Showing titles in People with Disabilities

We were walking this journey together, yet alone. Two siblings from a close-knit, boisterous family of six. There is nothing like the camaraderie of family to give you the determination to persevere in spite of any obstacle. We were overwhelmed by the disease of multiple sclerosis as well as other autoimmune diseases. Our outward appearance of healthiness was deceiving. Unbeknownst to us, the disease of multiple sclerosis would eventually consume mobility, sight, memory, fine motor skills, speech, and so much more.

In this unique and exhilarating autobiography, Allan Jones - Canada’s first blind diplomat - vividly describes how an untreatable eye disease slowly decimated his visual world, most challengingly during his postings in Tokyo and New Delhi, and how he discovered and took to heart the revelatory Indian philosophy that changed his life.

The world spun and rolled as I collapsed at Macy’s in San Francisco to the voices of Christmas carols being sung and bells ringing. Fresh out of the ICU and a week later, a beige man gave me a beige folder with a dark diagnosis that would color the rest of my life - multiple sclerosis. This set off a tidal wave, a tsunami inside of me that ravaged my body and crushed my lungs. The MS Diaries is a memoir that seeks to impart the journey inside one man’s mind struggling with a severe chronic illness through uncensored personal anecdotes and humorous situations.

Riding the Rollercoaster invites listeners to embark on an emotional and enlightening journey. By sharing her story, the author gives a voice to countless individuals who grapple with this condition, offering a beacon of hope for a brighter future.

I don't know whether this is the story of Jeff the autistic individual, Jeff the man of God, or Jeff the medical enigma; but I do know it is the story of Jeff, my son. Jeff was so autistic, and yet not autistic at all if you used the textbook definition. He had huge sensory integration issues and appeared to be living inside of himself, but he cared so much for God and other people that their needs always came above his own. He had severe speech issues, only spoke one-word answers, but wrote beautiful papers and prayers when given the Canon communicator.

What it really feels like to live with type 1 diabetes—true stories inside. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, frustrated, or alone with type 1 diabetes, this book is for you. Written by Neil Greathouse (@thebetes), Type 1 Diabetes – True Stories is a powerful collection of honest, hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking moments from over 30 years of living with T1D.

For years, they came in on weekends to plan and practice—nearly sixty surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologists, preparing to harmonize in a vast medical symphony. For the team at Mayo Clinic, it was their most complex surgery to date: a face transplant. At the heart of this event was Andy Sandness. He grappled with feelings of isolation and shame after a disfiguring suicide attempt but was determined to reclaim his future, to be seen as ordinary, and to belong again.

A journey from darkness to acceptance is a raw and compelling memoir chronicling one woman's harrowing personal struggle with mental illness. When a severe psychotic break abruptly derails Elisa's stable life as a wife and mother, she finds herself plunged into an unpredictable world ruled by the terrifying whims of her mind. This powerful personal account traces Elisa's odyssey through the fragmented mental health system, oscillating from psychiatric holds to outpatient programs and back again as doctors struggle to control her volatile mood cycles.

The inspiring story from 2025 NSW Young Australian of the Year Nominee, Alex Noble, whose wisdom and strength can teach us all how to live life to the fullest, no matter what it throws at us. Sixteen-year-old Alex Noble was a high school rugby star with a promising sporting career ahead of him...

After a shocking diagnosis for a rare pituitary disease, and with her eighteen-year marriage in shambles, Risa's life has fallen far from picture-perfect. Recovering from brain surgery and desperate to get back to her former self, she signs up for the bike tour of a lifetime-six weeks from Canada to Mexico on the Pacific Coast Highway. The old Risa could have done the ride in her sleep, but for the new Risa, trapped in a body that no longer feels like her own and stuck in the company of her brain tumor, Bubba, the ride becomes a challenge unlike anything she's ever faced.

Madness and genius are often said to be close bedfellows, although the link between the two is little understood. Chris Joseph has known both extremes, and in The Golden Straitjacket, he lays bare his struggle with bipolar disorder and the condition's pendulum-like swing between creative dynamism and dark despair. The 66 stories or "manicdotes" can be enjoyed together or in isolation - they tell the tale of an extraordinary man whose struggle to overcome physical and mental obstacles will be an inspiration to anyone facing the stigma of physical disability and mental illness.

Autism is often misunderstood by mainstream society. Colin takes us on a journey through the key moments in his life with undiagnosed Autism. The added struggles with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculus are all part of who he is. There are sad times, funny times, times when he felt disdain for himself, but an underlying drive to carve out a life of normality is always there. A graduate of Edinburgh University shows to people that those on the spectrum are not daft or simpletons, only that they process information differently.

Ben Mattlin lives a normal, independent life. Why is that interesting? Because Mattlin was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a congenital weakness from which he was expected to die in childhood. Not only did Mattlin live through childhood, he became one of the first students in a wheelchair to attend Harvard, from which he graduated and became a professional writer. His advantage?

He was told he'd never walk again. She was losing hope that she'd ever feel whole again. This is their miraculous true story of defying the impossible. "In my very first impression of Chris, I was blown away by his determination to stay positive, do the work, and trust that God had a bigger...

This true love story follows Lars and Amanda, two twenty-somethings who fall deeply in love, with big plans for their future together, only to have the rug pulled out from beneath them when Lars is diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at age 24. They must learn to adapt to "medical life", putting their hopes and dreams on pause, navigating side effects and difficult emotions, and missing out on the beauty of every day moments that some may take for granted.

Samantha Matthews was born in Texas in 1996. Not long after her birth, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. As a child living with this disability, she had to learn how to overcome many obstacles in life. As the years progress, she grew in determination and resilience to live her best life. Everyone has their struggles and challenges in life. It can be difficult to get people to see the person behind a disability.

In 1997, Daniel Trush, a bright, active, outgoing twelve-year-old, collapsed on the basketball court and fell into a deep coma. Rushed to the hospital, he was found to have five previously undetected aneurysms in his brain. One had burst, causing a massive cerebral hemorrhage. While Daniel remained comatose, the uncontrolled pressure inside his skull caused him to suffer multiple strokes.

Families who have supported a child with special needs will connect with this memoir about Sarah, a feisty girl with autism and a unique genetic blueprint. Her mom, Jenny, is equally feisty and determined, which leads her to make a commitment that dramatically changes her and Sarah’s lives—as well as those of many others.

A puddle of water on a highway changed Dinesh Palipana's life forever. Halfway through medical school, Dinesh was involved in a catastrophic car accident that caused a cervical spinal cord injury. After his accident, his strength and determination saw him return to complete medical school - now...

Not that anyone wishes to be paralyzed in a motorcycle accident, but tragedy set the stage for triumph and the making of a real life fairy tale. When the harsh reality of paralysis turned the dream of having a family together into a nightmare for Erik and Jennifer, they had to face their deepest fears and live courageously, because sometimes fairy tales are just stories of love's perseverance.