Antonia (“Tuni”) Deignan spent most of her life using a whole host of coping mechanisms to avoid facing the trauma of her childhood, a sexually abusive father and a mother who seemed helpless to stop him. But when a bike accident rendered her immobile and dependent on narcotics at age of fifty-five, she finally sat down to unwind and understand the circus of her life; a journey that led her to a place of understanding, peace, and even joy. She tells the emotional story of how she grappled with her relationship with her parents, the aftermath of her rape, an eating disorder, drug and alcohol excesses, and shame as she came of age and began to build a life. In order to not lose her inner innocence, in order to protect herself, in order to believe in love, she began early on to create imaginary worlds into which she could escape—to use dreams to transport her away from her fears. She is a mother, a dancer and a writer. Her work has been published in print magazines and online.