June 18, 2004

This is the beginning. Technically, not the beginning, but more of the middle. The Diaries have been an ongoing project. Mental illness. Schizophrenia. Borderline personality disorder. Manic depression. You've found it all, right here. Not all at once, not in complete detail, but parts that have made it part of my life since my friend Stew became ill. Stew was my husband, and is now my friend. He was my friend before too, of course, which has made this process easier, if the process can be considered easy at all. Easy or hard, that's not really the point. The point is, he lives with this every day. I look after him, make sure he's okay, keep him off the streets. This has not been particularly easy on me, but I wouldn't have not done it for anything. I am glad I have been able to do it, that I have had this opportunity to help him and that he has also been there to help me through it.

It's a mutual protection society we've created. It's a journey we did not set out on willingly, but there it is. Sometimes these things just happen, don't they? Much has been written in the Diaries, so we'll start with previously written pieces. Current pieces will be inserted. This will not be chronological . . . but each piece will be dated. C'mon, it'll be more fun this way . . .