Detour from Normal

Despite access to the greatest healthcare in the world, U.S citizens are not immune to medical horror stories. Such was the experience of Ken Dickson, a beloved husband and father and respected engineer, with no history of mental illness. What should have been an ordinary surgical procedure changed that, propelling him into a high security psychiatric ward where psychiatrists branded him a danger to himself and others.This gut wrenching story is leaving readers shocked at the author's treatment, and appalled by how quickly a medical situation fell through the cracks, sending the patient spiraling uncontrollably into medically induced madness.This book is not, however, only about Ken. It is the story of two people deeply in love, but torn apart by fate, an eye-opening introduction to the stigma of mental illness, and a personal run-in with the poor broken souls trapped in psychiatric care. It is a rich and varied exploration of our humanity written from the unique perspective of someone suffering from mental illness.Detour from Normal is a book that you cannot afford to ignore, with a message that you will not want to dismiss: tomorrow, next year, or five years from now, this could happen to you.Rarely do I read a book from start to finish without putting it down. This is one of those books. Very well written and wholly engaging, it took me on a surreal and yet easily understandable journey though the mind and experiences of someone marginalized by society as insane. That he is able to describe with such incredible attention to detail his delusions and how he was made to suffer so much cruelty and injustice at the hands of those we trust with our lives, including medical doctors, peace officers, guards, emergency medical technicians, nurses, psychiatrists, lawyers and even a judge, is amazing. What a great book!Peter Marlow, Los Angeles, CADetour from Normal by Ken Dickson should be required reading for all medical students, law students, and police academies and anyone who might come into contact with the mentally ill. Given the wrong medication during surgery, the author spiraled into mania and lost many months (if not years) of his life. This compelling, well-written story needs to be made into a movie.Cindy Stormer, former Assistant District Attorney of Dallas, Texas (2008-2015), and author of BrainStormer.A deeply moving and absorbing memoir that offers an inside look at our health system and how it can affect individuals and their families. Highly recommended!Elizabeth Lowry Ph.D., Lecturer, Arizona State University