I'll Admit That Today I'm Suffering From a Broken Heart...

All right, for a month I've been pretty messed up because I've had to prepare for some surgery, and have been going through some pretty messy stuff...including a couple hospital visits...Ok, fine, I got home yesterday...

OK, fine, but then I saw that someone who I have considered gosh, not just a friend but a brother and even more, has died, suffering from bi-polar disorder, he took his own life, Robin Williams...I'm heart-broken...

Hey Tony, Sorry to hear about your health issues. Really hope everything goes smoothly and your recovery is fast. Really sorry to see Robin Williams go too. Does seem that depression is a common problem for artistic types, especially comedians.

To quote Rorschach from Watchmen (not the most cheery of characters) - "Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life is harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world. Doctor says, "Treatment is simple. The great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says, "But doctor... I am Pagliacci."

Who is there that can cheer up the comedians when they are down.

With ya Tony. I have the same condition and wish he had someone he could have reached out to instead of taking his own life. It is so important to have people in your life that can and will be there for you when you think there is nothing out there for you.
My wife is my lifeline. I will be the first to say, I am not always easy to live with because of my BP disorder, but she knows why I am on the way I am and is there to support me 100% of the time.

Tony, your own health is the first priority. Other things fall into line after that. Sometimes they require deliberate nudging.

Your subject line uses an important word: "today." The news about Robin Williams shocked many. Most of us didn't have a personal relationship with him. Even for those who did, tomorrow will be different from today, next week will be different from this week, and on into the future.

Tony, I didn't know you were having health issues. I wish you a speedy recovery and yes Robin seemed to be a tortured soul. Many creatives, as he surely was, are. The Golf Game is still one of the funniest comedy bits I have ever heard.

I have dealt with BP disorder my entire life (not myself, but my brother). It was not easy at all to deal with, especially considering I am the younger brother. One moment he could be fine and the next threatening his own life. We had to deal with many attempted suicides and other various threats. It was extremely difficult. Especially with me being so young at the time, it was extremely scary and hard to understand.

He was in and out of hospitals, saw many mental health doctors regularly and has taken many medications to control his depression. It took many, many years of medicine "cocktails" variations to get something that has worked well for him.

He currently is 31 years old and doing extremely well. I would say the past 5-7 years have been *really* good. He has found a great job, house, relationship and good friends. He has his moments still, but nothing like it used to be like growing up. It is a significant change to what we had gone through. My parents really did everything and anything they could do for him for so many years, and it often wasn't enough for him to be OK. It is very difficult to treat/control mental illness.

It is wild though... In my brothers case, he was perfectly fine up until a head incident he had riding a bike. He slipped off a bike, hit his head hard and went into a coma. After that is when the depression and BP disorder started. All the doctors had said it was likely the head trauma likely caused it.

I am just thankful today that he is doing so well. A completely different person, really. He always takes his meds and all has been well.

It is unfortunate that Robin Williams could not find the proper help... Mental illnesses is no joke, and too bad he could not get the proper help he needed. He will be missed by many, that is for sure. It is just crazy that someone with the money and resources he had available to him, he could not get the help he needed. I guess in some cases, you can't be "fixed".

Hi Tony,
I hope your personal health issues are dealt with by the medical procedures you go through. Focus on getting well.

Losing Robin Williams to suicide is a shock to us all. Tragic that a man that made us all happy should live a secret life of futility and sorrow.

I haven't seen his diagnosis of Bipolar in the main media but his life as we know it shows some similarities.

May he rest in peace.

My heart's still broken and I'm still shedding tears, but thanks for the thoughts...

Just so you know, I did not know Robin personally, but, well, I have "known" him, for all these years...and yes, BP Disorder has been way too close to me and my family, and my sorrow is making it too hard to type, signing off...

tonylong wrote in post #17095145
My heart's still broken and I'm still shedding tears, but thanks for the thoughts...

Just so you know, I did not know Robin personally, but, well, I have "known" him, for all these years...and yes, BP Disorder has been way too close to me and my family, and my sorrow is making it too hard to type, signing off...

Take care Tony! We all share your pain.