My Thirty-Five Years with Ataxia


Book Description

My name is Patricia Birdsong Hamilton. I was born and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta in 1974, and received my MBA from Atlanta University (now Clark - Atlanta University) in 1975. I am one of seven children born to Annie and R.C. Birdsong, am married and am the proud mother of one son and one daughter. I was diagnosed with Spinocerebellar Ataxia at the age of thirty-four. Because I was unable to find a book that could provide me with some insight into the way the disease may affect me, I decided to write my own. My objective was to learn how to live with my medical condition. The books I wrote are about my personal experiences before and after my diagnosis. I discovered ways to cope with the disease, the way I came to grips with my situation and how I developed an attitude that enabled me to move on with my life. "My Thirty Five Years with Ataxia" is a book that chronologically describes the challenges I have experienced over the years. I define ataxia and reveal some family history concerning ataxia. Through out the book one has to keep in mind that we are chemically and biologically different and we react differently to medication. With A positive attitude, the support of God's blessings, family and friends. I meet each hardship head on. Other books published by the author are: A Balancing Act: Living with Spinal Cerebellar Ataxia Coping Skills for the Ataxia Individual Broken Shell Not, a Broken Sprit Stretching Toward a Healthier You! A Balancing Act: Walking What's UP? Why do You Walk Funny?




A Family Disease


Book Description

Dana Creighton and her mother both were affected by the same inherited cerebellar degeneration, known as ataxia--a loss of control over body movements. Both were treated by a healthcare system that failed them in different ways. Yet their experiences were disparate. Creighton eventually found the right tools to piece together meaning in her life; her mother resisted accepting her condition, in part because doctors repeatedly said nothing was wrong with her. Twenty-five years after her mother's suicide, Creighton's memoir finds striking similarities and differences in their lives and traces a lineage of family trauma. Drawing on research in neuroplasticity, medical records, personal correspondence and genealogy, the author highlights the gap between the lived experience of a debilitating ailment and the impersonal aims of clinicians. She shows how the stories parents tell themselves about living with a genetic disorder influences how they communicate it to their children.




Genetics of Movement Disorders


Book Description

Hereditary or genetic diseases featuring involuntary movements constitute a major aspect of the practice of neurology, functional neurosurgery, genetics, and many areas of basic and applied neuroscience research. Describing the current knowledge on these disorders, Genetics of Movement Disorders brings together information essential for clinicians, geneticists, and neuroscientists in one source. Utilizing a convenient and accessible format, the book is designed to allow easy identification of relevant information, with the overall organization of topics following established phenotypic classifications of movement disorders such as Parkinsonian syndromes, chorea, ataxia, and major categories of diseases grouped by gene locus. This book broadly appeals to neurologists, neuroscientists, geneticists, as well as cell and molecular biologists and hematologists. - Consistently formatted to present a clinical description of the disorder, followed by an in-depth analysis of the mutation and function of the mutated gene including cellular and animal models - Emphasizes the use of DNA tests for each respective disorder - Provides up-to-date, easily accessible information for clinicians, geneticists, and neuroscientists




Neurogenetics


Book Description

Neurogenetics is intended for any physician or scientist who manages patients with inherited diseases of the nervous system. It presents the clinical phenotypes of the most commonly inherited neurologic diseases, and their molecular pathogenesis, followed by a description of the appropriate tests to be used in diagnosis. Two introductory chapters familiarize the nongeneticist with medical genetic terminology and molecular genetic techniques useful in the analysis of genetic disease and genetic testing. Subsequent chapters examine major neurologic disorders caused by single defects, as well as disease phenotypes such as Alzheimer disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis which may be caused by defects in single genes, but may also be seen as sporadic diseases. The genetic components of other common neurologic disorders, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, migraine, and stroke are all covered in detail. The final chapter discusses genetic counseling of symptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals. Throughout, chapters discuss genotype/phenotype correlations and, where appropriate, animal models for inherited human neurologic diseases. Several chapters are devoted to recently discovered diseases caused by unstable DNA repeats. Special emphasis is placed on conveying how DNA testing can be applied to the daily practice of geneticists and neurologists.







Organic Nervous Diseases


Book Description




Cerebellar Disorders


Book Description

During the last three decades, many laboratories worldwide have dedicated their research activities to understanding the roles of the cerebellum in motor control, cognitive processes and the biology of mental processes, behavioral symptoms and emotion. These advances have been associated with discoveries of new clinical disorders, in particular in the field of genetic ataxias, and the growing number of diseases presents a source of difficulty for clinicians during daily practice. This practical guide summarizes and evaluates current knowledge in the field of cerebellar disorders. Encompassing details of both common and uncommon cerebellar ataxias, including vascular, immune, neoplastic, infectious, traumatic, toxic and inherited disorders, this book will assist clinicians in the diagnosis and management of the full spectrum of cerebellar ataxias encountered in daily practice. Essential reading for clinicians, including general practitioners, neurologists, pediatricians, radiologists, psychiatrists and neuropsychologists, this will also prove a valuable tool for students, trainees and researchers.




Stare at Me


Book Description

Joey Mullaney was only thirteen years old when he found out he was dying. A rare degenerative disease would rob him of his ability to play sports. It would slur his speech and crash his confidence. It would even confine him to a motorized scooter as a teenager. In this true story about his life so far, Joey reveals how he came to terms with the unthinkable. Teens and young adults will see pieces of themselves and their experiences in Joey's journey of acceptance. And they'll laugh along with Joey as he stutters and stumbles his way to discovering his true identity and finding his place in the world. Stare at Me is more than an inspirational memoir. It's the voice of a trusted friend that empowers every reader -- the geek, the misfit, the introvert, the class president, the jock -- to stare down whatever faces them and say, "I got this."







Medical Record


Book Description