Victim impact statement by Mike Rychcik
“I
received a phone call one afternoon. My wife, Judy, had been injured at
work by a patient and they were taking her TO Albany Med. Trying not to
jump to any conclusions, our son Brian and I went to the hospital. What
we found next forever changed the life of my wife and our family.When I got to the hospital, I was not allowed in her room but I could see her in bed surrounded by doctors and nurses. She was strapped to a backboard, a great deal of blood by her head and a gash in her head so large that it made my knees start to buckle.
When I was finally allowed to enter the room, Judy saw me. She took my hand and started to cry. As a nurse, she knew as well as anyone in that room the seriousness of the situation.
As a result of this horrific attack, she was unable to eat for weeks due to her dislocated jaw. She still has trouble being in crowded places like a store or market. Judy has short-term memory loss and she suffers daily from headaches and fatigue making her unable to lead the life that she once knew.
In all likelihood, Judy will never be able to return to the profession that she was so well suited for. Prior to this attack, she was out one evening and she ran across a person who was once a patient at CDPC.
Spotting Judy through the crowd, he came up to her and she remembered him. He told her the care and understanding he received from her probably saved his life and he wanted to say thank you.
This person (referring to Terry James, Judy’s attacker) has committed a violent act against a caregiver whose only intention was to come to the aid of her fellow employees and help a patient to the best of her ability. He could have killed her. Because of this person’s actions, my wife Judy may never be in a position to help or even save someone’s life. He has not only taken a part of my wife’s life, but also a part of mine and our two children.
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