71 Comments Posted by BSMarcia

I have something very sarcastic to say to that last comment but I shall bite my tongue and behave.

That's the first time I heard that one. Too funny!

Thanks girljay, it's so nice to hear that once in a great while someone "gets it" I too have noticed that some posters don't stick around for the discussion. But that's ok. There's always another misguided person that will come along and pick it up with another ridiculus comment. I'm just grateful that Lynn has the patience to try and set them straight. I ran out awhile ago.

"'Philadelphia Magazine did an expose' on Pennhurst by Loretta Schwartz
( now Schwartz Nobel ) back in the Fall of 1976...well worth the price of a backcopy. "
If you are going to take the time to track this down please read it with an open mind. It's basically another one sided look at life in Pennhurst. I remember when they came to do that article. No one was happy with the outcome.

Poor Lynn, you must have a terrible headache from banging your head over this one.

Once again well said, Lynn!!!

So your neighbor was insane then since no sane person worked at Pennhurst?

"A human being chained to a bed. NO SANE PERSON CAN DEFEND THIS PLACE!"

Chains? Who said anything about chains. Sorry the last time I looked I'm a sane person who defends the place. Can't help it, just do.

Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I'm not doubting you at all. I know that clients were over medicated to keep things under some control. And I'm sure with smaller numbers to take care of you probably were able to implement programs to curb those behaviors. No arguemnet there. I guess I was just wandering what medical problems could have been taken care of years earlier. I still believe the medical care they received was pretty good. Hey, I commend you for being able to stay 22 years in this field of work. It's a thankless job, no doubt. I had enough after 11 years.

Thank you Franco for your insight. I think it's great that you've done research on Pennhurst and have a better understanding of how things were. It's funny that you felt the clients that came to you were heavily medicated because most had their meds cut drastically before leaving. And physically they were in such bad shape? Having worked day shift for a few years I know that Drs. appointments were an everyday occurrence. So that strikes me as odd. I could tell you of clients that left for group homes that did not receive as good medical care and didn't live very long on the outside.

Well it works both ways. You are given the opportunity to say what you experienced. Some of us who work/worked in the MH/MR field also experienced things and often not what most people want to hear. The problem I have with certain comments, and I think Lynn agrees is people tend to imagine what things were/are like, not necessarily how they actually are. And since the workers are usually the targets of some posters, naturally we're going to try to give you a different perspective. Whether you choose to accept it is your choice.

I think the only person coming across as arrogant Jamara is you.

Neither Lynn or I have ever said that institutions were not bad at one time or another. If you want to make up scenerios about the different pictures you are looking at ,knock yourself out. However, I will step in now and then to defend my point of view whether you like it or not. Most of the comments that are left are just plain ridiculus. Sorry if you don't like hearing the truth once in awhile but tuff shit.

You are kidding, right????

Here we go again!