At nine years old, Marianne Richmond's life is upended when she collapses on her kitchen floor with full-body convulsions. Afraid to be at school, in her body and in her life, Marianne desperately hopes for help and healing. But her emotionally unavailable mother refuses medication on Marianne's behalf. At age 18, a full-body seizure in Marianne's dorm room leads her to neurological intervention. Physically, Marianne feels "fixed," but emotional healing proves more elusive. In the years to come, Marianne becomes a parent herself. She authors children's books that touch millions of lives, each of them celebrating a mother's unconditional love for her children. When her mother becomes ill, Marianne has a choice to make: will she be present for the mother who rarely felt present to her?