Lisa's parents to leave after their two-hour visit. Lisa was due to have another round of enforced chemotherapy soon, and felt so upset at the prospect that she threatened to kill herself. This had hardly crossed the staff's mind, as Dr. Blunt had reported that Lisa did not appear to be suffering from depression. The parents were in turmoil but the terms of the court order compelled them to leave promptly. Worried and uncertain they stopped at the hospital café before embarking on the two-hour trip back home. Dr. Roehrich had also visited and joined them on his way out. The group looked up to see a conundrum. It was Lisa, running towards the hospital exit in search of her family, pursued by two hospital staff. Lisa's older sisters went over to talk with her. James was cautious about approaching his daughter because of the court orders. Dr. Roehrich also went over to attempt to calm her. The staff had summoned two burley security guards who promptly arrived, intent on manhandling her back to the ward. Dr. Roehrich stopped them and assured the staff that he would convince her return to the ward. He spoke to her reassuringly and the group slowly wound their way back. The scene was played out in the front lobby of the hospital in front of a mural that had been painted by an Iraqi woman refugee artist. It depicted a scene of despairing and emaciated children in a prison camp surrounded by barbed wire.

Article 26

The basic daily food rations shall be sufficient in quantity, quality and variety to keep prisoners of war in good health and to prevent loss of weight or the development of nutritional deficiencies. Account shall also be taken of the habitual diet of the prisoners.

The Geneva Convention

    

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