Ken Mullinax has responded by email to LaGrange Resident's comments above. His remarks are posted herewith:
IN IT FOR THE MONEY? That is on its face a distorted statement because in the April 4 Troupe County Probate Court Compromise which WE (our attorney Jack Kirby) crafted, WE didn't even inquire or request anything to do with ANY of Mae's assets EXCEPT the one most important to us... HER LIFE. Beth fought to keep her financial power and we went along with her desire.
All we asked for is that Mae be proactively nourished... and given proper medical care. The Hospice LaGrange ONLY gave Mae medicine to dull her senses and never anything to help her aorta, heart, or even to keep her eyes lubricated due to her pre existing eye condition.
We have not told Mae ANYTHING about any of this and would not do so until she is home and well. When she finds out she will be heartbroken with Beth and if she requests shelter with her brother or sister, it is avaailble.
I do not know Beth's motives.
I DO KNOW that Beth, and the doctor in LaGrange who placed Mae in a hospice have been proved WRONG many times over by first, the Probate Judge's three doctor panel which evaluated Mae and deemed that she was not terminal and SHOULD be treated, and secondly by the medical evaluation provided by her current doctor. She is well today and her vitals are good.
DR. AQEL'S MEDICAL EVALUATION OF MAE TODAY:
My Mom and I met with Mae's attending Physican at the UAB-Medical Center today and he stated the following:
(1) Mae is totally coherent neurologically.
(2) Mae's aortic dissection is now contained.
(3) Mae's aortic condition is not life threatening.
(4) Mae has spoken with him in depth of her life; her late son and her desire to live as independently as possible
(5) Mae's condition is still weak because of the lack of proper nutrition and fluids from her ordeal in Hospice-LaGrange
(6) Mae is NOT A CANDIDATE for Hospice.
WHERE HAS KEN BEEN?
I am sensitive about the way my Aunt Mae was being mistreated because I hold a special place for those among us who are helpless... especially the elderly and infirm.
WHERE HAVE I BEEN for the last 10 years? Well here is a recap of my last 10 years, from 1995 until 2005:
* 1995-1999: I lived in Washington, DC was a staffer with the U.S. Congress. I didn't live in the south so how could I see Mae in Ga.? We did speak a lot via phone. I could only afford to come home maybe twice a year... Christmas and in the summer. My Dad was seriously ill at home with heart ailments (from 1988 until his death) and later Altzheimer's Disease, so I stayed with him in Anniston.
*From 1999 to present: I left my great career in DC and moved to Alabama to be my Dad's caregiver. He had severe heart problems and then Altzheimers.
Because MY FAMILY honors our elders, WE KEPT DAD AT HOME to die... so Mom and I were changing diapers, giving insulin injections, cleaning, entertaining, and FEEDING a 6'5" 250 pound man from 1999 until Dad's death on July 10, 2002. He died in his sleep having eaten a good dinner and having had his 10:00PM snack of ice cream.
*On October 12, 2002 my Mom had a severe aortic dissection... she and Dad were married 55 years and we all know how sick caregivers can get.
Since October 12, 2002, I have been my Mom's caregiver. I moved her in with me. I TAKE CARE OF HER. She has a good quality of life yet she is not as mobile as before and she cannot have any great emotional trauma.
THAT IS WHERE I HAVE BEEN... SERVING AS A CAREGIVER FOR TWO SICK PARENTS... IN MY HOME, NOT A NURSING HOME OR A HOSPICE!
Now, I have disclosed EVERYTHING about where I have been... who I am... I even answered ALL THE QUESTIONS POSTED BY THE MEDIA AND STRANGERS......
WHY? Because the truth had to be known that a sweet little lady was being denied life sustaining nourishment.
THIS SO-CALLED LAGRANGE LADY... still has yet to reveal WHO she is... that will tell us a great deal about her motivations. If she really thought my aunt was a sweet, kindly lady then WHY DIDN'T SHE SPEAK UP WHEN SHE LEARNED MAE WAS AT A HOSPICE without being terminal, or comatose, or PVS?
SHE IS THE KIND OF FRIEND NONE OF US NEEDS.
So there is my motivation.... no money or finacial interest, just love and respect for a lady whose in-town relations and friends were either TOO naive or too STUPID or TOO WHACKED OUT MENTALLY to stand up for Mae or try the medical alternatives which Buddy McLeod begged them to explore.
BETH REFUSED TO RETURN CALLS FROM HER UNCLE Bud McLeod and from me; she refused to answer ANY AND ALL media inquiries... even Judge Boyd answered questions to the media and bloggers and TWICE, Judge Boyd went directly to Beth and asked her to respond to the media and the bloggers but NOTHING came from her.
Why?
Maybe because she realized that her judgement was flawed when she went along with Mae being placed in a hospice.
Maybe because her position is undefendable!
My last motivation is a saying which guides my daily life. My personal credo. It is by Dante and it is as follows:
"The hottest place in Hell, is reserved for those people, who in a time of crisis, remain neutral."
Ken
Kenneth's bright light is shining a path all the way to La Grange.
SEE COMMENT #2698 e-mail from Ken Mullinax, don't miss it!
I just love to hear that Miss Mae is doing so well. I think Beth just doesn't like the fact that she got outed for what she was doing to her grandmama. Who would? The important thing is that Miss Mae got what she asked for in her living will, food and water to be provided, and it is unfortunate that Gaddy didn't see fit to honor grandmama's wishes when she was "in control".
Trying to end the life of an 81 year old who obviously has the will to live I'd say is undefendable.