Who Am I?

How My Daughter Taught Me to Let Go and Live Again

by Megan Cyrulewski

Megan Cyrulewski is an ordinary person who has faced extraordinary challenges and now wants to inspire people and show them that hope gives them the power to survive anything. Who Am I? is about her journey into postpartum depression, anxiety disorder, panic attacks, visits to the psych ward, divorce, domestic violence, law school and her courageous struggle to survive with her sanity intact – and how a beautiful little girl emerged from all this chaos.

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Tyler was out of control—I had to stop him from taking my daughter…

Before I could even react, he snatched Madelyne out of my arms and put her in the back of his car. She started to hyperventilate.

“What are you doing?” I screamed.

Tyler ignored me as he tried to strap her in the car seat.

“Tyler! She’s terrified! You can’t do this! Let’s take her to a park or something. She has to calm down before she can go with you!” Was he crazy? How could he do this to his own child?

I squeezed in between him and the doorframe of the car door. “Tyler! Stop!”

“Don’t touch my car!” Tyler screeched as he tried to slam the door shut. I had my leg in between the door and the frame so he couldn’t close the door. I tried reaching Madelyne who was still wailing and howling. It was a horrific sound. All of a sudden, Tyler put me in a chokehold and dragged me from the car. I could see my dad out of the corner of my eye trying to get someone’s, anyone’s, attention.

“Help!” I screamed. “Help me!” But we were parked too far away from the actual police station and since it was Sunday, no one was around. “Someone help me. Please!”

Tyler tightened his arm around my throat. I couldn’t breathe. Oh my God, I thought. He’s going to kill me. Tyler was completely out of control. I knew if I didn’t do something soon, I was going to blackout.

Once in a while a book comes along that isn’t about boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, tragedy strikes, boy and girl part, then boy and girl get back together and live “happily every after”. Who Am I? is a book filled with truth, tragedy and growth.

I know from personal experience that it takes a lot of courage to speak aloud about domestic violence, to add Postpartum Depression to the stress of living with this conscious act of violence by the abuser has to be a horrendous experience and takes even more courage to bring it to light. Megan Cyrulewski has shown an inordinate amount of inner courage in writing Who Am I?. Her book is very honest, well written, heart-breaking and inspirational.

I live with the effects of PTSD from severe, almost fatal domestic violence and I will admit that I hit a wall while reading Who Am I? that took me a little bit to process and overcome, but with the help of the counseling I’ve received, I did just that.

For anyone that has experience PPD or domestic violence, or, God forbid, both together, this is a book that will inspire you should you need it. I highly recommend Who Am I? How My Daughter Taught Me to Let Go and Love Again to anyone looking for more information about either subject and Megan Cyrulewski’s incredible journey to the other side! Kudo’s Ms. Cyrulewski and I give you five steaming, hot cups of Room With Books coffee!

© Jan 7, 2014

Megan Cyrulewski has been writing short stories ever since she was ten-years-old.  Eventually she settled into a career in the non-profit sector and then went back to school to get her law degree.  While she was in school, she documented her divorce and child custody battle in her memoir, Who Am I?, which was published in 2014.  Megan lives in Michigan with her 3-year-old daughter who loves to dance, run, read, and snuggle time with Mommy.  Megan also enjoys her volunteer work with Troy Youth Assistance as the Fundraising Chair on the Board of Directors.

www.megancyrulewski.com

https://www.facebook.com/authorMeganC

https://twitter.com/MeganCyrulewski

http://www.megancyrulewski.com/blog

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8412564.Megan_Cyrulewski

Megan will be awarding a $50 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn host.

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