Stranger on the Planet: The Small Book of Laurie

A grieving mother remembers her adopted child, abandoned by her birth mother at a month, neglected in foster care, who never managed to adjust to the needs of others, or have a happy life. Given the frightening and self-fulfilling prophecy diagnosis of child schizophrenia in infancy, Laurie never made it back, and her continuing problems splintered her adoptive family. Later she was repeatedly told that she had a "dual diagnosis," mental illness and chemical dependency. Being loved was not enough. The center section contains her astonishing poetry and beautiful drawings. Family pictures of her from infancy until her death from an overdose following a broken relationship, connect with the writing to create a haunting and unforgettable image of a soul in torment, her words often tinged with defensive humor. Sadly, she herself recognized that she had been dealt a bum hand by fate in terms of genetic heritage and accidental events. Part Two of this memorial book is a careful guide through the jungle of opposing thoughts on dual diagnosis. The writer, still struggling with the "if onlys", has "been through it" with this child's Coney Island ride into terrified womanhood. She also takes a searching look at possible solutions to the continuing problems of those thousands of other street and psychiatric unit survivors who still need better help. Bibliography, suggested reading, list of resources provided.