"There are some things that a medication cannot fix. Accomplishing every day tasks, things that they did previously, can become difficult. I remember a time when I had to write a list for Desiree. She taped it to her mirror in the bathroom. It said: brush your teeth, take a shower, wash your hair, put on deodorant, put on clean clothes, etc. This is for a person that used to require two hours in the morning to get ready for school!" I would like to share with you my personal story about the challenges I face as a parent of a daughter struggling to survive with mental illness. My message is to erase the stigma about mental illness and develop "respect through understanding." Please explore this site to learn more about my daughter as well as my advocacy. Sincerely, Connie Whitaker