Feb 27, 2008 04:08 AM - You brought me to tears....Beautifully written, heartfelt, raw and at the same time so very eloquent....Thank you for sharing some of your life with us and I am so sorry for the losses in your life. I really believe that your mom, grampa and the rest of your family are looking down on you and most especially and perhaps even most proudly, uncle Bob. You spoke for him and in doing so, speak for so many others....

Feb 27, 2008 09:50 AM - mental disease is hard for others to understand and as was noted by one of the posters fear of mental disease makes us turn away from as if we can chase it away
i have tourettes disease and i have inappropriate facial expressions
i can be thinking of something quite ordinary and people will look at me and ask me if i am laughing to myself
a little understanding goes a long way

Mar 30, 2008 01:45 AM - That was a touching storing. I worked with the severly mentally ill and can relate to your story. God bless

Mar 30, 2008 02:23 PM - "All of a sudden, the answer was clear. They did not judge him. They accepted him for who he was. No high expectations, no disapproval. They just let Bob be Bob." [emphasis added] You have hit the mark, and because of what you've exactly gone through---I believe that you'll turn out a very remarkable nurse.

May 01, 2008 10:49 AM - I am so moved. Here I am crying like a baby because I can relate on a personal family level. I try everyday to understand and treat everyone with kindness because you never know what people are going through.

May 03, 2008 06:05 PM - I have an Associate's in Social Work, and the courses that impacted me the most were the ones dealing with mental illness. Society tends to judge these people because of their problems. My father was bipolar, so I lived with it. Simple acceptanbce and undertanding does so much good.