Sarah Harvey says she’s not happy with the treatment she says her brain-injured husband is receiving from the Chemung County Department of Social Services.

   Harvey’s husband Gary has had a permanent brain injury for over three years.  She lost guardianship over him to Chemung County more than two years ago.  She says losing that right was a big blow and since then ahs been fighting to bring her husband home

   In 2006, 55-year-old Gary Harvey had a heart attack and fell down the basement stops of this Horseheads home, striking his head, and leaving him with the brain injury.  He’s been in assisted care at the Chemung County Nursing Facility in Elmira for years.  Sarah says she’s taken issue with the quality of care Gary has received.  She says no one paid attention to her complaints.  So to draw attention to Gary’s suffering, she cut his trach tube. 

   Since then, she say’s she’s only been allowed supervised visits, has no say over her husbands medical care, and is afraid the county is going to instate a DNR.

   Chemung County attorney Bryan Maggs released a prepared statement saying “The Department of Social Services was appointed as a guardian and…has done an excellent job of managing this very difficult situation…the county will continue to act in Mr. Harvey’s best interest, with court oversight and guardianship responsibilities.”