Comment by Jess on 14 Jun 2011 at 4:25 am

Hello Karen. I’m a 26 year old ICU RN. I have been fascinated (not sure if that’s the right word) with DID/MPD since I was about 15 years old. I initially became interested after hearing a guest speak on Oprah. Forgive me, I forget his name, I do know that he wrote “First Person Plural”. By 17, or so, I read his book multiple times and many others like it. Mainly focusing on child abuse therapy and MPD. By the time I was a junior in HS, I was set on becoming a Child Psychologist. Unfortunately, after several courses I determined that it wasn’t my calling. I want to praise you for your strength and courage. As well as, express my gratitude to you and Dr. Baer for the dedication to continuing your therapy during those questionable times. If I may ask, have your children read your story? Your Mother? I hope that their reaction cause you no pain. I look forward to incorporating yours and Dr. Baer’s strengths and patience in the care I provide for my patients and their families.

Thank you for your time,

Jess

Dear Jess,

Thank you for sharing! I thoroughly enjoy hearing stories like yours that show how my story can help see patients in a new way. Thank you for your kind, thoughtful, and amazing compliments! It is very important to me and to Dr. Baer to keep on sharing my story in hope to help others who may have been or know of someone who has been abused. I also admire you for choosing a career in the health care field. There is such a need for empathetic nurses. I can tell you have a caring spirit.

Regarding sharing my story with my children? Yes, I have. My daughter has read my story and said that it helped her understand me all the more. I verbally shared with my son, but I did not wish to push my story on him.  He had been serving as a Marine in Iraq and went through his own trauma. I asked my son not to read my story until he felt ready. My mother, on the other hand, has not read my story, because I did not share with her. I tried a few times, but her narcissism and pessimism caused me more distress and concern. My mother turns a deaf ear to me and simply ignores anything that does not pertain to her. I felt it was in my best interest for my continued well being not to share with my mother.

Dr. Baer and I wish you the very best as you care for your patients. We surely made the best of a horrific situation during my therapy years. I am grateful for all that Dr. Baer has done for me.  If I were him, I’m not sure I would have been as strong. My alter chaos most certainly was overwhelming and beyond imagination.

Karen