CHAPTER 20) Cherry Tree Ward ***TRIGGER WARNING***

The nurse with short, black hair escorted Amelia to the psychiatric ward along side the police officers. Amelia was still handcuffed and it was a short car journey to the back of the hospital to reach the psychiatric unit. Amelia’s heart was in her mouth and she was extremely anxious. What would the other patients be like? What were the nurses like? Would she ever get out of the ward? Amelia’s head was racing with thoughts. “Bitch, bitch, fat, ugly bitch got what she deserved”. They had arrived at the psychiatric unit and the police escorted Amelia and the nurse with short black hair into the department. They followed the signs for “Cherry Tree Ward”. They reached the ward fairly quickly as it was the first ward on the left hand side of the long corridor and waited to be let in the ward as the door was locked. Amelia noticed how modern the building was. It was bright and cheerful and had paintings on the wall, some of which looked like they had been painted by patients.

Eventually the door to the ward opened and Amelia, the nurse and police officers were greeted by a cheerful healthcare assistant in a purple uniform. “Hiya, my name’s Rachel if you’d just like to follow me into this room and we will come and see you in a jiffy. Just gotta speak with this nurse hon and then will come and ask ya for a drink”, the cheery healthcare assistant said to Amelia. Rachel lead Amelia and the police officers into a fairly small, but nicely painted room off the left hand side of the corridor. “If you’d like to take her cuffs off you can go after we’ve had a handover”, Rachel said to the police officers. Amelia was sat on the pink, leather seats, staring at the window. “Locked away for good now. Loser. Loser bitch. Ugly, fat bitch. Never gonna see the light of day again”. Amelia began to cry. She felt so alone and she really needed her family right now.

The nurse from Accident and Emergency sat in the office, waiting to give the ward nurses information about Amelia. “Gosh I don’t very often get to come down here, it’s quite posh now isn’t it?” the nurse with short, black hair said.

“Yeah they have redecorated and added and extension which is where the new psychiatric intensive care unit is and therapy centre is”, said one of the nurses who had plaited, blonde hair with bright blue eyes. “So this is Amelia we have got, I understand she has had a time of it recently? Want to give handover?”

“Yes yes. Well I have brought you Amelia Rose. She is twenty years old and she is sat in the side room up the corridor. Well Amelia was brought to us on a section 136 after being talked down off a bridge by one of the police negotiators. She apparently mentioned something about being raped in the past and was possibly sexually assaulted last night. As she was in a state the police forensics team haven’t had chance to grab a swab so they will be here later. Amelia has been missing from home for several days, not sure why she disappeared yet but claims to be controlled by voices that she is hearing in her head. She pulled a little stunt in the emergency department as she managed to get hold of a needle and sneak it past staff and the police and was found with a needle sticking out of her arm in the toilet with blood everywhere from bloodletting. Her body is covered in cuts and she has quite clearly been severely self harm recently. We had trouble persuading her to come to the ward but the doctor down there threatened her with a doctors hold section then she agreed to come for further assessment.  She has had oral diazepam for agitation and she also had intravenous lorazepam and haloperidol, the dosages are on her drugs chart. Her family have been contacted and will be arriving here shortly” the nurse with short, black hair informed the staff.

“Oh gosh, sounds like we are in for a busy shift then folks, potential candidate for the intensive care unit methinks. Okay hon thank you very much for the handover”, the nurse with blonde, plaited hair said to the nurse from Accident and Emergency who then swiftly left.

“Well who wants to do Amelia’s admission or am I the only taker?” joked the nursed with plaited blonde hair. She walked up the corridor and greeted Amelia. “Hi there Amelia, my name is Amanda and when the doctor arrives I will be completing your admission. It consists of taking notes of what you are saying and then the doctor’s plan of action. The nurse said your family are on the way and it might be useful for us to speak to them, if that is okay with you?” Amanda asked.

“Err, sure, whatever”, Amelia said, unenthusiastically.

“Okay hon would you like a drink or anything?” Amanda asked Amelia.

“No. I am fine thank you”, Amelia snapped.

Amelia’s mum, dad and sister arrived shortly and were anxious to see Amelia. “I want to see my daughter”, Larry demanded at the reception desk. Amanda left the room to attend to Amelia’s parents. “Hello there, is it Mr and Mrs Rose? Hi there my name is Amanda. I am the nurse who will be completing Amelia’s admission once the doctor arrives”, Amanda informed Amelia’s family.

“What has happened? Is she okay? We know nothing we just got a call saying she was being transferred here!” Melanie inquired ferociously.

“If you’d like to step into this office here with me and I will give you a quick summary now of what has happened so far. I don’t think it is beneficial to discuss this in front of Amelia right now and she has given me her consent to speak to you”, Amanda said, in a very professional manner.

“Go on...” Melanie said.

“I understand that Amelia had been missing from home for several days. Last night she reported to have possibly been sexually assaulted and the police forensic team have yet to take samples and statements from her but she has not been fit to do so yet. She was found threatening to jump off a bridge a few miles away from here and was talked down by police negotiators. She was arrested on a section 136 which is what the police use to detain members of the public who pose a risk to themselves in public and move them to a safe place such as a hospital or police station. While she was in the emergency department, she managed to commandeer a needle and self harm with it in the toilets and needed to be restrained. She has been medicated as she has been severely agitated and has claimed to be hearing voices. She seems calm now, a little down but much calmer than has been reported”, Amanda told Amelia’s family.

“When can we see her? She must be scared and frightened?” Catherine inquired.

“I have just seen the doctor arrive, we will want to assess Amelia and then speak to you guys separately, then as a family to talk about the treatment plan, so approximately half an hour or so? I will get Rachel to offer you something to drink and something to eat.” Amanda said. Larry sighed.
“I suppose so then, and we can stay here until then, right?” Amanda nodded her head and then left the room.