Fran Day Returns
Day denies all of the charges. Earlier, in the library, she had described what happened the day of the events that led to the first charges filed against her. Among other things, she accuses the EMTs of taking too long to get her patient to the hospital — that’s why she was yelling at them. As for the new charges, she says she never knowingly prescribed controlled substances to heroin addicts. (Note: The DA’s office has not yet specified what types of addiction the charges pertain to). Nor, she said, had she prescribed drugs to herself. (In a later conversation, Deputy DA Benjamin Mainzer said he couldn’t discuss the details of the case.)
Seminoff’s pleading intensified, but Day held fast. He finally left, after hugging her. Then a woman in a purple coat, with a wiggly dog on a leash, walked up, crying. “It is Dr. Day,” she said. “Dr. Day, I can’t get my meds.” The woman, Pam Upton, asked if Day could prescribe her some methadone. It was the only thing, she said, that dulled the pain from her muscular dystrophy — pain so bad she wanted to commit suicide. “The only reason I don’t is because I don’t believe in it,” she said. She added, “I’m so sorry it’s going so hard on you. You’re the one who really got me out of this slump. But I can’t find another doctor who does chronic pain. I have called everyone here, and in Arcata, Fortuna and even Redway.”
Again, Day said she couldn’t prescribe anything. Upton left.
Earlier, in the library, Day had ranted about how doctors in Humboldt won’t take chronic pain patients. She also said she confronts what she sees as abuses of power, especially toward the homeless and vulnerable. She said she’d argued with every authority in town, from the Eureka police chief to the head of the California Highway Patrol to the head of St. Joe’s hospital to, yes, EMTs. “I had a bad reputation here,” she said. “I’m an activist, I’m argumentative, I want to change things. I’m a very rational person. I’m also emotional. They’re not exclusive.”
If she ends up being convicted of felonies, she could lose her license. “If that happens, that would be too bad,” she said. “Maybe I’ll write a book. And if I go to jail … well, I guess I could look at it as an educational experience.”
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STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
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ONE Comments
Comment / By George Mitchell / July 22, 5:04 p.m.
I find this story to be simply heartbreaking. While I have little doubt that Dr Day used poor judgment on more than one occasion, I simply cannot conceive that she would intentionally induce or even enable addiction. I only saw her as a patient a couple of times some years ago. She seemed very skilled and caring and she was very helpful in my own case. I understand why some people might be very upset with her, but we have a serious shortage of doctors, especially in the case of the kind of people Dr Day was caring for. Dumping on her only because she made the mistake of prescribing methadone instead of pot in a few cases sounds a bit harsh. Hopefully common sense will prevail in the end in a way that will be in the best interests of all of our residents.