mom died...don't know fam history...

What is the name of your state? Louisiana

Can i access my biological grandparents medical information? My mother was adopted so i do not know anything about my family medical history on her side.
I've been curious now for several years(im 21,now), especially since my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at 44, and died at 49(2 years ago). I don't want this to happen to me..how do i go about finding out this information?? thankyou...Carrie

sonyski819 said:

What is the name of your state? Louisiana

Can i access my biological grandparents medical information? My mother was adopted so i do not know anything about my family medical history on her side.
I've been curious now for several years(im 21,now), especially since my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at 44, and died at 49(2 years ago). I don't want this to happen to me..how do i go about finding out this information?? thankyou...Carrie

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in what state and county was your mother placed for adoption? I believe, but am not 100% certain that you can obtain records now because she has passed away. I will do some checking and see what i can find.

Re: Re: mom died...don't know fam history...

ryry's mom said:

in what state and county was your mother placed for adoption? I believe, but am not 100% certain that you can obtain records now because she has passed away. I will do some checking and see what i can find.

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ryry's--I know you said you're not 100%, and I hope I'm not stepping on your toes, but....the poster would be looking for her Grandparents medical records. If they are still living, that changes things a bit, I think. I had asked a lawyer about 2 years ago about asking for my bio-dad's medical records via court proceedings. I was told that since bio-dad is not my legal dad, (adoptive dad is, of course) that there was no way for me to pursue it.

Re: Re: Re: mom died...don't know fam history...

craftymom said:

ryry's--I know you said you're not 100%, and I hope I'm not stepping on your toes, but....the poster would be looking for her Grandparents medical records. If they are still living, that changes things a bit, I think. I had asked a lawyer about 2 years ago about asking for my bio-dad's medical records via court proceedings. I was told that since bio-dad is not my legal dad, (adoptive dad is, of course) that there was no way for me to pursue it.

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Yeah, I am still checking on it because I do know if the biological parents are both deceased you can obtain their records, all of them. One suggestion to the poster would be to go to court and ask for the copy of the records if available but not the release of the grandparents names.

I really can't believe a lawyer told you that you couldn't obtain info on your bio dad! That is insane! What state were you born and adopted in? If the birth father is recognized and gave consent to the adoption then you can ask for medical records to be released. I have had a situation here that I am working on right now where the bio dad wants to get ahold of his adoptive daughter but because he was never notified of the adoption and he isn't on the birth certificate the only way for him to contact her is if SHE finds HIM first...crazy huh?

ryry's.....

Birth and adoption were both in Virginia.
Follow me a second with my explanation, I'll *try* to put it across as clearly and chronologically as I can.
When bio-mom gave birth to me, there was no law requiring consent of the bio-dad. However, in the six weeks between my birth and my placement with adoptive family, it WAS signed into law about paternal consent, and "grandfathered" to a date before my birth. Bio-mom had included all of bio-dad's information in all the forms she completed with Catholic Charities. So, courts tried to inform bio-dad via summons---all of them gone unserved. Ultimately, notice was put in newspaper, and again--no response from bio-dad. So, adoption was completed without actual "written consent" of bio-dad.

The lawyer I spoke with in regards to getting medical records of bio-dad told me that, even if bio-dad HAD signed the paperwork, that medical records fall somewhere under the Privacy Act (I no longer remember where, as I've decided not to pursue contacting bio-dad, so I 'dumped' it from memory). IF bio-dad is alive, then I have no right to open his medical records, and if bio-dad were dead, well, I've got no "proof" that he is in fact my bio-dad--I've only got bio-mom's word....

The reason I believe the same situation applies to the poster is due to timelines. It was her mother that was adopted---about 51 years ago if I'm calculating correctly. I'm thinking that the same laws would have applied regarding consent etc. Also, the poster would be looking for biological Grandparents, not parents, and that *may* change her situation as well... I'm thinking that being one generation removed would have an impact on her search and/or capability to obtain the records.

sonys if you know who did the adoption you can plea with them to waive any fees and find Your moms BirthMom and ask for a current medical history update including cancer history of any other females . Warning if it was catholic charitys they have become horribly expensive . Also too you can look for postings where birth mom or any other relative that knew of your moms existance might have created on net for web registrys . for all you know some one else could be searching that knew of your mom and would make just as good of a source .

ryry's mom
once a child is adopted, the adoptive parent IS the birth parent and the true birth parent is legally no more related than any stranger on the street. the adopted child has no legal recourse to the birth family and is not an heir in anyway. it is as if the child was born to the adoptive parent and that is how the birth certificate reads.

