I am a Mom, a Molecular Biologist, I have an MSEd. I act in plays, I love to take pictures. I also have bipolar disorder type 1. Yes this disease has taken a toll on me, my life and my loved ones. But I fight it daily. I will never let it win. I am stronger than this illness. I did not choose to have this disease, but I do choose to never let it vanquish me. I choose to live my life with as little interference from this illness as possible. And I want to tell everyone with mental illnesses that if I can try and succeed, not totally, but to a large extent, then so can YOU!