Man found hanged in bathroom cubicle at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary

Read article : Man found hanged in bathroom cubicle at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary

Mystery surrounds the death of a man who was found hanged in a bathroom cubicle at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Stefan Rychter, a 33-year-old drug addict, of Leeds Road, Huddersfield, was found hanged by a shocked healthcare assistant on Ward 17 in the early hours of November 25, 2016.

But an inquest held at Bradford Coroner’s Court yesterday (Wed) found the reason for his action will never be known.

The court heard how although he suffered from depression he left no suicide note and gave no indication of his intentions before carrying out the act.

Assistant Coroner Kirsty Gomersal heard that Mr Rychter was admitted to the A&E department at 3.08am on November 22 after taking £40 of heroin the previous day at a friend’s house.

He was thought to be suffering from an abscess on his groin. He was given antibiotics intravenously and the plan was to discharge him on November 24.

In a statement read to the court, healthcare assistant Tracy Oakley, who found Mr Rychter, said she realised “he was nowhere to be seen” and wondered whether he was in the bathroom cubicle.

She said she tapped on the door but heard nothing. She said: “I was completely shocked to see him hanging. I panicked. I had never seen anything like this before. I shouted that there was an emergency.

“Sophia Madanhi, (a colleague), cut the body down. I was in a state of shock.”

In a statement Sophia said: “I rushed to the cubicle. We found him hanging. We were all shocked.” She said the Sister quickly got a pair of scissors and he was cut down and resuscitation started.

Sophia added: “Unfortunately he didn’t make it. A police and investigation team were called.”

Graham Martin of West Yorkshire’s Probation Service said in a statement that Mr Rychter had been in and out of jail for a variety of offences including shoplifting and assault.

He said: “He believed that if he could have found accommodation outside Huddersfield he could have turned his life around.”

Ms Gomersal gave a narrative conclusion. She said: “While he might have been depressed and a troubled young man his death was completely unexpected. We will sadly never know what Stefan intended.

“There is insufficient evidence to find that he committed suicide.”

She told members of his family who attended the inquest that his death “must have come as a terrible, awful shock.”

If you’re struggling to cope with mental health issues here are some of the ways you can access help.

Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.

Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.

PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.

Depression Alliance is a charity for people with depression. It doesn’t have a helpline, but offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information. The website is here

Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.

Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying. Click here for the website

Anti-bathroom bill campaign ‘launches’ gendered products ‘for a Bathroom Bill World’

Read article : Anti-bathroom bill campaign ‘launches’ gendered products ‘for a Bathroom Bill World’

An anti-bathroom bill group has launched a biting campaign against the Texas bathroom bill legislation which would see transgender people forced to use bathrooms that do not correspond to their gender identity.

“Lifestyle Products for a Bathroom Bill World” is a fake shop that offers products in “gendered” colours with pockets for birth certificates to be slipped into.

Bathroom Bill World" width="650" height="340" />

The products include phone cases, back packs and lunch boxes.

GSD&M created the campaign which mocks the notion that trans people should be forced to use the incorrect bathrooms.

Duff Stewart, the CEO of the ad agency, said that Texas had already wasted money on launching a special legislative session to try and pass the anti-trans law and should not continue to waste money.

Stewart said: “Taxpayer dollars should be spent solving the real problems that face our state, from infrastructure to education, child protective services and more.

“We have an imperative to support basic human rights and legislation that limits the freedoms of our transgender community is nothing more than a solution in search of a problem.”

The CEO added that his group would continue to fight for equality in Texas.

“I’m not worried about the people who love. I’m worried about the people who hate. GSD&M will always stand up for equality, and protect and support the community we’ve called home for 46 years,” Stewart added.

Bathroom Bill World" width="650" height="340" class="size-medium wp-image-207624" />

Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) is identical to anti-trans legislation in North Carolina.

Senate Bill 91 was passed. The two pieces of legislature are almost identical.

It was passed despite ten hours of testimonies from people opposing it.

Those who testified explained that the Bill was likely to have a negative impact on mental health and that suicide rates may go up among the trans community if their rights were rolled back.

A Republican Senator who supported the bill, Craig Estes, said that the Bill would not be at fault if this were the case.

“I’m hearing that it’s somehow our fault that people are committing suicide. Another explanation could be that people are depressed,” he said.

He added that he is sure that “it would be depressing to be trying to figure out which gender you are,” but that suicide rates could not be solely accounted to that.

SB 6 was a similar bill that was passed earlier this year in the Senate, but it failed in the house.

Senator Lois Kolkhorst, who authored all three pieces of legislature, said in the opening of the hearing for SB 3 that it was a “Texan tradition” to “take care of these issues”.

Business owners in Texas have condemned the Bill and the financial impact that it may have as HB2 cost North Carolina more than $3.76 billion.

