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Yes I Can!
Yes I Can! Lessons Learned from a Life Less Ordinary is one book that will make you grateful for life and embrace all the world offers. The author shares his personal journey with what society calls developmental disabilities. As you read about Paul Wichansky’s story, you realize that, as human beings, we have a flawed perspective on what we consider normal. Raising a child, or being a child that is born with physical limitations, is not easy. With Paul Wichansky, however, the reader is enlightened on the multiple aspects of disabilities. The author himself is not a fan of the word disability. Paul Wichansky uses different phrases and embraces positivity when writing about his conditions. Paul Wichansky had hearing loss and cerebral palsy when he was young. Naturally, this would take a toll on the average kid but not Paul.
In his book, the author writes in-depth about what living with these conditions was like. Paul clinches on positivity. The author did not write this book to seek pity, nor did he feel sorry for himself. Dr. Wichansky starts the book by giving a little background about himself, writing about his family as he progresses to his later years. I like how the author took a free-style approach when writing. For example, Paul Wichansky could be narrating about his childhood, then in the middle of the paragraph, throws in some scientific information about specific conditions. By writing in this manner, the reader is educated on subjects rarely spoken about while enjoying the beautiful life story of the author.
Many things stand out from the author’s life and his writing. I like that the phrases used, the tales told, and the experience shared all have some positivity in them. Paul is here to help you deal with your sorrowful moments and convert them into happy moments. His life is testimony enough that no matter how difficult things may appear and how many obstacles you may have to overcome, you can still live an accomplished life. One of my favorite quotes from the book is ‘…that optimism can become your access to success’. This phrase makes a good inspirational quote that will keep many readers going.
While reading this book, the reader cannot help but ask themselves specific questions. Why are some things considered normal while others are not? Why are some conditions shunned? Why does society treat people that are differently abled peculiarly? Paul Wichansky answers these and more questions throughout the book. There are many lessons from the author, but the main lesson I got is that having a positive mindset will take you places.
Paul Wichansky has, through the chapters, discussed many crucial topics that will help everyone succeed in life. You learn about having a support group, having the proper perspective, building friendships, and keys to success, among many other topics. The best part of Yes I Can! Lessons Learned from a Life Less Ordinary is the photo section, where the author takes us down memory lane with his beautiful photos of family and friends.
Pages: 206 | ASIN : B0BJW1YKLH
The Weird Consequences of a Bedbug Incident
WEIRD – or Weird Consequences of a Bedbug Incident, by Regine Dubono is intended to help struggling families see things from a fresh perspective.
Desiree, the focal character in the story, suffers from several disabilities and regularly undergoes treatments for many of them, including mental illness, physical disabilities, and many others. Despite her many conditions, however, she was also highly talented in many ways.
Regine Dubono calls into question the modern psychiatric practice of creating within people a sense of weakness which should therefore be treated with any number of serious and life-altering psychiatric drugs.
The author brings a lot of things to focus through her story, but one of the most powerful is the fact that there is serious repercussions that come from taking these types of medications. Most notably, feelings of being helpless and dependent on the prescribed cocktail of pharmaceuticals. Even more, though, how damaging the wrong drugs can be for a person.
In fact, Desiree suffered the unfortunate fate of being experimented on through pharmaceutical trials on more than one occasion, ending up in states that seemed utterly hopeless, prompting ‘professional opinion’ to recommend Desiree to permanent hospitalization. It was only when she was allowed to stay clear from the drugs and given the personal agency to operate certain aspects of her life that she showed any real signs of improvement and comfort.
The moral of the story is clear and a much needed one at that. Parents, as well as anyone else acting as caretaker for a disabled person, should keep a close eye on the treatment programs and medications that are often administered. Are they doing more harm than good? Are they helping at all? Whatever the case may be, the author’s mission in writing this diary of events outlining Desiree’s life and experiences is to provide anecdotal evidence. The evidence suggests, among other things, that entrusting medical professionals to decisions related to the best interests of the patient is not always the best approach.
In terms of accessibility and style, the majority of Weird – or Weird Consequences of a Bedbug Incident is provided in diary form. As such, it reads as more of a collection of personal notes as opposed to being a dramatized novel. The situations are genuine. The times and places are all accurate. And the notes offered for all the various situations the author faced are about as eye opening as anything else in this category. This is certainly a unique work that deserves attention.
Pages: 220 | ASIN: 1329529731
LITERARY TITAN 