[mkfarnam]

I'm sorry, this has nothing to do with Oklahoma, but after 46 years I had to let this out.

How many of you have come across a memory of the past and wish you hadn't?

Well, that's what's happened here. This memory was from my childhood days and hadn't surfaced for close to 46 years.

This may be a mistake posting this, but this memory clash has stirred things up to where the closet door needs to come open.
(Disclaimer)
First I need to ask you all, when you read this and open the link below, Please.......don't picture me any differently then you do now. This was 46 years ago, I was 7 years old, and I'm just as normal as any of you are, I was then too. Just remember, I didn't belong there.
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In the early "60" I developed a "physical Illness" which is common and controlled today but was unknow to most doctors at the time. so it was treated like Leprosy. I was put in a place called Traverse City State Hospital in Traverse City Mich. This place was huge, old and like a prison. Rumor had it that it was Haunted. Their methods were like the military. I won't go into that because you'll find a forum tab at the top of the page and I'm registered there with the same user name..
I just resently came across the link to the place. At first I didn't want to open it, but later I did. There's a picture gallery, one picture in paticular, the third picture to the right in the top row just sent chills down my back. You see 2 caged in porches.(they weren't shaded-in back then) I was in the top floor which was called "Hall 18".(for childeren(boys)) the bottom one was "Hall 16" (for men).

Most of the kids were put in there for the wrong reasons. most just for "Child behavior"
I never realized why I was in there until I got older.

There are alot of stories and more pic's in the link. You just have to search alittle. In fact, An Attendant Nurse who worked there when I was there is on the "Traverse City State Hospital" forum. User name "in tne dark"

On the "buildings" tab you'll find other asylums across the country. Some are even more creepy than where I was.
I thought that some of you might like historical sites and stories that go along with them.

Just remember..I'm no different than the average person. Reading the stories and forums will show you how many people were committed for the wrong reasons.


Traverse City State Hospital

[_redbird_]

You've been through a lot, MK. You are what we refer to as an "old soul" which means you may be young in years,but you have seen and experienced a lot in this life, and hence, your are much older than your years.

I am sorry to hear of your stay in a place like Traverse City.

What I used to tell people is think of yourself as an adult now, and imagine you are talking to yourself as a child. Explain it to the child what the place is and so on and so forth. It is an exercise to help the "inner child" deal with issues they are not equipped to deal with.

Don't ever feel bad about sharing with your friends. That's how you find out who your true friends are in life.

Is that place haunted? I get an eerie weird feeling just looking at the pictures of it. What a strange vibe it gives off.

[LadyRobyn]

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

First I need to ask you all, when you read this and open the link below, Please.......don't picture me any differently then you do now.
Just remember..I'm no different than the average person.

First: That is very brave of you to share this with everyone.

Second: Funny thing about the internet and usernames... While trying to *find* you at a different site than here I stumbled across a post you made on that site, as well as another (I think it was on a Yahoo site)... It wasn't hard to realize that it was the same MK I knew here.

What I am saying is I knew you were there as a child and I know why...and I knew this BEFORE we met. Didn't make a dam bit of difference to us. You're just Mike... a friend of ours.

Years ago they used State Hospitals for anything they didn't understand... I grew up next door to a sweet Lady who had spent a short time in one, but her family got her out and kept her at home.

She never attended school because they said she was "retarded"... She never seemed "retarded" to me at all, just a little uneducated and immature. (I had a nephew with Down's Syndrome and she wasn't like him at all)

When I got older I found out that she wasn't "retarded" at all (except by her family ) She had Epilepsy and they were embarrassed by her seizures so they hid her away from everyone.

Alot of us have dark painful things in our pasts... You are doing the right thing to meet it head on and then just let it go... It was something that happened TO you, but it is NOT who you are. Trust me... *HUGS*

[EarthBound?]

Mike,

LadyRobyn and Redbird are both correct. We all have our ghost to deal with, its when we hold them in to long, they hurt us the most. Don't be ashamed to talk to us any of us. What you have just done is take the first step to "good life". DM me anytime Bro.

[Ted_Foster]

MK,

Just remember that you always have friends here. I will lift you up in prayer.

