Rachel Pappas, author of "Hopping Roller Coasters",stops by!

I have not had an easy time, but Marina’s had a rougher ride. Thirteen hospitalizations, five schools in five years. And in between, a blur of ambulance rides, runaways, and mother-daughter meltdowns. Much of what happened is tied to that while I love my daughter more than life, I unleashed my rage on her, and she eventually crashed and burned.

After years of reaching and slipping we start to heal, when I face cancer. The story becomes about forgiving and being forgiven. It’s about second chances. And learning to redefine success—both your success as a mother and your child’s victories. And its about using humor to keep treading.