At the Veterans Administration hospital, I had the privilege of witnessing additional manifestations of courage. I got to know some men who were suffering from what would soon be known as PTSD. Carlie, for instance, had been wrongly reassigned to the hell hole war on the Korean peninsula, five more times (in terms of accumulated stress points) than was allowed by the US government. Then there was Glenn—an angry man who had served in World War II and had never lost his sense of betrayal regarding decisions made by his commanding officer (leading to the death of his closest squad mates).
I vividly remember Frank. He shook up my entire perspective regarding the nature and treatment of psychopathy. I met Frank on the surgery ward. He was strapped to the bed, having been tearing off the skin on his arms and legs. As a veteran of World War II, Frank had wanted to spend some time alone when he returned home (probably suffering from “shell shock” – aka PTSD). He wanted to live for a while in the cottage behind his house. Frank’s mother objected and eventually had Frank committed (temporarily) to a nearby VA hospital. Frank was a very big and very strong man, with a fiery disposition. As a result, he was the recipient of every mood-altering drug (including massive doses of Thorazine), along with a lobotomy and multiple sessions of electroshock.
Coupled with (and I would suggest a result of) these “beneficial” treatments, were multiple days by Frank spent in isolation, often placed in a straight jacket. His indominable spirit was still evident, even though he was now strapped down to a bed. I looked at Frank’s very large file, documenting massive, intrusive treatment over a thirty-year period of time in this hospital. At this point, I became radically aware of the control function served by many mental hospitals and came to understand what is meant by “Iatrogenic” (physician-inducted) disease. As one of the remarkable physicians with whom I was working noted, the primary mental disease suffered by most patients in this hospital after the first six months of hospitalization were induced by the environment and by those providing treatment. My identification of this third assumptive world began with reviewing the life led by Frank at the hospital and with this physician’s observation.
Stories and Fabrications
I also met and got to know many memorable characters at both hospitals. There was “Banana Joe” who was a veteran of World War II and a seller of bananas. He had been traveling up and down the Mississippi and Ohio rivers before the war and had many wonderful stories to tell (some of which were probably true). I got to know Mario, a veteran and consummate wine drinker. This Italian American was suffering from a saturated liver and brain—but he still had a wonderful sense of humor and, like Banana Joe, could weave a great tale.