Santa Rosa could add portable bathrooms, showers for homeless

Read article : Santa Rosa could add portable bathrooms, showers for homeless

Santa Rosa is considering providing portable bathrooms and showers for homeless people as part of a broader effort to reach out to people in need of housing and social services.

Options to be explored by the City Council Tuesday include extending the hours of public bathrooms, renting portable toilets and handwashing stations, or renting a combination shower/restroom trailer.

Details of each option — including where the services would be located — won’t be worked out until after the council weighs in. But city staff and service providers feel that a mobile shower/restroom unit may represent the most effective option.

“Bathrooms and showers are one of the most requested things by people who are experiencing homelessness,” said Jennielynn Holmes-Davis, director of shelter and housing at Catholic Charities.

Such a trailer, which would cost about $74,000 per year to rent, would not only provide needed facilities for people living outdoors, but would best help providers build trust with people who need housing the most, Holmes-Davis said.

She envisions the trailer being used by the county’s new homeless outreach team, the group of social workers and mental health specialists who team up with law enforcement officers to encourage people to seek shelter. Santa Rosa is spending $415,000 to fund an expansion of the county program in the city to include rehousing vouchers, the cleanup of encampments and a homeless hotline.

The Homeless Outreach Service Team, known as HOST, could use the promise of a bathroom and shower to not only initially connect with homeless people, but also as a way to follow-up with them later, Holmes-Davis said.

The trailer could be taken to places where homeless people congregate and would be monitored by HOST staff at all times, she said. Outreach staff at the site could assess what homeless people’s other needs may be and steer them toward appropriate services, she said.

A less-expensive option would involve renting about 10 portable toilets and handwashing stations and putting them in locations where they are most needed. That would cost about $22,000 per year, including the cost of cleaning, according to city staff.

Unlike the trailers, which would be moved to new locations daily, the portable toilets would be accessible 24/7. Either move would reduce the amount of waste in local waterway, officials said.

Both the portable toilets and the trailer raise a host of questions, however. Would they be located on public or private property? For how long? How would the equipment be transported to and from remote locations? How much say would neighbors have in the locations selected? Would the toilets and showers merely reduce or encourage sleeping outdoors?

Such issues will have to be worked out if the council opts to move forward.

A third option is expanding the hours that public bathrooms in parks or other public areas like City Hall are open to the public. Park bathrooms are generally open from dawn to dusk.

Keeping them open later or all night long might seem less expensive than renting portable toilets, but the costs could be higher, said Dave Gouin, the city’s director of economic development and housing.

That’s because the bathrooms would need to be cleaned more often and monitored by security, he said.

“What we’re being told by the service providers is that they need to be supervised restrooms,” Gouin said.

What Each SATC Character Taught Me (and It Might Not Be What You Expect)

Read article : What Each SATC Character Taught Me (and It Might Not Be What You Expect)

Female friendships are so powerful to watch on television. When done right, it can be gut-wrenchingly authentic, because they are so hard to get right. When everything fades away — what is being a friend? The scenes of my own friendships range from midnight phone calls on a bathroom floor to huddling together on a Chicago rooftop laughing our mascara off.  It’s screaming matches on driveways on sultry summer nights and holding each other on Christmas Eve (because heartbreak never did have good timing). It’s good morning texts and passive aggressive emails. It’s mental health. It’s death. It’s laughter. It’s trust. It’s everything in between.

For me, Sex and the City was my first introduction to well-rounded women and female friendships on the small screen. It was the first time I saw the intricacies of womanhood being depicted unapologetically. Each woman made different choices. Each woman held their own. Each woman was (generally) respected for their decisions. Each woman taught me something, and it might not be what you expect.

Samantha Jones: You don’t have to explain your past, choices, or decisions to anyone.

We are a summation of everything that has ever happened to us, everything that is happening to us, and everything that will happen to us. We will always be imperfect, and our choices are our own. I used to think that I need to explain myself all the time, but Samantha taught me that the only person you need to explain yourself to is yourself.

On Life: You don’t have to relive every mistake. You don’t have to doubt yourself. We are all trying to figure it out. Make the decisions that are right for you, and don’t look back. Don’t you dare question yourself. Samantha wouldn’t.

On Female Friendships: When Carrie was cheating on Aiden, she tells Samantha first. As the camera turns to Samantha’s face, the audience is expecting her to act surprised or maybe confused. Instead, she radiates a look of compassion. It’s the face of a friend that doesn’t need an explanation. Carrie’s behavior made me mad as a viewer. But the truth is, if you are a true friend, you let your friends make their own decisions and support them either way. It might not be the right one, and it might not be the best one. But it’s their decision. They don’t owe you an explanation, and you’ve got to respect that.

My Favorite Samantha Moment: The Relationship Smile

Miranda Hobbes: You can’t put a limit on any type of love.

