Through the author's vulnerable sharing of her experiences, this book will help you to understand that MS - or any disease - does not define you. Her story, expressed beautifully in poetry, will inspire you to greater levels of acceptance, compassion and self-knowledge through your journey through the ordeals of MS. What is MS and how does it affect you? This neurological disease should be eliminated. The author calls attention to a serious health problem that affects 2.5 million people globally. Dr. Guilfoyle share five key factors for a better life and demonstrates how focusing on what matters can make a difference in your life. For the newly diagnosed the prospect of multiple sclerosis is overwhelming. After reading Overcoming the Dragon of MS you will see what a difference acceptance, action and attitude make in fighting this disease. In fact, 85% of those who actually have MS are more mildly affected with a relatively normal life. The book is written is three sections that guide you through the journey of the author's life. In Part I the author faces the prospect of the disease. In Broken Mane she tells of her despair and current conditions. She describes the foreshadowing of MS at various stages of her life as she relates her background. She describes her early trials and tribulations and the test she must do. Her first symptom is blindness, a horrific time for her. In Part II the author looks diagnosis of MS head on, and talks about the common symptoms of MS, treatments and solutions. She relates how Tai Chi changes her life for the better and that she recognizes that the time to complete her lifelong dream of writing is imminent. In Part III Dr. Guilfoyle reflects on her life and identity. She feels a strong need to disclose the fact that she has MS, no longer lurking in the shadows. In The Awakening she regains confidence, it is a turning point, and she ends the quest for her dream with Rebirth. This book can accelerate your acceptance of MS. The author recommends that you access your situation, face it head on, and do what you need to do for better health. Get a good attitude fast and move on. For the rest of you, help in the fight against MS. In The Power to Change MS, the author presents a rationale and call to action for the decision makers and community leaders, to help end this disease. She gives five ways that you can help the cause. The sequence of thirty narrative poems comprise a narrative memoir-a powerful story of rejuvenation that brings the author to her dream career. The imagery is bountiful, mythological, and symbolic. The author highlights women's issues as she describes the physical, emotional and intellectual ramifications of multiple sclerosis. Other themes include family, career, identity, legacy and change.
About the Author: Dr. Kathleen Guilfoyle, a native of California, has poetry in Wings, Eye Prayers, Pacific Review, Napa Review, and Bury Me Sioux. She is author or coauthor of eight educational books on writing that were used in school districts and county offices. A writing teacher in high school she had a poetry club, an underground network for students to express their lives in a literary-art magazine Images. She began teaching memoir to older adults in her village in the format of journal therapy. She published their work in Legacies. A certificate in applied gerontology and experience in adult learning has helped her to understand the aging process. Dr. Kathleen Guilfoyle is cofounder of Artha Narratives with her husband Patrick Guilfoyle in San Diego.