[tnlibrarian]

My mom and I decided to try and get copies of the medical records for my great great aunt and great great grandmother. They died at SW Mental Institute in Marion, VA. Yesterday I recieved a packet of information--the social services notes for my great great aunt. Turned out she was diagnosed with "manic depressive disorder with psychosis, manic type". My mom had been told by her grandmother that her great aunt had entered the hospital because she quite speaking after her father refused to let her marry. In reality, the woman was psychotic and having hallucinations, hearing voices, etc. The notes talk about her wearing a string around her head to keep it from falling off, thinking she owned the hospital, refusing to wear shoes because they "choked her" and saying that the radiators and commodes would take the brains of people who got near them. She was also violent. The note says that in 1941 the doctor wanted her diagnosis changed to what is now known as schizophrania but it never happened.

The information provided about my great great grandmother pretty much just said that when she was admitted for the third time she was diagnosed with "brain syndrome" and that her physical exam showed that she had a vitamin B deficiency, was malnourished and had chronic alcoholism. She had three admissions--one in 1905, one in 1909 and one in 1938. My mom said her grandmother said they never saw their mother again after she was admitted in 1909 so we have no idea where she was between 1909 and 1938. We've requested her complete records so we can see what diagnosis was given in 1905 and 1909.

While we were talking about this, my Mom let some stuff about my sister slip that truly caused a WTH moment. We're talking and my mom brings up my diagnosis and asks if I ever hear voices. I told her that sometimes I hear what sounds like someone whispering but I can't understand what is being said. Other times I hear a lot of people whispering or hear people arguing in what sounds like the next room. She goes, "That's what your sister hears! She heard voices all the time before she went on the anti-depressant and saw people who weren't there. She'll say she's been on a trip and totally believe it even though she's been home all week. It makes us worry about what kind of shape she'll end up in if she ever goes off her medicine."

And they have been refusing to take her to a psychatrist? WTH?! I'm like, "You know those are signs that there she's really mentally ill, right?" My mom goes, "No, she's not! Everybody does that at times!"

I've decided my mother may very well be the most out of touch person I've ever met! That or she's experiencing the same things and truly believes it's normal.

[roads]

In doing similar detective work, my mom & I discovered that my G-G grandfather was dx'd twice with variations of "women's sadness disease" in their home state of KY but sent home because he was a man & "farm required he be home." The second time he returned on his own during the night. They found him the next morning in the barn, where he'd hung himself.

We may not have it easy, but our family histories give us quite a perspective on what it used to be like. Thank you for sharing this, Becca. I guess we're both lucky to be here.

[Secretum]

That's very interesting information to have, especially concerning your great great aunt. As far as I know, no one in my family has ever been hospitalized for MI (though it's definitely present in milder forms). Apparently I have a "crazy" great great uncle who used to run around outside naked, but I don't know if he was ever hospitalized or even received any kind of treatment for whatever was causing his behavior.

Your mom probably is in denial, which is unfortunate for your sister. Is there anyway that you can get her to a psychiatrist yourself? It's a bit unexpected that an AD would relieve her psychosis; usually patients with psychotic depression need an AD and an antipsychotic. Which causes me to wonder if the hallucinations truly are gone, or if she just stopped talking about them when she went on the AD because she didn't want to worry your mom any further. I wish the best for her.

How do you request someone's records? I'd love to know about my great aunt and great grandmother but I thought that medical records were private?

[tnlibrarian]

The laws vary by state. In states like TN the records are permanantly sealed, regardless of how old they are. In other states, like VA, you can get the records after a certain amount of time. I would contact the institution your great aunt and great grandmother were in, see if they have records and if you can get copies. You do usually have to pay for the records. We'll have to pay $72 for my great great aunt's and I'm expecting around $120 for my great great grandmother's. I think it will be worth it, though.

[faerie_moon_x]

The only people in my family ever hospitalized that we know of were my aunt on my mom's side and a cousin on my dad's side.

My aunt supposedly was given some sort of LSD in a Coke at a student lock in when she was in high school, and it effected her somehow. My other aunt (her older sister) has told me that she reverted to the age of 5 mentally and had to relearn everything, she was about 16-18 at that time. But my aunt doesn't remember it happening to her, never talks about it. Sometimes she'll say things like "ma never hugged me when I was little," but the truth is she completely lost her childhood.

My cousin, however, has sever schizophrenia. He's now in his 60s and has never lived away from home. My great-uncle passed away and only my great-aunt remains to take care of him. It is becoming a big concern what to do when she passes. Although he seems okay on his meds, he can't work and everyone fears he will just give up once she dies.

That's going to be a big pain in the butt, I don't even know if it will be possible. The only person who knows their full names and where they would have been in the hospital would be my great aunt and she hates talking about things like that. Whenever I bring anything up she always says things like "you need to let the past go" so I don't think I'll be able to get any information out of here. Honestly, I don't even really want to ask.