This is a memoir by the whole Cornwall family writing individually. It's about how the stigma of our sister being a paranoid schizophrenic tore our family apart. It ripped at our relationships, confused us as to our identity, and made us think we had done something bad. And maybe we did.
Suzan was 23 years old when she went to the home of an ex-lover to accuse him of committing a sexual assault on her that resulted in the murder of their unborn male embryo. (If that's even possible?) The question was: Is there any truth to this allegation?
In answer to that question, Suzan was made a Ward of the State of California and was committed to Patton State Mental Hospital in San Bernardino. She was parked in the "snake pit" with 3,000 other lunatics and left to see whether she snapped out of it or died.
The family slipped into chaos. It collapsed upon itself amid accusations made by our aunt and uncle that our parents had acted negligently in the care of Suzan. It was all their narcissistic fault that Susie had gone insane. Meanwhile, the brothers, Tod and Mark, were going insane just thinking about it and took it upon themselves to break Suzie out of Psycho Ward 3B.
This story tells the tale about raw insanity. It's the year 1969. A year of grit and long hair, with Vietnam on the horizon, and rock concerts flaring at night. Christmas time is coming. Brother Tod is hanging orange and black ornaments. Mother faces off with Nurse Ratchet over sterilization. Father sits on his throne in Germany, distant and unreachable. The family home is gone forever. Suzie can't help but fall in love with Marshal - who is already gone. They're all dead and gone
This is a memoir about pain.
It is also a memoir about strength.
And it is, above all, a memoir about becoming whole.
