| "On July 5, 1996, my daughter was struck mad. | | | | was admitted to the psychiatric hospital, his |
| She was fifteen...She had learned to speak from | | | | mother's visit prompted her to explain how she |
| me; she had heard her first stories from | | | | had resented becoming pregnant and giving birth |
| me...from one day to the next we had become | | | | for a second time, given her circumstances at the |
| strangers." That was the harsh reality for Michael | | | | time. It was this second-born son that was in |
| Greenberg, author of Hurry Down, Sunshine. | | | | need of caretaker assistance as an adult. Michael's |
| This is a father's personal and inspiring story of his | | | | mother was extremely emphatic in relaying to |
| obviously deep and abiding love for his | | | | Michael that Sally's mental illness was different and |
| fifteen-year-old daughter, Sally, and her sudden | | | | not inherited from Michael's brother. |
| descent into psychosis. It is a story of Michael | | | | When Sally was finally released from the |
| Greenberg's daily devotion to Sally as together | | | | psychiatric hospital she had to continue taking |
| they journeyed through her psychotic experience. | | | | medication and follow a plan of action. Several |
| It is the story of a family's experience, struggles | | | | days a week, her father took her to a behavioral |
| and frustrations as they cope with mental illness; | | | | clinic to meet with her therapist. |
| it is a story filled with raw emotions. | | | | At one point, in an effort to better understand |
| Sally was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, | | | | the effects of Sally's medication, to "see the |
| evaluated and diagnosed as being bipolar 1. She | | | | world" as Sally saw the world and what it did to |
| began a regimen of psychotropic medication. Each | | | | her body and in particular her brain functioning, Mr. |
| day Sally's father made the trip to the hospital to | | | | Greenberg swallowed a dose of her medication. |
| spend the better part of the day with his | | | | Almost immediately he began to "feel dizzy and |
| daughter. He states she was "in no-man's land." | | | | far away..." |
| Michael Greenberg grew up as one of five male | | | | While at home Sally experienced ups and downs; |
| siblings, one of which was afflicted with paranoia | | | | she experienced the "in and out of psychosis." But |
| and in need of some caretaker assistance. Michael | | | | the day finally came when "a miracle...The miracle |
| took over as his adult brother's caretaker when | | | | of normalcy, of ordinary existence" occurred, only |
| his parents no longer could manage. When Sally | | | | to return three years later. |