Posted by whiterabbit on May 2, 2003, at 20:22:51
In reply to Stunned at my return to work meeting!!!, posted by maryhelen on May 2, 2003, at 0:22:40
Reading your post made me sick to my stomach. How dare anyone make accusations - at a meeting, no less - that you were sneaking home at lunchtime to drink. And in my opinion, NOBODY but a doctor or psychiatric professional should have access to your medical records. Being a Union official in no way qualifies a person to interpret medical records, and the fact that they were not interested in your current treatment or prognosis is proof enough.
I agree with everyone else that you need legal representation in this matter, and Noa's idea to contact NAMI to determine your legal rights is perfect. As far as I'm concerned, the drinking accusation is slander.
Life changes after psychiatric treatment, it sure does. This has nothing to do with anything but it's kind of a funny story: the last time I was called for jury duty, I wondered if I should admit to my psychiatric history. I decided not to say anything if I didn't have to; I figured I was as competent as the next person to debate the guilt or innocence of a purse-snatcher or car thief.
Now, the Criminal Courts Building downtown is huge, and there always at least a dozen trials going on at the same time. I sat around for 2 days with 400 other people in the jury pool, and this is the trial I was called for - to determine whether the defendent should be involuntarily committed to a mental institution
after his jail term. I couldn't believe it, out of ALL the criminal trials going on in that building!After squirming through voire dire for awhile, I finally just raised my hand and asked to approach the bench. The judge and the lawyers looked kind of startled but they told me to come on down. So I get in a huddle with the judge and the lawyers and the court reporter and I said, "I've been involuntarily committed to a mental institution a couple of times myself, is that relevant?"
Everybody's eyebrows shot up and the defense lawyer says, "It certainly is!" The prosecuter says, "Are you taking medication?" and I said yeah, and he asked if I was "stabalized" on medication and I said, "Supposedly."
The defense lawyer says, "Supposedly?" and I grinned at him. Everyone chuckled and the judge thanked me for my "candor". As you can imagine, they told me to go on home.That's life in the psychiatric lane. Oh well.
-Gracie
poster:whiterabbit
thread:223776
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030426/msgs/223949.html