to the orginal poster
You have all the medical information you need. Your mother had breast cancer and that's all the medical information needed to establish a family history of breast cancer.
You are seeking information based on your mother's adoption, not your own. You, more likely than not, do not have the right to pursue contacting her birth parents. You have no medical reason that would support the invasion of their privacy and their lives or that of their other relatives. Your birth mother had breast cancer and that is all that is needed for you to have the risk of developing breast cancer. It does not matter one little bit who else in her birth family had cancer of any kind.

ellencee said:

ryry's mom
once a child is adopted, the adoptive parent IS the birth parent and the true birth parent is legally no more related than any stranger on the street. the adopted child has no legal recourse to the birth family and is not an heir in anyway. it is as if the child was born to the adoptive parent and that is how the birth certificate reads.

to the orginal poster
You have all the medical information you need. Your mother had breast cancer and that's all the medical information needed to establish a family history of breast cancer.
You are seeking information based on your mother's adoption, not your own. You, more likely than not, do not have the right to pursue contacting her birth parents. You have no medical reason that would support the invasion of their privacy and their lives or that of their other relatives. Your birth mother had breast cancer and that is all that is needed for you to have the risk of developing breast cancer. It does not matter one little bit who else in her birth family had cancer of any kind.

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hey ellencee, I knew that first part, I am adopted in case ya didn't know! But there is a birth certificate out there sealed with my BIRTH information on it...the one I have with my adoptive parents name on it is a corrected birth cert. issued by the courts. I have been in search of my BIRTH family. I was told that once both BIRTH parents were deceased I could have any and all information regarding them as long as I could prove they were deceased. I realize that since the poster isn't the adoptee this law doesn't apply however, she has the right to search for any and all medical info pertaining to her life. Her birth family also has the right to deny her that information. She is never going to know unless she tries.

Sonys, are you still out there? JK! It would help if you could tell us if you know anything about moms adoption. Your best bet would be to do a search and alot of digging with the company agency that did your moms adoption. Then find out if her parents are deceased and move on from there.

Here are a few links that will certainly help you find out some things. But without a better understanding of your mom's adoption I am afraid I can't be much help. One thing to do would be to contact a search angel in the county your mom was adopted in.
http://www.plumsite.com/isrr/
http://home.austin.rr.com/the/birth/faq.html
http://members.aol.com/deitrahs/LASA.html
l




I am going to give out an opinion that may not be too popular. Your grandparents have every right to know that your mother died. I don't care about people who say, "oh, but they aren't her birth family anymore, she doesn't owe them anything"! You had a great mother? How were her adoptive parents? Just think, had these people not given her up, you may not have ever known this great mother you have!

P.S.

craftymom I found this link and thought it was failry humerous! Thought you might enjoy it, I didn't read it all but it is funny! SO scary that it is so true! Part of the link is bleeped out, who the heck is censoring! well it is suppose to say b a s t a r d s.org (without the spaces of course!).
[
http://www.*******s.org/fun/hosrec.htm

ryry's mom
I can't agree with you or disagree with you, so I'll just remind you that each person's rights end where another person's rights begin. The birth mother has the right to remain unknown and uninvolved and to have no interruption of her life and the lives of her family. We can't assume that it will be a happy day when this granddaughter appears and we can't assume that it will be an unhappy day, either. We can only look at the facts of there having been no contact. If the adoption 'agency' has a record of this mother's trying to find the child, then I'd vote for going ahead to satisfy personal curiosity. If no record of this mother's attempt to find her child is found, then the mother should be left alone and so should the rest of her family.
The poster does not need any medical information from any of them. Her birth mother was her mother all along and no mystery exists as to her mother's medical history.

ellencee said:

ryry's mom
I can't agree with you or disagree with you.

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Geez, I wish more people would say that! I like it much better than "I will agree to disagree with you"!

You know I wasn't trying to get after you or give you a hard time...it is just a touchy subject where I am concerned because I NEED my birth family in my life and can't find them and I am not getting any help from Health and Human Services in finding them. Also just a little bit of info, alot of birth mothers don't search because they feel if the child wants to find them they will. I just still think that birth family has the "right" to know this woman died. Thats all, but I completely respect you, you know that right?

ryry's mom said:

alot of birth mothers don't search because they feel if the child wants to find them they will.

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Ain't that the truth? My own b'mom, when I asked her if she would have initiated a search on her own, said that she would have never in a million years looked for me. Why? Because she felt that when she gave me up, she gave up any "right" to be the one to do the search once I turned 18, regardless of any of her personal feelings or wants. Also, she stated that since she had no idea of the circumstances of my being adopted (as in what my a'family might or might not have told me), she felt a responsibility to myself and my a'family NOT to come in and disrupt any stability we may have had.

Very typical reaction of b'moms that willingly gave their children up for adoption, I've found.

I went to the link you posted, ryry's. Didn't read it all myself...but oh! how TRUE some of those "excuses" are! LOL

Contact a lawyer and aska judge if the records can be opened. Not likely, but couldn't hurt.