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When Someone Asked, 'Do You Wish You Never Had Him?'

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I was recently asked by someone, referring to my son, “Don’t you sometimes wish you never had him?”

• What is Bipolar disorder?

The question wasn’t meant offensively, but I paused a moment, letting those words sink in. I didn’t pause because I had to ponder my answer; I paused because I was shocked at the question.

I’m not judging the person who asked me. Yes, it’s a harsh question. But it was an honest question, and I have no issues with speaking honestly and candidly about our journey.

“No,” I replied.

“Be honest,” she said.

“Honestly, no I don’t. I hate bipolar disorder. I hate when it makes him depressive. That, I wish we didn’t have to deal with,” I replied.

And that’s the truth. Even if someone asked me on one of our worst days, it would still be my answer.

Here’s our truth: he has bad days — days where I think to myself, “I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know if he can do this.” Days, even weeks, where we can’t leave the house because he’s in such a deep depressive cycle, he can’t stop crying and screaming.

Days where he begs me to make it stop.

Days where he begs his brain to “leave him alone.”

Days where I won’t contact my family or interact with the followers on my page because I can’t leave him alone, and because I can’t stand the thought of talking with people and trying to act like everything’s OK.

But you know what? He perseveres. He gives us the strength to continue. He is the reason we are strong. He is the reason we keep on keeping on.

Through all of this, never once, not even for a split second, have I ever wished Liam wasn’t my son. I had seven miscarriages before he finally came into our lives, and I thank God for him every night. He’s one of the strongest people I know, and even on hard days, I’m happy he’s my son.

Follow this journey on A Legion for Liam.

Originally published: November 14, 2015
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