Although we share different biological fathers, we are sisters through and through. We are Randi and Heather, sisters 9 years apart in age, with another sister, Stacy, between us. Her husband, their father, was not prepared to be a father and left. When their mother met Heather’s biological father in 1975 no one could have predicted the hell that was in store. For 7 years the girls and their mothe
r experienced every type of abuse possible at the hand of this man. Finally, when Heather was 4, they escaped. Although our mother met a wonderful man who would raise us and love us has his own, we were constantly stalked for years and Heather was forced to continue visitation, and the damage had already been done. Finally in 1990 we all up and moved across the country. The aftermath of that life, however, was like a tornado that ripped through our lives over and over and continues to affect us daily. At around 26, Randi was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder after her first suicide attempt. Additional diagnoses of Borderline Personality Disorder, Complex PTSD, and others have come throughout the years, along with additional suicide attempts and daily fights to survive. Heather began the secret eating at 5, resulting in Binge Eating Disorder. At 19 she was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder as well. She has suffered from anxiety since she was a child, something that has become much more severe in the last couple of years. We are sisters, and we are best friends. Some days the goal is just to make sure the other make it through the day. We realize that not everyone, not enough people with mental illness, have that type of support system. We know how blessed we are, and we hope that by sharing our stories, we can help others.
