Cops review meds policy for recruits
She said her life was turned completely upside down with her diagnosis following her fall in 2015.
‘‘I was completely shocked to be honest. I didn’t think it would happen to me. All my doctors and stuff thought I had concussion.’’
She went into hospital for a scan thinking she’d be home in time to cook butter chicken for dinner. Instead, she was flown to Wellington for treatment. Her doctor told her she was two weeks away from dying of a brain hemorrhage.
The treatment saved her but she was a different person. Unable to look after herself she struggled with losing her independence, having lived on her own since she was 15. ‘‘I feel like I’m a child again. I’ve had to relearn everything. There’s no fun about that journey at all.’’
She described the chemotherapy treatments as terrifying, being strapped in place for four hours with a mask over her head and attached to the machine. Because she was claustrophobic, she was given a mixture of drugs to get her through it.
‘‘I went through that 31 times,’’ she said. ‘‘It was so scary.’’
Her cousin Molly Scheliin, 15, said Madgwick’s suffering was difficult to bear for everyone.
‘‘It was really upsetting because I did look up to her. She was only so many weeks from passing on, which was really hard,’’ Scheliin said.
‘‘I’m just grateful that she’s still here with us.’’
Madgwick is raising money on Givealittle for a trike that will allow her to be more independent.
She wants to be able to go with her best friend Sade to walk her puppy on New Plymouth’s Coastal Walkway and visit her grandparents.
‘‘I can do things and not have to ask someone. I always feel like a burden. It’s so annoying.’’ WOULD-BE cop Chris Renwick was turned away from the police force for taking anti-depressants.
Renwick, 27, is left wondering ‘‘why the hell would I ever look for help again’’ after his admission that he was on lowdose meds meant he could not go to police college, after police barred recruits from taking any antidepressants.
The Masterton man said he had achieved excellent marks in his initial training, and spent hundreds of dollars on study material, but now faced a twoyear stand-down before he could apply again.
‘‘I am basically being told I ama headcase. Should I have just kept quiet?’’
And in a major U-turn, police said yesterday they were considering revoking the policy and would make a final decision within weeks.
Renwick started taking the drug Citalopram after his father suffered a serious head injury. Renwick said he was feeling down at the time and the doctor prescribing a low dose of the anti-depressant.
He began applying for police training, including physical and mental tests and an online training course to get ready for police college.
He informed police he was on Citalopram in his application and was rejected – even though he also supplied a letter from his doctor saying he was OK to come off the drug and also that he would make a fine police officer. He has since come off the medication.
Renwick said the system was failing people with mental illness. ‘‘Looking back now why the hell would I ever look for help again.’’
Police deputy chief executive of people Kaye Ryan said police took mental wellbeing of its officers ‘‘extremely seriously’’.
She said police had received independent advice from registered medical professionals who recommended police require recruits to have two full years off antidepressants.
Recruits were given real life situations, some of which could be distressing and challenging, she said.
‘‘A recruit, who hasn’t been exposed to these types of events previously, could be triggered if they suffer, or have suffered, from mental distress. Officers may be affected by this and there certainly are some staff who use antidepressants and counselling to deal with their emotions and manage their wellbeing in a healthy manner.‘‘Police officers rely heavily on their colleagues to support them and help keep them safe when they are facing a potentially dangerous job and they need to be confident that their colleagues are fit and able – mentally as well as physically – to do this.’’
Renwick, whose club rugby side Gladstone yesterday won the Wairarapa senior club rugby championship, said it was still his dream to join the police force, and he would continue to try and be admitted.
I am basically being told I am a headcase. Should I have just kept quiet?’ CHRIS RENWICK