Caitlin Kane knows more about the impact of schizophrenia than most people could imagine. Both her parents were afflicted with the devastating mental illness, a disease that tends to run in families, and Caitlin and her brother grew up trying to navigate the chaos of living with two schizophrenics. Her tumultuous childhood left Caitlin determined to forge a peaceful and serene life for herself. Now 32, she is living her dream. Married to her best friend, she and her husband are raising two bright young children in the suburbs of Seattle. While her unusual upbringing has left Caitlin with emotional scars, she enjoys the love and support of her extended family and her challenging career as a pediatric nurse. But no matter how hard she tries, she can't shake the obsessive fear that the family illness will strike again, robbing her of her mind or stealing away the sanity of one or both of her children.
Poignant, serious, and at times full of wit and humor, the novel shines a light on mental illness, and dispels many of the myths about schizophrenia—a disease that affects one percent of the population worldwide.
Meticulously researched, this novel accurately depicts how schizophrenia impacts patients and the people who love them. Written by a long time journalist, this engaging novel will have you rooting for Caitlin from the first page.
Here's what readers are saying about this true to life novel
"Although I have treated many schizophrenic patients and their families I still found that this personal
narrative very touching and illuminating," Heather B. Cattell. Ph.D, clinical psychologist and author of The 16: Personality in Depth.
"Thank you for writing about this subject. It is important because it touches so many families I know," Vicki Muse.
"I have a niece who is schizophrenic and this author takes you right into the absolute everyday horror of living with a relative who is severely mentally ill." Dawn McCoy. "This author makes you feel love and compassion for the very weird and bizarre people who are in charge of her childhood."
"Playing the Genetic Lottery offers a glimpse into a part of the world that is all two often ignored," Joseph Maldonado, MS, PsychCentral.com
Ashley Smith, the founder of Embracing My Mind, is living with schizophrenia and reviewed Playing the Genetic Lottery on her blog: Here's what she had to say about it: http://overcomingschizophrenia.blogspot.com/2013/01/terri-morgans-book-review-of-playing.html
Read the latest review of Playing the Genetic Lottery at: http://javajohnz.blogspot.com/2013/02/playing-genetic-lottery-book-review.html?showComment=1359818187247
Webpage last updated May 18, 2013