Detour from Normal

Before April 14, 2011, Ken Dickson lived a life indistinguishable from those of other residents of his Phoenix suburb. The normally healthy fifty-five year-old held a regular job and lived with his loving wife, two teenage daughters and an assortment of pets. On that mid-April day though, the course of his life forever changed when he learned he must undergo surgery to remove a damaged portion of his lower intestine. A fluke injury unknowingly inflicted days earlier while he worked in his yard resulted in an unseen infection that damaged it beyond repair.

The life-saving surgery and associated medications become catalysts for an unbelievable chain of events that cause the formerly mild-mannered man to spiral into the chaotic mental illness known as mania. Dickson then experiences a whirlwind of trips to emergency rooms, hospitals and ultimately, psychiatric facilities where additional medications further seal his fate.

Part medical mystery, and part psychological thriller, Dickson's creative nonfiction memoir, Detour from Normal, demonstrates how even the most seemingly normal life can implode in an instant. It is a riveting account of undying love and brutal anguish, of lies and arrogance, and of unforgettable characters and desperate actions.

In an age when there is utmost concern about the quality of mental health care, the timing could not be better for this informative and inspirational memoir. Told from the real-life perspective of someone suffering from mental illness, readers will observe first-hand the adverse reactions to medications, misdiagnoses, improper treatment and other factors that work together to send Dickson spiraling into a seemingly inescapable hell.

Despite overwhelming obstacles, Dickson struggles bravely to reclaim the life he has lost. His journey proves to be a perilous one of unexpected discovery. From its foretelling opening pages to its unpredictable climax, Detour from Normal never ceases to be fascinating, enlightening and thought provoking.