We've com a long way...

[Bob Wright]

I recalled in the thread about Minnie Pearl of the family who had a retarded son, and it reminded me of this:

Many years ago we often traveled backroads in middle Tennessee and Kentucky. This back in the days of washpots over an open fire, coal oil lamps and oil cloth tablecloths. We often passed a farmhouse where the family had a son with some kind of affliction. He was confined to a circular frame with rollers. There was a seat built in, also arm rests like crutches so he could sort of stand. On nice days they would put him in this contraption and place him on the front porch, using a chain restraint so he would not roll off the porch.

I think about that sometimes. I was too young to make any difference then. But whenever I'm starting to feel down in the dumps, I think about that young man. Thank God we have better treatment for people like that today.


Bob Wright

 

[6GUNSONLY]

you're so right, Bob. I work in the mental health field, and while it's certainly not a perfect system and some folks still do kinda "fall through the cracks," there are a lot more resources and help available than there used to be. And, better answers than just locking people away in a hospital/prison type facility just because we didn't know what else to do with them.

 

[737tdi]

What I remember is the kids in iron lungs. There were a couple on our block when I was very young and I still remember them, I went to a birthday party for their girl and it still disturbs me to this day. I remember the day I saw the truck taking her away. I didn't quite understand but she had passed. I was four or five. My reason for the next question.

Not to drift to far off topic but what happened to mandatory vaccinations? There seem to be diseases rearing their ugly heads again???


Karl

 

[Number9]

My brother died at age 7.. he was in an iron lung for 10 days.
He died on October 17, 1949.. which was on my first birthday.

 

[737tdi]

My brother died at age 7.. he was in an iron lung for 10 days.
He died on October 17, 1949.. which was on my first birthday.

Wow Number9, I did not mean to bring up bad memories, just mine. That really was a horrible time for kids. I was lucky as were you. We have come along ways.

God Bless

Karl

 

[Number9]

Thanks, Karl..

My favorite uncle passed away on my 40th birthday.. October 17, 1988.
I thought my mother would follow suit? My nickname is the "Number9"..
Mom passed on October 9, 2006.

 

[737tdi]

My favorite uncle passed last year. He was a Navy man, joined 1939. He was stationed in San Diego and was not transferred to the Pacific fleet until after Dec. 7, 1941. He spent the whole war on board multiple different destroyers during WWII. Went through lots of pickets and sub patrols. Lot of crap.

I have another uncle who was with Merrill's marauders. He spent a couple of years in China and Indo china eating bugs and worms. He does not talk much about it either. He is still living. I can't talk to him very much because he is so liberal it makes one ill. So anti gun, pro welfare, pro free for everything. Maybe because of his experience, I don't know. I love him anyway.



Karl

 

[Colonialgirl]

Interesting; My Dad entered the US Navy in 1932/33 served 20 years and retired in 1953.
I do know that he had served aboard the Lexington and the Wasp. They couldn't put him on anything small because he'd get deathly sea sick. Started out as a Machinist, changed to an Electrician and finally into aviation electronics his final rating was AEIC. He went through the entire war and never heard a shot fired by an enemy. Wanted to be a fighter pilot, but was too short.

 

[gramps]

6gunsonly wrote: "And, better answers than just locking people away in a hospital/prison type facility just because we didn't know what else to do with them."
So these people now live on the streets, because they are dysfunctional and cannot live in a family setting. They may take their meds or not. I do remember women getting pregnant in the Psych hospitals and then their children were raised and kept at the hospital. There is no easy way.
737tdi wrote: " what happened to mandatory vaccinations? " My question also. All anyone has to do now is claim they don't want the vaccination due to religious convictions and poof they don't have to. As a nurse I was livid with rage when I found out my son and wife took the grandson to Ecquador without any vaccinations! Hospitals make nurses wear a mask all day at work if they don't take the flu shot which has a 3-4 out of 10-20 chances of working. If the flu shot was as good as the smallpox vaccination I would take the flu shot, but not until then.
Things have changed. Some for the better, some just different.
gramps

 

[bogus bill]

There aren't too many people chained in the basement anymore. On the other hand we have went far the other way where the system can only hold dangerous people a couple days if they want out and people have been hurt because of it. My BIL died young and left my sister with 6 kids. There was some kind of genetic disorder where 3 of them were hit with some type of disorders about when they hit 13 or so. Somehow I ended up handling two of the boys affairs at various times. One died on me. It was trying times. I had another BIL (ex wife`s brother) who ended up in a institution for the criminally insane. He also was normal I understand until he got around 14. The system kept kicking him loose despite my ex father in law telling them he was a big danger and that he should be locked up for life. The system "knew" better and they released him. He promptly killed a innocent person and now is in for life.

 

[Bob Wright]

Yeah, we've copme a long way.

We still have a long way to go.

Bob Wright

 

[blume357]

There is a wing on my mother's side that seems to have a problem like this.... we call them the "two T'd Paggetts.....

seems about every third child is 'challenged'.

 

[contender]

I think it's like a pendulum. It used to be, afflicted & "problem" people were put away in an institution & forgotten by most. Quite often, many could be helped or treated with proper care. Well, we no longer have so many institutions & we have more people out on the street who DO need constant care or help. The pendulum has swung too far the other direction.
We do have a long way to go to get a good balance!

 

[volshooter]

Round here we still take care of our own as long as possible.