Big Fat Blanks

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I don't have time right now to write about this experience, but thought I'd at least post the letters explaining the entire situation about trying to obtain my medical records. It has been maddening this week for me. Thank God a big Bounce-U party last night got my mind off it and let me blow off some steam jumping up and down with my son! But today is a new day....

(I'll erase all identifying information, of course, cause isn't that what we do in adoption? For the 'protection' of who??????? I might ask)

Dear Rep. Big Fat Blank,
I hope the new session has started off well! I saw the State of the State address on OETA on Monday, while home with one of those stomach viruses going around. What a combination! lol

I wanted to forward you some letters I have written in trying to get my medical records from Big Fat Blank (hospital) in Big Fat Blank (small town USA). I hope they explain the entire issue adequately, and emphasize the fact that adoptees need assistance in law changes to protect us and our children.
I was very excited because they called me last week, after almost a year of me requesting the records, and said they had FOUND my records. When I went in this week, they again put me off and said the supervisor was on vacation and I had to wait till next week. ?????
I feel very vulnerable that I am at their mercy and can't get what I truly need.

Hope to stay in touch and thank you for serving the citizens of Big Fat Blank.



Dear (archiving company) ~ I appreciate your help so much about the request I sent to you regarding searching for my medical records. I attached my previous email to you below this one, for reference.

I got a call last Friday (2/1/08) saying that (they) had found my medical records. When I went in yesterday (2/5/08) they said they would have to get back with me yet again and I left without them (again). I have requested the records since 6/07 and my doctor has requested them separately also. I have a court order and physician's requests for these important records for my own medical/preventive treatment for my own pregnancies.

I am contacting you again because yesterday the lady who helped me wanted me to know that according to HIPPA law that they were not required to keep my records. I feel vulnerable that they may never release the records to me or get rid of them. They are imperative to mine and my family's health and so wish I could have gotten them earlier.
I am thankful that you did another search and were able to find the records, and am just following up to see if I can fax you the release I signed, the court order, the records they requested from me, etc. in order to get the records to me?
Thank you,

Dear (archiving company) ~
I have been working with (local hospital where this happened all the time) Hospital in (little town, america) on a request for medical records.
I have all the paperwork available to fax to you.

I was born at your hospital (on this date ~ hopefully) as Baby Girl Big Fat Blank. (At least I THINK that is the case). My Mother's name was (young unwed mother with no options from society) and she relinquished me for adoption shortly after my birth. I have been in reunion with my (birth) family for 17 yrs and have close relationships with all of them. However, my mother passed away a few years before I found her, from breast cancer. She had been searching for me, and told them that I would come looking and to please have all my information available at that time.

I got a court order from a Judge to received my original birth certificate and all adoption records from the courthouse. The court order also lists "all records at adoptee's request."

My (birth) Mother's family told me that she had me be c-section but is not sure why. I was also told by my adoptive family that I was hospitalized for several days, but without my medical/birth information I have no information. My (birth) Mother passed away while searching for a son, because she was told that she had given birth to a boy. She had signed up on several registries but they would have never worked for us because of the inaccurate information she and I both had.

I recently gave birth to a premature baby who was in (this same) Hospital for 98 days after birth. My doctor has written a letter requesting all my own birth information/medical records and labor/delivery information about me and my mother regarding my own birth in 1968. She is concerned that because I did not have my own medical family history information that I was at risk and my child was at risk medically and any further pregnancies I have.

I have submitted all this information (court orders, letters from my physician, and my physician's own request, etc.) to (hospital). They have stated that they cannot find my birth records on file from (my supposed birthday).

I am asking if I could please fax these same documents to your company, since you archive their medical records and request you to please search your archived records to see if my medical records may be found. I feel like this is only reasonable for my own health and the health of my children, and since I have a court order as well as physician requests, that it would be very beneficial to me to have these records medically.

All I am asking is for a further search. Also, I have tried to ask (hospital) what their archiving procedures are to see why some birth records from even before 1968 may be available but others supposedly aren't. They have not explained this to me, and in fact, have not provided good customer service from the beginning of my request, with many delays. Every time I tried to follow-up I was put off, having to explain my situation and paperwork over and over the last several months.

When they finally, after many months, said that they had searched and could not find my records, I asked about the archiving procedure. I was told that "it didn't matter", and when I asked who the next higher supervisor was, I was told that I could only work with their office and that personnel. I called (hospital's) main office just to get the name of Big Fat Blank Supervisor (hmmmm), who was over the entire medical records office. She then sent me a letter saying that they had made a thorough search and could not find my records and could not help me. She would not give me the name of the archiving company because she said (hospital) has records of what records were sent to the archiving company and mine weren't in there.

I remembered (archiving company) being on one of the many forms they had me fill out over the course of trying to get my records, so I looked it up on the internet and am contacting you directly. I thought I would go directly to your company for help and assistance, to see if there is any way you could do a direct search.

Thank you so much for your help. I would be glad to fax or mail the original copies of these documents, including my mother's death certficate, the court order, and physician's request.

Sincerely,
(Adoptee, who shall remain nameless ~ as many do their entire lives ~ no wonder many feel like BIG FAT BLANKS)

Information Requested ~ Birth Records and labor/delivery/nursery notes for
Baby Girl Big Fat Blank
DOB ~
Mother: (Who I last saw at your hospital, by the way)
DOB ~