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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jai on October 31, 2003, at 7:55:21
My mother died this year. Her funeral was on April Fools day. There was nothing in her will for me to get her hospitalization & treatment records. My sisters who were the executors did nothing to help me do this, not out of meanness but out of emotional overwhelm. My mother spent her last years in a very good mental hospital surrounded by loving people. As she got older she sank into her illness almost completely. Her illness began with my birth. I would love to see the records to get a clear idea what happened to her and when. I will also learn at what ages I was impacted. My question is how do I get the records? Since she is dead and can't sign the release forms is it hopeless?
Posted by fallsfall on October 31, 2003, at 8:06:01
In reply to my mother Peggy, posted by Jai on October 31, 2003, at 7:55:21
I would hope that they could be accessible to you. Perhaps with the passage of time your sisters can deal with the request better?
I would urge you caution about reading her records yourself. The records will be brutally honest from her point of view, and could contain information that would be very hurtful towards you. If I were in your situation, I might try to get the records released to MY therapist. I would expect to pay him to read through them and figure out what was important for me to know.
I certainly agree that there would be information in her records that would be helpful for your treatment.
Good luck.
P.S. after a certain amount of time records are destroyed. I know I tried to get my own childhood records from my old psychiatrist, but she had retired and destroyed all her records at that time. I don't know if there is a particular time period for keeping records of people who have died. Your therapist should be able to advise you.
Posted by Jai on October 31, 2003, at 8:54:14
In reply to Re: my mother Peggy » Jai, posted by fallsfall on October 31, 2003, at 8:06:01
How did you know I have a therapist? I guess that would be obvious. I wouldn't want my therapist to control the flow of information but that is a brilliant suggestion. I would want her to be there while I read it. You may be right about the information being painful for me to read. Thank you.
Posted by deirdrehbrt on October 31, 2003, at 17:38:48
In reply to Re: my mother Peggy, posted by Jai on October 31, 2003, at 8:54:14
I tried to get my medical records to learn about some old injuries, they had been destroyed by the hospital. I was really hoping to find them as I have no memory of the injuries (two broken hips). Please don't rely on just the records, as they may not be available.
Sometimes, what you remember about what happened is much more likely to be important than is on the actual facts. I know that this sounds strange, but it is often true. The facts may be of help in correcting distortions, but we operate on what we remember, not necessarily on the facts.
I wish you luck in finding and reading those records. Please remember, that they too are a product of memory, namely your mothers. While they are an accurate reflection of her feelings, they are also a reflection of her possibly flawed memory, and of her feeling, they are also a reflection of her illness.
I think you are wise if you have your therapist there to be with you when you read them. It might be good for her (him) to read them first, as then she will be able to note possible triggers, and be more ready to support you while you are reading them.
Good luck,
Dee.
This is the end of the thread.
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