Book Review - The Memory Keeper's Daughter

One of my long-standing favorite hobbies has been reading. I have read a wide range of books in my day from SciFi/Fantasy to Horror, autobiographies to mysteries. Right now I'm reading mostly general fiction with a bit of non-fiction thrown in.

I just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. This fictional story begins in 1964 with Dr Henry being forced to deliver his own twins. Seeing that the girl twin has Down's Syndrome he gives the child to the nurse to take to an institution and tells no one of his decision. Instead he tells his wife the baby girl died at birth and does his best to live with the choice he made.

The novel is exquisitely written. The imagery is intense throughout, causing my usually noisy mind to stop and quiet down to hear what I read. I loved how each sentence drew me in, keeping my attention and making it so I didn't want to put the book down. I enjoyed how the author told the story from different character's points of view, giving each one dimension. That way I felt like I was reading about real people that I may have met somewhere instead of fictional characters in a book.

This is a book about how a secret can affect a person and how isecrets can have a ripple effect on future decisions. I loved this book and am looking forward to Kim Edwards' next novel.

Soooooooo tired

I am working so much overtime lately that I have barely any time to sleep. If S wasn't here I'd just go to bed at seven in the evening, but with him here I want to see him and talk to him. So I nap every day. Today my nap took away the exhaustion and left me merely tired. The shower helped, too, washing away all the grime and aches from work.

Another problem with me working later is that I have almost no time alone. I'm getting home about the same time as the boys or I nap the afternoon away. My cheques are fat, though :)

The Bipolar clinic is back at the Mental Health Clinic. I plan on going. It's a ten week course on understanding Bipolar Disorder. Family members are welcome and when S first heard about it he said he'd make the time to go. Now he's saying it's a day-to-day decision. Now I wonder, do I want him to go? Not if he has a poor attitude about it, that's for sure.

My sister is convinced she has Ashberger's Syndrome. She has none of the symptoms of it and hasn't discussed it with a psychiatrist (that I know of). I think she's just looking to be special somehow and is using illness to be something different. I think she has Borderline Personality Disorder.

Words and psychiatrist

I'm reading a book written by someone who is bipolar and found it interesting that she has issues with words as well. Some are wonderful to read, write, type or say. Others are awful and unpleasant to even think. One thing she didn't say was something I do: sometimes a word or phrase will get stuck in my mind and I feel unable to move on. I can't go to the next sentance because I keep echoing the last few words of the other sentance. Also, sometimes I have to focus and concentrate on each word in order to understand them. If I don't focus, by brain doesn't register that I've read the word or phrase and so I don't understand the next chunk of the book. Other days I can read easily and enjoy it.

One thing that I remembered: I used to always have a psychiatrist in my head. He was male sitting behind a wooden desk in an office high up. I was allowed to sit at a chair in front of him or wander around if I needed to. So I would usually look out the window :) I used to talk about everything that was bothering me, and he never gave an opinion, just listened and asked questions. Now I find I can talk to myself and figure out what questions to ask in order to get to the heart of things. I didn't think this was too weird but I see how it can be.

Feeling good

I have been feeling mostly good lately. One thing I've noticed is it's more difficult to get me riled up. I just accept things the way they are and stop being so fussy about changing it to suit me. Except traffic. Oh man do I hate traffic. My job allows me to travel quickly with only a few cars, but driving around in heavy rush hour traffic just gets my blood boiling.

I hope I've finally managed to figure out a correct dosage of lithium. I like being even-tempered and a bit more stable.

I don't know how much of this is bipolar and how much is being raised by a mom with Borderline Personality Disorder, but I feel like I'm nothing. I have few hobbies (just tv and movies right now) and very few friends. I go to work, come home and be a mom, be a girlfriend, go to bed and start over. When I try to come up with ideas for hobbies or interests, I get nothing. No sparks at all. I find this odd compared to the number of people that find things they like to do and try them or get busy doing them.