Jersey Reform Day.
This site is dedicated to the day, now officially recognised annually by the States of Jersey, to mark the anniversary of the events of 28 September 1769.
Jersey's own Independence or Bastille Day.
From time to time we catch up with Evelyn who is ill, not fit for work and trapped into the Jersey Social Security, Health and Social Housing systems.
We try to present her situation accurately as she experiences it and several previous interviews can be found on this blog.
Because Evelyn experiences a great deal of pain she smokes cannabis when it is available . This is the best treatment she has discovered because it relieves her symptoms and gives her an appetite but of course it is illegal.
The official policy is that she must take prescribed morphine and other opiates but these actually add to her physical problems and do not give her the relief she needs.
Evelyn has petitioned the States of Jersey seeking permission to have cannabis prescribed by her doctors for her own personal use but this was rejected.
Sometimes she is visited by the Police and has been arrested/charged for possession of cannabis etc. on occasions.
Even her aged parents have had their car taken apart by the Customs at St Helier when returning from France - presumably looking for cannabis.
We try not to judge the situation by Evelyn clearly has enough problems to deal with arising from her poor heath and she does receive official help BUT it just appears to be so inadequate and uncaring at times.
We offer the following interview in 3 parts of about 6 or 7 minutes each;
Evelyn should be undergoing yet more surgery today (Monday 28th) at the Jersey General Hospital.
Some of the details are included in the interview that follows. This was recorded yesterday in the Hospital café during a break from her treatments which were intended to put a line into her body so that she could receive intravenous antibiotics.
Attempts to insert a line at home had failed (yet again) due to the poor state of Evelyn's veins from years of such attempts within the medical system.
One day perhaps we will publish a comprehensive account of Evelyn's extraordinary life, her years of life threatening treatments and the agonies of her body and her family circumstances...but now she faces yet more aggravation too for her "illegal" use of cannabis as her self prescribed medicine. The only effective remedy that she know to help control the pains of her many illnesses which allows her to do some of the things that most of us just take for granted....
Yesterday, early on Sunday morning, her home was raided by no less than 5 States of Jersey Police Officers with a Search Warrant under the Misuse of Drugs (J) Law.
The warrant was signed by Jurat Peter Morgan, a former Chair of the Samaritans in Jersey - which makes us wonder what knowledge he might have had to guide him about Evelyn's circumstances before he authorised this latest invasion of her life by "the forces of law and order."
He was also an accountant and former chair of Abacus Ltd too before being chosen in 2004 by our elected States' representatives and other good and great people within this little community to serve as a Jurat. But whose interests are really served by such actions?
The interview that follows explains many things but Evelyn has much information stored up in her tiny six stones body and brain and some of it is truly illuminating ...like the conviction for possessing cannabis many years ago when Ian Le Marquand - currently a Senator and Home Affairs Minister with responsibility for the Police in Jersey - was the Magistrate.
That tale must wait for another day - but it demonstrates just how the same few people seem to dominate the government and administration of this Island year after year - and they resolutely refuse to modify the rules on such issues as the use of cannabis for medical purposes.
Whilst at the same time this 100,000 population community of Jersey has the highest known consumption of alcohol per cap virtually anywhere in the world - and we suffer all the health, crime and social problems that stem from it...
We are following Evelyn's progress in and out of hospital. Or last video posting was in January 2014 and appears on this blog added to the previous one dated 17 November 2013...
If you suffer from constant gut's ache and several severe illnesses you might just understand some of Evelyn's problems and complaints - and why she resorts to cannabis for physical and mental relief...
The video that follows is in five parts and commences with her return through Jersey Airport.
We have not yet managed to speak with Helen O'Shea the CEO of the Jersey General Hospital referred to nor to "Blue Islands" for their version of what happened on their early morning Jersey to Southampton flight on Tuesday 29 April.
We had always found this airline most helpful and their City Airport flight a joy so are surprised that Evelyn's flight was allowed without a toilet etc...
If the helpful passenger who assisted her to gain access to the toilet or any other witnesses would come forward or leave a comment it would be helpful...Evelyn will return to Oxford for more treatment in about one month....
There is a public meeting to discuss cannabis use at the Town Hall, St Helier this Thursday from 7pm and Evelyn hopes to be well enough to attend.
Part One above
Part two above
Part three above
Part four above
Part five above
Our thanks to Evelyn for participating in this - we hope that it proves helpful.
States Members and medical professionals are especially invited to comment...
Evelyn speaks frankly and graphically in this two part interview. There is no need for a text here but we plan to write something later after our States Members and others have had the chance to respond and comment...and perhaps even offer to give some support.
Its now January 2014 and Evelyn has been back to the Oxford Hospital and is now in the Jersey Hospital undergoing more tests and will go into theatre tomorrow (monday 13th)....Above Part One and below Part Two with some sub-standard edits but the message is clear enough.....