I once read that Miranda embodies the millennial woman. My friends and I refer to her one-liners about workplace sexism, settling, and settling down all the time. Miranda’s character arc led to my realization that love takes on many forms, and you can’t put a limit on it even if you want to.

On Love:To Miranda, relationships are nothing but being at the right place at the right time. The perfect person is a myth, and settling down for love is for people who don’t know how to be self-sufficient. That all changes when she gives birth to Brady and realizes that, despite the flaws, Steve is the one for her. So maybe love isn’t puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. It isn’t dysfunctional lust. It isn’t even complementary opposites. It’s two people constantly saying, “I might not like you right now. But I am always going to love you.”

On Life: One of my all-time favorite television scenes is during the series finale of SATC. Mary, Steve’s mother who is recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, unexpectedly walks out into the cold. Flustered and scared, Miranda looks for her, running through the streets of Brooklyn. When she finally finds her, Mary is in a state of confusion digging through a garbage can on a corner. Miranda brings her home and helps Mary wash up. The camera pans to Magda, the elderly nanny, who smiles at Miranda’s actions, and tenderly says, ‘What you did, that is love. You love.’

The audience knows that this interaction is starkly different to everything Miranda has preached in the past. Maybe this is why this moment always brings me to tears. We think we can put a limit on love. We think we only have so much to give. The truth is, love is boundless. We have the ability to give more than we think we can. But only if we decide to.

My Favorite Miranda Moment: Steve and Miranda Get Married

Charlotte York: The only thing you can expect is the unexpected.

Life is ruthless. You can live your entire life expecting certain things to turn out a certain way. A great boyfriend that turns into a kind husband, or maybe a stimulating job offer that turns into a fulfilling career. But unfortunately, nothing is that linear. Charlotte taught me that even the most carefully laid out plans can end up in flames. And that’s okay.

On Love: Nothing works on your time. If you recall correctly, Charlotte has been dating since she was 15. She has met numerous wrong suitors. She knows what she hates, and she especially doesn’t want to settle. Charlotte taught me that even if things don’t work out according to your plan, you have to stay true to who you are and trust the timing of your life. Be your own person and value your morals, and things will work out at the end. If you are really lucky, you might end up getting more than what you wanted.

On Female Friendship: I will never forget the look in Charlotte’s eyes when she yells at Big on the street after Carrie attacks him with her bridal bouquet. She literally feels Carrie’s sadness and shame. It’s hard to feel for other people, it’s hard to empathize, and it’s hard to put yourself in another person’s shoes. Friendship, in essence, is realizing that another person is living a life just as vivid, cheerful, and painful as you are. They go through experiences, and, as a friend, the only thing you can really do is be there for the unexpected.

My Favorite Charlotte Moment: Charlotte Dancing Alone

Carrie Bradshaw: Life is about finding yourself between the high highs and the low lows.

Carrie is selfish, fiscally irresponsible, and a seasonal hot mess. She makes bad decisions, she is so bad at giving people the benefit of the doubt, and she just doesn’t know how to handle matters of the heart. But Carrie is also strong, resilient, and emotionally intelligent. She wears her heart on her sleeve and says what she needs to say. She is resourceful and so supportive.

On Life: Carrie is very honest about her life. Like, even when you don’t want to hear another complaint. I mean, I know the show is centered around her life, but she is painfully dramatic sometimes. The one thing I love about the show is that you get to see her during her best and worst. The Carrie moments that really stick with to me aren’t when she’s crying over Big, or when she’s doing something glamorous. It’s when she’s writing on a snowy night, or when she’s watching a movie and eating cup noodles on New Year’s Eve. The moments that make us who we are are in the in-between. Life is about the undocumented parts that no one gets to see. You are who you are when no one watching.

On Love: I don’t even want to go into the whole Aiden vs. Big debacle, but I will say that the best parts of Carrie’s relationships are the smaller moments. The parts we glaze over as an audience. When she is uncomplicated. When things aren’t going well, but they aren’t going downhill. That’s when she is at peace. So yeah, the real, ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can’t-live-without-each-other love is important. But so are the moments in between. The quiet moments. The moments that, when we look back, make up the entire fabric of our lives.

On Female Friendship:One of Carrie’s best qualities is that she is there for the people she loves. She is there when Charlotte is in tears about her fertility issues, she is there when Miranda gives birth, she is there when Samantha tells her about her breast cancer. She is there. She is present. She is open. She loves. Maybe this is what friendship truly means. It’s just about being there through the good and the bad. Through the tears and the smiles. It’s just about showing up no matter what happens. For all the in-between moments. Especially for the mundane ones.

Feeling nostalgic? Good thing every single episode is on Amazon Prime Video!

Did you learn anything from SATC? Are you a Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, or Samantha?