Taking Care of Kiffini

Dr Atticus believes that Kiffini is not mentally ill, but that her issues have to do with her past life and Dr Cambridge advises him on what his options for treating Kiffini are.

September 28, 2027

 

         Thelma Cambridge and Dylan Atticus were sitting in Thelma’s office on the second floor.   They had met during Dylan’s usual time with Kiffini.  Since Kiffini was still feeling sick, Dylan decided to talk his progress over with Thelma�"maybe bounce some ideas off of her.  

        Dylan put his cold hands around the hot cup of decaf coffee.   It was a chilly, rainy fall day out and he could not get warm.   “I still think it is wrong to keep doping her up.   I think the Zyprexa and Ativan are making her sick.”

        “You make it sound like we are drug dealers,” Thelma defensively.  

        Dylan laughed.  “I didn’t mean to sound that way.  It is just that we don’t know for sure what is wrong.  There is no solid medical evidence that she is schizophrenic or bi-polar.  I don’t think it is good to medicate her just in case. It would be different if we had a specific marker of her illness�"such as low serotonin or high dopamine�"but we don’t.”

       “Even with all our advances in psychology and brain chemistry over the past fifty years or so, we still don’t know everything. Some cases are cut and dry, but others are more along the lines of educated guesses.  The process of elimination is all we have and I am not confident in ruling out schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder just yet.”

       “I understand that and I know you mean well, but I feel like you are doing her more harm than good at this point.  What if you keep making her sick or make it so she is incapable of ever working through her issues?”

      “Her parents gave their consent for us to do what we think is best.  They trust our judgment.  Why don’t you trust mine?”

       “Her parents are scared and confused about their traumatized daughter.  Just because they don’t know what is best for her doesn’t automatically mean we do.  They only see her once a week.  That isn’t enough time to judge rather we are doing our jobs properly or not.  I would think that they would probably agree with me about the meds.”

       “It is hospital policy not to let the patients have too much contact with the outside world.  It generally upsets them more than helps them.  And it is stressful for the family to be here and see them like this.   Most family members don’t have a degree in medicine or psychology, so they don’t understand what is going on�"what is standard around here.  Medicine is standard Dylan, you know that.”

       “I do know that, but it doesn’t mean I agree with it.”

       “So how have things been progressing in your talks with Kiffini?”
       Dylan lit up.  “I think I am onto something!”

       “Great. What is it?”

       “Well, she has said that she thinks the memories are from another life.  She said that before I even suggested it.  She doesn’t know I am a reincarnationist, so I don’t think she is just saying it because she is saying what she thinks I want to hear.  It was her idea, not mine.” 

       “Interesting…”

       “I know what you are going to say….”

       “What am I going to say?”

      “That it still doesn’t prove anything.  I know it could all be a fabrication�"a way to escape some trauma in this life.  I’ve thought of all that.  But I really think if she was trying to escape into another reality, she might have created something more pleasant.  Or at the very least, something more specific and less mysterious.”

      “I wasn’t going to say that exactly, but yeah, I am not convinced yet.  Do you have enough info to try and investigate into the past life? Like a specific name, place and date?”

       “Not yet, but I am working on it.”

       “The mind is a complicated thing Dylan.  You know it has the capacity to fool even the best and brightest people.  You shouldn’t take anything at face value.  I do think that Kiffini has the potential to go on and lead a full life, unlike many of the residents here, but I think her visions are due to an illness.”

       “Then why did you call me?”

       “Because I knew you would push all of us to do the right thing�"that you would be beneficial in your alternative viewpoints.  She wasn’t like the rest, I knew that.  I just didn’t know why.  You have a wonderful bedside manor and I knew you could get through to her.  That is why I called you�"not just because you believe in past lives.”

         “And I appreciate that.  I know that once we can get these visions and voices to go away, she will be fine.  Usually other patients still have all kinds of issues even after the initial symptoms are gone, but Kiffini won’t be like that.”

        “I hope so, but we don’t know for sure.”

        “I do know for sure,” Dylan said confidently as he took a sip of his coffee. 

