When the Road Turns: Inspirational Stories About People with MS (Paperback)

~ Margot Russell (Author) "I only told a half dozen friends that I had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, New York, Machu Picchu (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"A book that reminds us to hold tight to our dreams, When The Road Turns is an inspiring collection of stories written by people living with multiple sclerosis. When you walk through the front door of these writer's lives, you won't leave without a renewed sense of hope and a new definition of courage." -Montel Williams

Each week in the United States 200 people are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, adding exponentially to the 350,000 people nationwide and the 2.5 million people worldwide with MS. This book is the first of its kind to share the real-life struggles and triumphs of those facing MS in one inspiring collection. In their own compelling words, seventeen people with MS take readers on a journey sharing their dreams, their emotional and physical battles, their struggle to accept the illness and their courage to create new lives. People like Israeli artist Inbal Tsur, who discovers a new way to paint after losing the use of her arms; renowned oceanographer Richard Radtke, who becomes the first disabled man to reach the South Pole; a pilot who battles the FAA to keep her pilot's license; and a woman who is now enjoying life as a mother to a new baby despite doctors' advice not to further risk her health by becoming pregnant.

When the Road Turns will be an encouragement for anyone with MS or other chronic illness, as well as those who want to better understand the disease, which may be affecting someone they love.

About the Author

Margot Russell has worked as a news broadcaster, a reporter and a television producer, and was diagnosed with MS in 1998. She is a speaker and Executive Director of the Sea of Dreams Foundation, which creates programs to better the lives of the disabled.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: HCI; 1 edition (July 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558749071
• ISBN-13: 978-1558749078
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #233,193 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #24 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Disorders & Diseases > Multiple Sclerosis
  #84 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Disorders & Diseases > Musculoskeletal Diseases

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Upper-Middle Class Book on MS, April 18, 2004

By	Kathleen (Western NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This book was not what I expected. Many are jetsetters and world travelers with few monetary worries. When they became ill, the only new problem most all of them had was the disease. The book is about the well-off getting ill...a malpractice lawyer, FAA flight controller, a doctor, a real estate agent, a full professor and other highly paid professionals. Apparently ordinary people are not allowed, with the exception of a father who has a bio in it.

The letter "I" is featured prominently in almost every sentence of these self-bios. Perhaps Montel encouraged her to write it ? With all that said, why can't SOMEONE write about ORDINARY people ? Talk about the REAL struggle people have, losing their spouse quite often from the stress of the disease and the struggle to keep a marriage together. She could then tell the story of how the average person has turned their life around. Instead of the upper-middle class people, who can afford to do it. Statistically, since the poor and middle class people outnumber the upper-middle class, shouldn't they be the focus of the book ?

She should have read the Australian website Jooley's Joint. It has hundreds of bios written by people with the disease. These are the real realities of it that the author doesn't want to talk about, and are the rule. Gaining great success in life from getting MS is far from common, and is an oxymoron. Yet this book promotes that idea. Job loss is even more problematic than the effects of MS. As someone who has the disease, I know about this because my dream in life was theater, and that dream may never have a chance to even get started.

MS and the drugs involved with treating it, also affects short term memory. This makes any career difficult. Yet according to the author "MS is a gift" in her own words. Tell that to the unemployed, divorced people suffering with the disease all alone. The people in the UK are routinely denied the medicines they need. And the poorer people of the world who contract it, are the least able to afford it. One can tell from an author's focus about how well off they are.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I dare you to read this book with dry eyes, July 30, 2001

By	Amber McCann "Future Author" (Modesto, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I do not have MS, but I know many family members and close friends who do suffer from this debilitating condition. I bought this book originally as a gift for a friend whose mother was recently diagnosed with a very severe form of MS. Once I got the book home, I opened it up to scan through the stories and I could not put it down. Each and every story combines sadness with joy, depression with inspiration. I will warn you, if you are the kind of person who finds personal accounts of tragedy meets spiritual triumph as lame or cheesy, dont buy this book. However if or anyone you know has MS, please buy this book, it will help to light the darkness in the Tunnel you are going through.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ...And that has made all the difference!, September 28, 2001

By	Pam I Am (Illinois) - See all my reviews

The sheer variety of roads traveled in this inspirational, humorous, and engaging book illustrates the difference between merely taking baby steps through life and thriving on your journey. This book introduces us to real-life people planning and achieving awesome goals--yet living very much in the moment. Their stories resound with authenticity, humor, awareness, and determination. I felt myself nodding in agreement at so many of their reactions to everyday obstacles. You certainly don't have to have MS to thoroughly enjoy this book. You only have to be human.