Written in a loval newspaper by mother of a bipolar child.

You see if only my son had childhood leukemia instead of bipolar... He would have a 90% chance of being cured and only 10% chance of dying. Family and friends would rally to support him and us. They would stay at his bedside. They would send cards and balloons and flowers. They would prepare meals for us. They would be there for him and us. Foundations would answer his fondest wish, and professional athletes and clowns would come to his bedside to bring him a smile. He would be treated on a caring ward in a beautiful children's hosptal made possible by gifts from private individuals and foundations. Our insurance company would not put a limit on the number of days he could spend in the hospital, and there would be plenty of understanding pediatric oncologists willing to treat him. If needed $100,000 for a bone marrow transplantation, medical insurance would cover it. If not, family, friends and strangers would donate money to ensure that he received the life-saving treatment. But my son does not have leukemia. He has a menat illness and ... he has more than an 18% chance of dying from suicide or drug overdose or some other complication of his illness, and there is no hope for a cure - only the hope that maybe someday he can take care of himself. Family and friends avoid us. They do not rally to help us. The do not as how he is and how we are. They are not there for him or us. There are no foundations seeking to grant his wishes, and professional athletes and clowns do not come to give him a smile. Our son has a mental illness, and that means his illness is not like leukemia, because surely it is his fault or both. His illness is certainly not something worth caring about. His wishes are not worth granting, and few people want to volunteer their time just to bring him a smile. There is no beautiful psychiatric ward for him, because who would want to watse their gifts on children like him? Instead, we close psychiatric facilities for childred and put up barriers to their receiving treatment. Our insurance company limits inpatient coverage to 30 days a year, so we pray he does not need more than that. Insurance companies do not adequately pay child psychiatrists, so, naturally, there is a shortage, and we feel lucky because we were able to a get a child psychiatrists to care for our son. If he ever needs residential treatment, which may require many months of therapy, our medical insurance will not pay for it. Family , friends, and strangers will not come forward to raise the $100,000 that is needed for his treatment, no matter how life-saving it may be. Yes, if my son had leukemia, he would have a realistic chance of being cured, and would receive that best possible medical care and support of family and friends and strangers. But he doesn't. He has BP, and that means inadequate medical care, cold indifference from others, and no hope for a cure. What a terrible wich a mother to have. To which that your son had leukemia instead of what he does have , a mental illness called bipolar disorder.