Happy 30th birthday Andrew!

May 27, 1987 was both a joyous day, but one which eventually became the darkest of times for me.

When Andrew was three-months-old, after 11 days of sleepless nights, I was admitted to Pond House at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital. During the 11 days leading up to my admission, I had been crying non-stop, was petrified of being alone and worried I was not able to care for my infant son and two other older siblings.

Once admitted into the hospital, the psychiatrist diagnosed me with Endogenous Depression. He prescribed the antidepressant, Elavil. Unfortunately, within a few weeks, my clinical, postpartum depression had developed into a full-blown case of manic psychoses.

After being in the hospital for four weeks, I was transferred to The Institute of Living in Hartford.

After two and a half weeks, I was sent home and was stable. My infant son was just about five months. I had missed months of his young life. It took me a full year to feel like my old self. I worried that the time spent away from him would affect his development. I was so wrong! He graduated from college with a degree in political science and communications and now has a career.

I have worked as an LPN for 30 years. Two people lived through adversity and thrived. 

Judith A. Varley

Lyme