        “Your confidence is not scientific fact unfortunately,” Thelma said turning in her chair and crossing her legs. “As important as I think your work is, I also know that it will not hold up in a court of law.  Reincarnation is not accepted as fact.  There is no real proof and there may never be.  Even if I believe in it, that doesn’t mean Kiffini’s parents or the administrators at this hospital do.  I want you work with her, but you have to do so within the confines of the law.”

         “It is a bit unfair to Kiffini don’t you think?  To say you believe what she remembers is a past life, but then continue to treat her like the others?”

        “I have no choice Dylan.  My hands are tied.”

        “We can change the way things are done around here. We can make a difference.”

        “We might be able to eventually, but I don’t think it will happen anytime soon.  This is a bureaucracy with lots of red tape that we can’t afford to ignore.”

        “Yes, but Kiffini is worth it isn’t she?  How can you not want to stop her suffering as soon as possible?  Her fate is in your hands. How can you let her slip through the cracks?”

        “I understand how you feel, I really do. I just don’t want to endanger my job.  If I get fired by bending the rules for her, then I can’t help others like her either. You have to see the bigger picture here.  I know it doesn’t mean much to you because you are an outside contractor, but I worked hard to get where I am at. I am not about to lose all that I’ve worked for or sacrifice others for the sake of one patient.  You have to understand where I am coming from too….I am in a difficult position here.”

         “Fine, you may have your hands tied, but mine are not.”

         “What on earth do you plan to do?”

         “I don’t know yet, but I will find some way around all of this…”

         “Why is Kiffini so important to you?  Do you have some personal karma with her or something?”

          “Maybe,” Dylan replied thoughtfully.  There was a moment of silence and then he asked his friend, “Thelma, do you really believe in past lives?”

          “Honestly?  I was never sure if I did or not. I thought it might be possible, but I never gave it much thought.  It makes more sense then being born from a void and returning to nothingness when you die.  There are so many unexplained things that make sense in the context of other lives.  Still, the skeptic in me demands some proof before I can commit myself fully to the idea.”

          “Do you think the world is ready for the repercussions of what reincarnation means?”

          “Like what?”

          “Well, like the idea that we can’t escape our problems and issues�"not even in death.  I think if the world believed in karmic justice, there would be a lot less crime.  Knowing that things eventually balance themselves out, that no one can get away anything would be a powerful tool to change the world.”

         “It would be a powerful incentive to be a better person.”

         “I don’t think it treads on the toes of traditionalists at all.  God can still exist in a world where we live multiple lives.   The issue of judgment for sins is really the only area of compromise I think.”

        “Well that and all that goes with that.  The threat of going to hell was supposed to be a deterrent, but so many people don’t believe in hell any more.  Criminals are all about instant gratification.  If they could see karma work instantly, they might think twice about doing something bad.  The idea of punishment in another life is as vague and distant as the idea of hell to most.  But, I can see where it might be better to believe in karma.  With hell there is only one chance to get it right.  At least with karma if you screw up, you always get another chance to get it right.  That is a comfort.”

         “I really think we are Kiffini’s second chance to get things right.  I need your help to pull her out of this endless cycle of suffering.”

         “I want to help, but what can I do?”

         “At least put in a good word for me.  Give me a little bit more room to work�"a little bit more pull in her case.”

         “I’ve given you all I can give.  The only way to have total control over her case would be to get her released from New Haven. The only way to get her released is either to have all her doctors sign off on it or convince her parents to release her to your care.”

          “Then I’ve got some convincing to do don’t I?”

          Thelma shook her head.  “I wish you luck, but I am not sure you can fight the law or city hall or whatever the saying is.”

           “I am not fighting city hall or the law.  I am fighting for a deeper understanding of the soul and the laws of the universe. I am fighting for acceptance of a very ancient belief held by millions of people around the world.  Besides, City Halls don’t exist any more, at least not in the way they once were.  That saying is so outdated.”

           “Sorry.  You can’t fight government regulated computer stations that take your money and dispense licenses, fines and court rulings.”

           “Yes, it takes please push 1 for English to a whole other level.  At least the higher courts still consist of actual people.”

           “You are going to do what no one else has been able to do you know�"prove reincarnation in a court of law.”

           “That will be difficult, but my enemies still don’t stand a chance!  As tempting as this whole hero thing is, I need to stay focused on Kiffini.  That is the only way anything is going to be changed.  It has to be about her first and foremost.”