Letter From Joe:

               For those of you who don't know me, I am considered by many

(including myself) to be the class clown in Harbor. I know bipolar is not

always a laughing matter, in fact most times it isn't,

but if we stay too serious for too long, it would be easy to wind up in a

depression. I am also considered by some (MOM) to be the class

pervert...LOL...see I told you it isn't good to be too serious for too

long.

              I was diagnosed as bipolar in 1995, after having completely

destroyed my life, which wasn't half bad at the time. I was a lawyer, earning

in excess of 100,000 a year,practicing medical malpractice on behalf of

injured victims. Anyway, suffice it to say that in 1995, as a result of an

completely uncontrolled mixed state I wound up being convicted of a felony

and losing my license to practice law.

             It took me nearly a year to emerge from the house. I could

barely look at myself in the mirror, and I definitely couldn't come to grips

with being "bipolar" or "manic depressive" or "crazy".

It took a lot of work, time and convincing from my family and a great pdoc

who was also my therapist, to get me started on the road back.

But, if I represent anything at all, it is that you can come back, maybe not

all the way, but you can make it most of the way back.

             I am separated from my wife and son because despite working

hard, and taking my meds (most of the time..there was a short period where I

felt good enough not to take the lith)the bipolar doesn't ever go away. The

message here is that we always need to be aware of how we feel, we need to

always, Always, ALWAYS,take our meds, there is no substitute for a good med

regimen. The only other thing I would like to say to everyone, is to always

remember that the pdoc

is there for your benefit and you should never hesitate to call him/her any

time, day or night, weekends,holidays, whatever, whenever, anytime anything

is happening that you are unsure of or bothered by.

            I came to harbor because after a while back in the world

I felt like there were very few people who understood what I was talking

about. I had tried "real life" support groups before and after I came to

Harbor...for whatever reason I just couldn't relate to the people in those

groups. I never felt hesitant or unsure in harbor, I felt comfortable from

the beginning. The people here are and always have been some of the best

people I have ever known, in any realm, virtual or real, and I count them

among my closest friends.

           To all my friends and family in harbor, I say as I always

do..."Stay Well, Stay Safe, I Love You All, {{{{{{{{{Harbor Family}}}}}}}}."

                                Joe