As I near 50, I want to reflect on my vision for what is possible for individuals living with a chronic illness or quirky personality: You can live a happy, independent life. Your diagnosis is not a prison sentence.
You can find treatment that works for you and be the person you want to be–like I have.
The number-one value I offer you is that you don’t have to be an Ivy-League genius or a famous writer.
Like me, you can be an Italian American woman who grew up on Staten Island and owns a coop in Brooklyn.
You can have a love of “edgy” music, colorful clothes, and helping people at the reference desk at a library.
It doesn’t take a “drug holiday” to be your real self.
You can take medication and have a great life and act true to yourself.
Go forth. Destroy the stigma.
Having a full and robust life is possible.
