Stuart Ross McCallum shares a true account of his battle with epilepsy-beginning with the peculiar sensations he experienced as a teenager that led to his diagnosis and concluding with his eventual recovery from a temporal lobe lobectomy.McCallum vividly describes his twenty-year journey of living with epilepsy and how this unpredictable disease has not only impacted his life but the lives of everyone around him. For years he operated a business and managed his staff while battling an ever-increasing number of seizures. As his condition worsened and his postseizure responses became more intense, he was often prone to violent outbursts that threatened his safety as well as the safety of those in his inner circle. McCallum shares how the perception of the disease and the socially unacceptable behaviors that occurred as a result of his seizures eventually forced him to risk everything-he made the life-altering decision to undergo two brain operations that he hoped would provide freedom from a life of instability, danger, and stares from strangers.Beyond My Control provides an honest, emotional look into a highly complex and often misunderstood condition and how one man's perseverance helped him break through the darkness to find hope on the other side.
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Book Description
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About the Author
Stuart McCallum was born in England and now lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his wife and two children. After successful seizure surgery, he is now working as a freelance journalist. In his spare time, he enjoys studying health issues and volunteering to help the needy and underprivileged.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Dee Marie
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I originally purchased "Beyond My Control," by Stuart "Ross" McCallum, thinking it would be a casual, yet interesting read. However, once I started reading the first chapter, I literally could not put it down until I had finished the book.
Although the book is a biographical, and at times harrowing tale, of Ross' struggles to find normalcy within an anomalous world of coping with epilepsy...the story flows with the feeling of a well-organized novel, rather than a dry, retelling of factual events.
Upon finishing his story, the realization that Ross survived his life-struggling ordeal (and lived to write about his experiences in an intellectual, often humorous manner)...is a miracle in itself. His story is more than an account of how Ross and his family, friends, and co-workers dealt with his epileptic episodes; it is also a fascinating look into the often misunderstood side-effects of the illness.
Ross' story is filled with heartache and hilarity; written in an educational and entertaining manner. "Beyond My Control" is a must-read, not just for the informative aspects of coping with a disabling illness, but more importantly for the pure "reading enjoyment" of his story.
Although the book is a biographical, and at times harrowing tale, of Ross' struggles to find normalcy within an anomalous world of coping with epilepsy...the story flows with the feeling of a well-organized novel, rather than a dry, retelling of factual events.
Upon finishing his story, the realization that Ross survived his life-struggling ordeal (and lived to write about his experiences in an intellectual, often humorous manner)...is a miracle in itself. His story is more than an account of how Ross and his family, friends, and co-workers dealt with his epileptic episodes; it is also a fascinating look into the often misunderstood side-effects of the illness.
Ross' story is filled with heartache and hilarity; written in an educational and entertaining manner. "Beyond My Control" is a must-read, not just for the informative aspects of coping with a disabling illness, but more importantly for the pure "reading enjoyment" of his story.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By J. Knox
Format:Paperback
Epilepsy is a condition I've read personal accounts of in the past, most of which have been vague or difficult to fully grasp; it seems there are few more difficult topics to (successfully) communicate than a neurological disorder and many personal a...more Epilepsy is a condition I've read personal accounts of in the past, most of which have been vague or difficult to fully grasp; it seems there are few more difficult topics to (successfully) communicate than a neurological disorder and many personal accounts end up vague or overly-clinical. This is why Stuart McCallum's book is so incredible.
While reading Beyond My Control, I felt the transcendence of a good book--it was as though I entered another world, a world in which I felt I understood what it was like to be at the mercy of this confounding neurological disorder. Stuart McCallum vividly recalls his life before his diagnosis and the confusion of Epilepsy's onset, but he doesn't cower. In fact, Stuart doesn't spend his pages wallowing in self-pity or asking "why me?" but instead inspires his readers with his courage and strength.
This is a story about one man's battle with Epilepsy, but it is a story for anyone who knows what it feels like to have life uprooted in an instant, who know the shock and helpless feeling of entering the unknown, but who refuse to be defeated by it.
While reading Beyond My Control, I felt the transcendence of a good book--it was as though I entered another world, a world in which I felt I understood what it was like to be at the mercy of this confounding neurological disorder. Stuart McCallum vividly recalls his life before his diagnosis and the confusion of Epilepsy's onset, but he doesn't cower. In fact, Stuart doesn't spend his pages wallowing in self-pity or asking "why me?" but instead inspires his readers with his courage and strength.
This is a story about one man's battle with Epilepsy, but it is a story for anyone who knows what it feels like to have life uprooted in an instant, who know the shock and helpless feeling of entering the unknown, but who refuse to be defeated by it.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By R. Owen
Format:Paperback
McCallum's story is remarkable and completely engrossing. Reading it is much more like hearing a good story being told rather than reading it on the page. It was an excellent education for me -- to get the perspective that he communicated. I have no personal experience with epilepsy, but I felt that I could relate to his story. It is not an uncommon experience among human beings to find yourself in a situation where you have no control. I think it is an experience we all share, and knowing that helps us all understand and identify with what it means to struggle with epilepsy. He does an amazing job of bringing humor into a decidedly not funny situation, at one point, comparing his behavior to Basil Fawlty's. His pre- and post-surgery experiences were harrowing, getting through that part is hard to imagine. The short-term and long-term support that he received from other people was truly amazing -- and his story makes it so clear how crucial that support was. To sum it up, I'm very glad to have read it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting, but rough.
As someone who is currently considering surgery as a possible solution for seizures, I found this to be an interesting read. Read more
Published 3 months ago by M. Norton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Poignant, Heart-warming, and Incredibly Truthful
Having been a nurse, this type of memoir appeals, and I admire the courage of those who can put into words their life experiences. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Glynis Smy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jade's book
my granddaughter Jade had seizures for which she underwent a right temporal lobe lobectomy.. Amazingly successful surgery and due to her interest in seizures she wanted this book
Published 4 months ago by janice
4.0 out of 5 stars
Compelling story
I really enjoyed this book. The author, Stuart McCallum, speaks honestly and openly about his and his familys struggles with his epilepsy. Read more
Published 5 months ago by P. Reidinger
5.0 out of 5 stars
So Easy to Get Lost in His Story
If you are interested at all in reading a very personal account of one man's battle with epilepsy, I strongly encourage you to buy this book and read it. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Pami
5.0 out of 5 stars
A revelation for me and my family
I really can't thank Stuart enough for having the courage to write this book. In doing so he has begun to free me from the cloud of self doubt in which epilepsy has slowly but... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Ian Mahoney
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Luminous & Courageous Journey.
Stuart Ross McCallum's account of his decades long struggle with temporal lobe epilepsy is an absorbing and often traumatic journey but one that reveals the true nature of one... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Dean Mayes
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspiration to all!
I would like to congratulate Ross McCallum on his courage in writing about his horrendous journey, from the many misdiagnoses in his teenage years, through to the diagnosis of... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Brenda
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Amazing Journey!
Stuart McCallum is an amazing man! The courage and strength he exhibits in dealing with his struggles brings encouragement and hope to others. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Amber
5.0 out of 5 stars
Purely Fascinating!
My only regret with "Beyond my Control" is I didn't read it sooner. Where biographical works are often slow and dry, McCallum couldn't have done a better job if he'd been sitting... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Claude Bouchard
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