Here is an update on my essay. I received a lot of support from friends, family, and complete strangers for my essay. It felt great. A few people posted strange and semi-unsupportive comments. What hurt me the most was a lack of support from two of my family members. My family never agrees on anything. So one of my family members was embarrassed by my essay. The other family member complained that they were mentioned nowhere in my essay. The essay made it seem like I was an only child or something. I have three siblings who I love. I guess you cannot please everyone. I feel it is a case of, damned if you do, damned if you don't. I will continue writing/blogging and not let anyone dictate what I write. Thank you to my family for all your support throughout my life and my darkest hours!

A slew of people came to help me when I was unmedicated. My sister Gina helped me numerous times and tried to get me to the psychiatric hospital. My Dad called my Uncle Anselm and brother Dominic to drive out to Arizona, where I had driven and run out of gas. Oddly enough, the sister who wanted me to write about her in my essay and book, played little to no role in my mental health recovery. She is lucky that I had nothing negative to say about her. What can I say, but mental illness is genetic and I am not the only one in my family with mental difficulties. I do love my whole dysfunctional family though.

P.S. If I had time to describe my sister, I would say that Marisa was our half Italian/half Irish Marcia Brady Varni. Marisa! Marisa! Marisa! She was always nurturing and maternal from a young age. She was a neat freak growing up.  She is also a devout Catholic, who is always sending me prayers. God bless my sister Marisa!