Keep My Son: A Mother's Unprecedented Battle and Victory Over her Son's Mental Illness

by Diane Borders, Tyler Borders (Illustrator), Cynthia Rutherford (Illustrator)

A harrowing and spell-binding memoir of one family’s twenty-year journey through mental illness, told by the mother who fought at the front lines. When we hear the word “schizophrenia” we typically equate the outcome with hopelessness, despair, and another human statistic. However, in this case, the mother of the patient fought back, using her background in microbiology, chemistry, and an unrelenting will to survive to discover unprecedented breakthroughs in mental health. You are afforded a front row seat to witness a diagnosis of depression, its maturation to bipolar disorder, progressing to schizoaffective bipolar type, then schizophrenia, and ultimately elevating to paranoid schizophrenia. You will journey through the mental health system labyrinth, get insider input on what works and what doesn’t during crisis, witness gut-wrenching failures, and ultimately the most unlikely of victories against an undefeated opponent. The true story centers around a mother’s fight for her son, Daniel, who begins displaying symptoms of mental illness at the age of 14. He undergoes seven mental health hospitalizations, including a 9-month stay in the state mental hospital. The book leads you through his battle to a point where his hallucinations, delusions and voices are eliminated. You will witness the struggle first-hand, the frustration of ineffective medications, and ultimately learn about his recovery from schizophrenia using the genetics of the methylation pathway. As you immerse yourself in the memoir you will find you are the recipient of a personal escort through the unforgiving process used to recover Daniel’s mental health using the scientific principles of genetics. You will learn about genes tied to mental illness, genetic testing options, database choices which analyze genetic raw data, and the steps toward recovery using co-factors, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The memoir is filled with frustration, anger, hopelessness, fear, trauma, hope, recovery, compassion, and finally a future. If you are fighting for a loved one, or know people in your community who are struggling with mental illness, this first-of-its-kind memoir is a must-read. It may just hold the key to unlock the door for your family member in the throes of crisis. Move forward in hope and learn to be your own best advocate. Fight for your brain like you do for your body.

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 19, 2016

Reviews

[Jennifer Gasche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Helpful

As a mother of a 24 yr old schizoaffective son, this book was validating, informative. The in-depth discussion of this mother’s successful efforts of genetic healing through nutritional supplements is truly inspirational. A very accurate and honest depiction of this debilitating illness through the families eyes.

[Shal'tiar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harrowing story of full blown Schizophrenia told from a mothers point of view and how after years of pharmaceuticals they treated the diagnosis with nutrients, vitamins, and other supplements to heal the Methylation Pathways and got positive results.

[Sarah]

Couldn't get into this book.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much for sharing your family’s story. This book is well-written and informative - highly recommend for those wanting insight into schizophrenia and treatment options.

[Lynette Low · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having known several people with schizophrenia, this account of a mom, family and her son battling this disease is so heartbreaking and yet ends with such great hope!

[C. Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is ground breaking and heart breaking

This book needs to be required reading for every County Designated Mental Health professional. Every family that has had a mentally ill family member needs to work toward advocating with their legislative representative so this information can multiply hope and healing. Such pain should never be endured, such hope needs to be shouted from every corner and mountain top. Not for the faint of heart to read but press through and you will be glad you did.