NOELLE TREATED, NOT PUNISHED

Regarding the July 27 letter by Louise Bratton about Noelle Bush, it seems
Bratton is in some kind of denial.

One cannot blame a doctor if he is prescribing medicine for pain and you
abuse it. You cannot blame a psychiatrist because he cannot cure you.

I am very happy that Bratton's relatives were able to give the love and
support the family member needed to help in that person's recovery. I
sincerely hope and pray that relative has a speedy and full recovery.

Noelle Bush, on the other hand, was sent to a state of the art treatment
center. Not all offenders can afford such treatment. She was not sentenced
to any place as an embarrassment to her father. She was sent there for
treatment, not punishment. The governor needs no help in the embarrassment
department.

The nurse Bratton mentioned does deserve counseling and guidance on how to
better secure the medications, not jail time. The judge did right in
allowing Bush back into the program when he could have placed her in jail
with additional charges of drug possession. He chose to give her a second
chance. All should be grateful for that compassion.

It is too bad her mother and brother could not find the time to visit her
during regular visiting hours, thus saving her father the embarrassment of
having to ask for special visit time.