One evening, my mom and I were going for a walk in the warm summer evening sun. We were having some mother-daughter time talking. I was telling her about some of my friends telling me they don't want to be anything like their parents when they get older. I told my mom I don't have that problem, I want to be like them. My mom turned to me, a frown on her face and said, 'Well I hope there's one thing. I don't want you to be bipolar.'

This is how I have grown up, my mom being bipolar and a lingering thought that my brother and I might be one day bipolar as well. In 6th grade, I went to Windy Peak for Outdoor Lab for a week with my elementary school. When we came home, I was to go to one of my friend's houses because my parents had to work. As we pulled up in the buses, I saw my dad, waiting for me. I was very happy but that was to only last a little while.

He took me to McDonald's for lunch and we sat down at a booth to eat. Then he took my hand and said, 'Honey, something went wrong with your mother's bipolar medication. She's been in the hospital all week and your grandmother is here to help.' I broke down and cried. A week later we were home. I walked down the stairs and found my parents walking towards me. I was frozen in shock. My mom was so, so pale and was practically falling over. They had given her a new medicine to try sine the last one didn't work for her. Apparently, this one went wrong too. It had practically stopped her heart. We called 911; an ambulance and cops came and got her back on her feet and a new medication. It was the scariest thing to witness.

Some things are harder for my mom to do than me because of her condition. For example, socializing. She has difficulty interacting with others, making friends. Most of the time from what I have witnessed, moms go to PTA meetings, do lunch with friends, and talk on the phone a lot to friends of your mom's to make plans to get together, the two moms. My mom has difficulty doing that. She doesn't like big crowds and you'll usually see her outside a group of people, almost against the wall. She tries, she does but it's hard for her. She does have friends, just very few. One of the only times lately that I have seen her really interacting and having fun is with the cast of the theatre show we are doing, Celtic Yuletide Celebrations. It makes me happy to see her happy and having fun.

It's not always easy being the daughter of a bipolar. Sometimes, if we are both upset, it's like a battle to see who deserves to be more upset. I don't know if this happens with normal moms and their daughters'but'honestly'I don't know. My life growing up is having a bipolar mom, I don't know what it's like living with a normal mom but I'm lucky. Because of my mom's condition, she's a stronger person. She's brave and always encourages me to do my best. She doesn't let being bipolar get in the way of her life. She's an actress, loves doing crafts, being creative, and she is a really good stage make-up artist. Even with the problems we sometimes have, she's the best mom anyone could ever ask for. I love you Mom.