[TU 'cane]

Originally Posted by Ted_Foster

MK,

Just remember that you always have friends here. I will lift you up in prayer.

Don't worry, if this is your way of getting it out then that's great! I hope the best for you MK.

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by LadyRobyn

First: That is very brave of you to share this with everyone.

Second: Funny thing about the internet and usernames... While trying to *find* you at a different site than here I stumbled across a post you made on that site, as well as another (I think it was on a Yahoo site)... It wasn't hard to realize that it was the same MK I knew here.

What I am saying is I knew you were there as a child and I know why...and I knew this BEFORE we met. Didn't make a dam bit of difference to us. You're just Mike... a friend of ours.

Years ago they used State Hospitals for anything they didn't understand... I grew up next door to a sweet Lady who had spent a short time in one, but her family got her out and kept her at home.

She never attended school because they said she was "retarded"... She never seemed "retarded" to me at all, just a little uneducated and immature. (I had a nephew with Down's Syndrome and she wasn't like him at all)

When I got older I found out that she wasn't "retarded" at all (except by her family ) She had Epilepsy and they were embarrassed by her seizures so they hid her away from everyone.

Alot of us have dark painful things in our pasts... You are doing the right thing to meet it head on and then just let it go... It was something that happened TO you, but it is NOT who you are. Trust me... *HUGS*

Thank You ,, but I'm really not looking for sympathy, I guess just closure.
It was consider an "Asylum". And when that name comes up everything is translated to "insanity".
They did use the electo shock treatment there, in a place called "the yellow room" I believe there's a picture in the galley. When ever the lights flicker we knew it was being used.
We use to lower string down the caged porch to Hall 16 and one of the men would tie a cigarette on for us. To light the cigarette we took a small piece of steel wool, wrapped toilet paper around it and stuck it into a wall outlet causing sparks and lighting up the toilet paper. That didn't happen much because if we were caught we got thrown in the seclution room.

[Cali_Okie_Girl]

i have come arcoss something that i wish i shouldnt have. Me and my family moved to Greensburg KS and loved it a nice sweet charming town. We only lived there for about a week in a half and the big F5 hit. My parents were in the bathroom with us. Me and my sibs were in the bathtube and my parents were in the corner of the bathroom. I dont really remeber anything during the tornado but after i remeber looking around and i didnt see my parents or my brother. My uncle who worked for fire department showed up and took my sister and me. They found my brother under all this stuff. My uncle told me they found my parents but they didnt make it. I felt like i died.

It was the worse moment in my life. i remeber seeing the the tornado that black huge funnel like death just coming for us and the sound was horrific to hear. i mean nothing i ever want to experience again. Ive never seen anything like it and it was just awful.

U know ive finally coming to relise that there not coming back and that i have to move on and what really helped me was this board and talking about it..thanks guys! *hugs and kisses everybody*

[LadyRobyn]

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

Thank You ,, but I'm really not looking for sympathy, I guess just closer.
.

That wasn't meant as sympathy...

That was ADMIRATION. Big difference.

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by Cali_Okie_Girl

i have come arcoss something that i wish i shouldnt have. Me and my family moved to Greensburg KS and loved it a nice sweet charming town. We only lived there for about a week in a half and the big F5 hit. My parents were in the bathroom with us. Me and my sibs were in the bathtube and my parents were in the corner of the bathroom. I dont really remeber anything during the tornado but after i remeber looking around and i didnt see my parents or my brother. My uncle who worked for fire department showed up and took my sister and me. They found my brother under all this stuff. My uncle told me they found my parents but they didnt make it. I felt like i died.

It was the worse moment in my life. i remeber seeing the the tornado that black huge funnel like death just coming for us and the sound was horrific to hear. i mean nothing i ever want to experience again. Ive never seen anything like it and it was just awful.

U know ive finally coming to relise that there not coming back and that i have to move on and what really helped me was this board and talking about it..thanks guys! *hugs and kisses everybody*

That's terrible. I would never want to go through what you did.

I have to agree, If it wasn't for the people on this site, I think everything would still be locked inside and even worse after finding the link.