I would like to tell you a love story.  I met my husband 4 years ago.  He was taking care of his Bipolar schizoaffective disorder.  We met purely by God’s hand. He was an armed security guard at the teacher’s credit union. 

I was divorced from an abusive man with schizoaffective disorder which I found out five years later after I married him (he was in denial).  I stayed with my ex-husband for 9 years and tried to get him help.  If I had stayed, I probably would not be here. 
       
I met my husband when his mother’s car had radiator problems.  I just happened to go a different way back home. We talked and later we dated. 
 
After a year he told me that he heard voices.  That scared me because I lived with a lunatic for 9 years.  Well he had asked me to marry him and I agreed only if my minister would marriage counsel us.  My husband agreed and he told our minister the problem and suggested his doctor.

My minister was on Prozac for depression.  He went to Garry Penny who is a wonderful Pdoctor who teaches at the university and is a researcher. 

  My husband is ex-drug addict (cocaine).  In fact he ended in rehab and they knew something was wrong and wanted to keep him free of charge 2 weeks more.  At that time period he was afraid that he would be committed in the mental ward (this happened before I met him). 

  His mother and father divorced and he lived with her for over 30 years.  When he was younger he asked his mother if it was normal to hear voices and she said yes.  His father never knew until we married that he was Bipolar. Finally, after 3 years Gary his doctor has found the magic meds that work (Geodon and Lithobid).

  During the period before we were married mother W. decided to take a mental vacation off of her meds.  She had a hard time letting go of her son  and not him letting go of her. My husband for many years took care of her and committed her a few times (several of her mental vacations).  I couldn’t believe that she was doing this before our wedding. I couldn’t believe that two Bipolars were taking care of each other for that many years.

  My husband is the kindest and warmest creature on earth. My mother knows that my mother-in-law has problems but doesn’t know about my husband.  I think better for her not to know for now.

During that period when he was not on medication he tired to commit suicide and cut himself with a can-opener.  After he was older, pure strength on his will and now he controlled his problem. 

He now is doing wonderful and is a wonderful husband. I just thought you would like to her his story.  There are probably more things that he has not told me.

I received my masters degree in music education and research. I hope that this story is not boring to you.