Disability Memoir

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 "Gift of Life: Transforming Destinies through Organ Transplants," you'll travel on a remarkable journey of hope, bravery, and the astonishing power of human generosity. The amazing tales of people whose lives have been profoundly altered by the gift of a second chance—the gift of life itself—are revealed in this captivating book. You'll find a tapestry of stories that reinforce the profound worth of life by inspiring, challenging, and concluding.

Her Name Was Lola is the story of Trish Ryan’s triumphant recovery from a stroke that should have killed her. She had a successful career in the entertainment industry for over 30 years until May 5th, 2017, when she suffered a severe stroke that changed her life forever. Living a very fast-paced life had not prepared her for when it all came to a grinding halt. Lost and confused with no roadmap to follow, she relied on her faith to show her the way to embrace what happened and move forward.

A moving story about how autism and a shared appreciation for superheroes brought two brothers together. Author Josh Stehle learned everything he knows about superheroes from his older brother and best friend, Zach. From the worlds they live in, to the writers who created them, and studios who produced them--Zach is an expert in all things superhuman and heroic. He is also on the autistic spectrum.

These are a collection of new poems and some poems taken from the vault of Timothy Paul Brown. As usual they express the trials and tribulations, the glory and the pain, the grandiosity and obsession, the paranoid deluded thinking that come with having a paranoid schizophrenic disability. There is so much intensity and passion exhibited in this work of art. The author will take you to places you have never been in mind and spirit. You will feel empathy and compassion probably some sympathy. But these poems are not meant to make its listeners feel sorry for the author.

When Jim Sayre was a totally blind child growing up in Zanesville, Ohio, in the 1940s and '50s, blind children were typically steered into occupations caning chairs or tuning pianos. "Or selling pencils on street corners," Jim says. No way he was going to settle for that. With the help of a loving mother who saw the wisdom of integrating a blind child into the sighted world and Jim's own innate determination--he might call it stubbornness--Jim overcame the obstacles and prejudices blind children faced in those times. 

In the haunting reality captured in this audiobook, a 13-year-old soul finds himself ensnared within the harrowing confines of a nightmarish residential treatment facility. In those 60 days, his very humanity teetered on the edge, threatened to be torn asunder. This raw and unflinching account paints a vivid portrait of a young spirit's resilience and the chilling depths of human suffering.

" On ne saura jamais quel aurait été mon destin sans cette maladie – une méningite bactérienne foudroyante à l’âge de six ans –, mais je n’aurais sans doute pas vécu le quart de ce que j’ai eu la chance de vivre jusqu’à présent. Je suis Théo Curin, vingt-deux ans, amputé des quatre membres, bien dans ma tête, bien dans ma peau. Quand on me demande comment je réagirais si on me rendait bras et jambes, je réponds : “Non, merci, je ne saurais qu’en faire !” J’ai des choses à dire et le sentiment d’être écouté, que demander de plus ? "

Medical aid in dying has been legal in New Mexico since 2021. This collection of stories about courageous terminally ill adults who have chosen medical aid in dying, is told with compassion and clarity. Dr. Sparks provides the service in New Mexico, one of 10 states, as well as Washington DC, where the practice is legal. NM currently has the most progressive law, and is the model for at least 17 other states seeking passage of similar legislation in 2024.

This is a philosophical and observational book based on the challenges and the triumphs of Paddy Slattery's life which include a severe spinal cord injury leaving him paralyzed, two near-death experiences, and his debut film hitting the cinema and Netflix just as Covid was beginning to make headlines.

Amanda Harris presents her inspiring autobiography. Travel with her as she shares her life experiences from diagnosis of a visual impairment, at only a few weeks old, to becoming a successful business owner and motivational speaker. An honest, moving and funny story highlighting transformation from the only disabled child in the playground to a strong independent woman.

Af's journey starts from the exhilaration of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to confronting a tumour diagnosis at 29. An unexpected return to the UK meant trading Olympic thrills for surgeries and chemotherapy. This isn't just a tale of medical battles but family relationships, friendships and positivity. Af shared his journey on social media with an unfiltered look into the world of cancer treatment. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Brazil and the medical corridors of UK hospitals, Af's tale is one of resilience, humour, and hope.

Embark on an extraordinary odyssey through the seasons of life in "MY MIRACULOUS HEALING JOURNEY," an engrossing memoir that goes beyond the confines of everyday life. In the spring of 2014, the author was looking forward to a new phase in his consulting career and the arrival of a grandchild. The author did not foresee the darkness that would soon envelope his path, setting the stage for a journey of resilience, faith, miracle, self-discovery, and holistic healing.

Lillian was a college freshman, a promising theater major facing the challenge of Stargardt’s disease, a condition that was causing her to go blind. When, in the fall of 2009, Lillian became sick, she assured her parents it was just the flu. Four days later she was in the university hospital, relying on a machine to breathe for her. Based on her father’s journal, this memoir describes what it’s like to live through a parent’s worst nightmare, conveying the heart-wrenching ups and downs of Lillian’s time in the hospital.

Kamata's adventures with her teen—who happens to be deaf, with cerebral palsy, and in a wheelchair—through subterranean Tennessee, to the islands of Japan, and to the top of the Eiffel Tower ultimately lead to a daughter's increasing independence, a mother letting go of expectations, and advocacy for travel which prohibits discrimination.

Ife Thomas’ Five Life Lessons from a Motivational Speaker’ is a deeply personal and inspiring journey through the author’s life challenges and triumphs. Ife shares her experiences of overcoming obstacles as a neurodiverse individual, from childhood rejection and grappling with an undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder to professional setbacks and personal growth. Her book weaves powerful narratives from her life with practical, actionable steps for personal development.

Macular degeneration affects over eight million people in the United States. Patients lose central vision, the ability to read fine print and recognize faces. A diagnosis doesn't mean surrendering to these challenges. Instead, understanding this medical condition will help pave the way toward a better future-for yourself or loved one.

In this intimate story of relationship resilience, marine biologist Beth Mathews’s adventurous life as a professor and mother in Alaska is upended when her healthy husband is slammed by a rare type of stroke. Jim’s radical approach to recovery clashes with Beth’s instinct to keep him safe at home and sets them on a collision course as he insists on ambitious sailing expeditions with Beth and their young son in Alaska’s magnificent yet unforgiving waters.

Growing up in Mineral Wells, Texas during the 1950s and 60s was anything but idyllic for Walter Ashby. Due to a misdiagnosis and medical error, his sister Janie went from being a lively young girl to a shell of a person who required their parents’ attention 24 hours a day, every day. To add insult to injury, his parents received another blow: before Walter was six-years-old, he lost 98 percent of his vision, leaving him legally blind.

Learning disabilities (LD) are a root cause of major problems in our society. Vast numbers of youngsters are not receiving appropriate education. Nancy Lelewer’s story began when even less was known about learning disabilities than is known today. In a gripping and fast-moving narrative style, this audiobook brings home the fact that LD persons need to receive instruction via different routes and the earlier the better.