Stephen Lee Ostrowski

The Whirlpool

The Whirlpool (sometimes I think I can't go on anymore) ..ISBN 0 75411 708 1 first published by Minerva Press 2002

It's a feeling you may recognise.

Things are getting you down and piling on top of you.You begin to feel there's no escape. Nothing you do seems to make a difference. The pressures keep building and you feel incapable of getting out from under them.

The present can seem meaningless, the future hopeless....

You are being sucked down deeper and deeper by despair and fear.

How can you escape the force of The Whirlpool?

One man has pulled through with the help of his friends, his music and his sheer determination.

This is his story.

This book is available to order from Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whirlpool-Sometimes-Think-Cant-An

Book Review

Book Review

The Whirlpool: Sometimes I Think I Can't Go On Anymore

By Stephen Lee Ostrowski

First Published, Minerva Press, 2002

Second Edition, Upfront Publishing , 2002

For most people, life flows along like a river, meandering through uncharted territory. Nothing is set. There are surprises along the way, but most are navigable. Consider them a ripple, if you will. For others, the waters are treacherous, and the unrelenting whirlpool created by the rapids pulls you under.

Stephen Lee Ostrowski's true-life story, The Whirlpool: Sometimes I Think I Can't Go On Anymore, chronicles his "fall from grace"—the events contributing to his all-consuming depression, which led to his suicide attempt and subsequent admission to York Ward, the mental health unit at Hillingdon Hospital in West London, England.

Mr. Ostrowski, a long-distance lorry driver, then happily married in his late thirties, with a comfortable home, various interests, and good social life had not a care in the world. As some married couples do, the Ostrowskis begin to drift apart, and it isn't long before hostility erupts in their once tranquil marriage. The marriage sadly ends, and Stephen finds himself spiraling out of control. Self-pity leads to drink; drink leads to destructive behavior. A brief affair with an ex-girlfriend results in an unwanted pregnancy. He has since moved on to another destructive relationship, which also ends. A careless night of drinking and driving leads to the suspension of his driver's license and his livelihood. Wanting to find some balance, some sense of normalcy in his life, Stephen visits his doctor and expresses his complete emotional devastation and suicidal feelings. However, the doctor, aside from feeling sympathetic and prescribing sleeping pills and relaxation exercises, provides no helpful solution for his patient. During the preceding months, Stephen begins envisioning what his son will look like. His feeling—that within a stable relationship, the birth of his son will be a joyful experience—leads him to try making a go of the relationship his ex-girlfriend has been desperately trying to pursue. Unfortunately, his depression is too deep, and his attempt a failure. Finding himself alone in the apartment that belongs to the mother of his child, Stephen experiences a complete breakdown and takes a near-fatal combination of sleeping pills and acetaminophen. Afterward, Stephen is admitted to the mental health unit at Hillingdon Hospital where he begins his long journey to recovery. Along the way, Mr. Ostrowski introduces us to other residents that inhabit the decaying mental health facility—many of whom are still in his acquaintance. During this time, Stephen rekindles his love for music and composes a classical guitar piece "The Whirlpool", so named by former York Ward resident, Mary Davies. Stephen also meets

Keith Ian Miller, a former resident that later collaborates on Stephen's CDs "The Whirlpool" and "Electric Storm".

Mr. Ostrowski has presented his readers with a unique gift. This book goes far beyond good writing and a compelling subject. This book offers a view of a man's soul, his illness, and his struggle to come to terms with it. His story is poignant—sometimes overwhelmingly sad, sometimes devilishly humorous. It is a story that could reflect the lives of any one of us. It is not a story that glorifies the mental health industry. Mr. Ostrowski left Hillingdon when he came to the realization that nothing there would benefit his recovery. It is, however, a story of a man that has persevered and fought to regain his footing in a precarious world. The book also features unforgettable poetry by the above-mentioned Ms. Davies and newspaper clippings of the failures relating to the mental health unit and the resulting demolition and rebuilding of the hospital.

Karole Maidhof – Author U.S.A.

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The Whirlpool

The Whirlpool (sometimes I think I can't go on anymore) ..ISBN 0 75411 708 1 first published by Minerva Press 2002

This book is available to order from Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whirlpool-Sometimes-Think-Cant-An

Book Review