Son is finally getting treatment in hospital

Last update: October 14, 2009 - 10:42 PM

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After weeks of frustration, Jerry Rogers succeeded in getting his mentally ill 47-year-old son Scott Rogers to go to the hospital.

Scott, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, had refused to get treatment last month after a doctor warned that he might be suffering from internal bleeding and could die.

Jerry had tried in vain to get help from social workers, police and county lawyers.

After the Star Tribune reported on the situation last week, Jerry and Scott went to lunch. Scott could barely lift his arm to eat his cherry pie because of severe pain from a dislocated shoulder that he had also refused to have treated, his father said.

"He looked so bad I thought I was going to have to call 911," Jerry said.

They drove to Hennepin County Medical Center, where Scott was admitted and has been under a 72-hour hold to keep him there for treatment.

Jerry said he was told by an official from the Hennepin County attorney's office that his son would be undergoing an assessment to determine whether he is competent to make his own medical decisions.

Jerry said he hasn't been told whether doctors found any internal bleeding.

He said he will continue to press county and hospital officials to find out how Scott's medical conditions will be handled from now on.

Jerry said it was a relief to get the attention of the agencies that are supposed to step in during a crisis.

LORA PABST

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