My Story: A Photographic Essay on Life with Multiple Sclerosis

Ameila Davis is a documentary photographer, diagnosed with MS in 1998. Though titled "My Story", this book is really "their stories". In this book, she uses her trained eye to illustrate 32 essays personally portraying the lives of men and women with Multiple Sclerosis. They range from 17 to 70, across a spectrum of ethnicities, genders, occupations, socio-economic backgrounds and family circumstances. Through her book, Amelia captures the unique approach each person has used to frame their chronic disease with, not only a positive attitude, but with a positive approach to life. She also includes the caregivers ... those frequently forgotten in the struggle with MS and all chronic disease. Her essays help others to see, through the stories of real people, the different possible treatments and therapies and the techniques for coping (such as exercise, yoga, creative activities and competitive sports). Her photographs capture the people behind these essays, putting a real face, a personal face, on what is often discussed in impersonal, clinical terms. You don't just read their story; you are drawn into a human connection with them. This is a book to buy and read. And it is also a book to buy and display, a coffee table book. Discussing MS with friends and family can be difficult. Chronic disease can create a "distance", a separation. This book can help to bridge that gap. As someone picks up this book to browse and becomes captured by the photographs, it can crack the door to an open conversation about MS, about what it means and about how lives continue after diagnosis.

I happen to have MS and one of the problems of having a little understood illness is the distance it creates in one's personal relationships. Even with friends and family. I now have a copy of "My Story" on my coffee table and I'm truly amazed by the number of people who, because of the presence of the book, are finally able to speak and ask questions about MS . They glance through the book and suddenly a dialog window opens. The photos are superb, respectful and celebratory at the same time and every person's essay is different. I highly recommend the book.

I was fortunate to have been photographed by Amelia Davis in her new book about Multiple Sclerosis. Amelia traveled all over the country interviewing physically challenged individuals and their care givers. In doing so, she composed an enlightening yet very touching collection of stories, all through the eye of her camera. Her choice of black and white photos added another dimension and increased the already dramatic content. I was very skeptical that photos could capture the anguish I sometimes feel or capture the love and concern my care givers provide but I am now a believer! Her artistic eye caught the underlying emotions and all while we quietly talked and laughed among ourselves. Many of Amelia's photographs portray some of the more difficult aspects of the disease, how many young people have learned to live with what is often a chronic illness. Her photographs also show how indiscriminate MS really is and how, like myself, you too could walk up one morning numb and tingling from head to toe. For me, the most healing aspect of the book was how others handled their emotional difficulties. Early on, I felt as if I was being punished for mishandling something in my past. I felt lonely and isolated due to my new differences. However, like many of the other biographies, I too have learned that 'attitude is everything' and that you alone are capable of taking the 'limits' out of limitations. The book's addition of the often forgotten care giver was an extremely refreshing aspect of her book. I always thank my husband for having made the decision to stay but so little credit is given to these unselfish individuals. It is easy to take others for granted until your welfare is suddenly out of your control. I gave Amelia a five star rating not because I was included in her book but because her photographs speak for themselves! Even if you are not faced with a chronic illness, the biographies will touch you with their uncensored frankness. Amelia walked in and out of my life but her pictures captured a fleeting glance, pose or emotion that explains to others the essence of that particular moment in time... Great work, Amelia!!!

Photographer-philanthropist Amelia Davis's thirty-two photo-interviewees suffer from the lifelong Mxyzptlkish disabilities caused by the nervous system degenerative disease, multiple sclerosis. If one line could capture the attitude of these sometimes frightened but always courageously hope-driven people, 46-year-old Phil and his caregiver girl friend, Kristen's, framed reminder would fill the net: "We can not direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails". In Davis's book of essays and photos, you visit with these neighbors of yours (you have about 350,000 of them), read their poignant stories and those of their families and caregivers--too brief vignettes inviting you into their adventurous and meaning-filled lives--see the beauty and passion in their faces through Davis's celestial eye, and discover how they create unique and marvelous quilts from the scraps life has given them. Despite sometimes heart-wrenching disabilities, these people find every day a good day, though some days better than others. Amelia Davis's book brims with life-lessons for everyone of us--the promise that we can turn our stumbling blocks, however they manifest, into stepping-stones. Read it for heart-care.

The format for this book is what makes it different for me from so many others. You get their important story, but you also get a more human view of them through the pictures which really do a great job of making thier story all the more real. I also think this view of how these people are living thier lives might help people get by some of the fear they might have which comes from not understanding this desise. Just like so many other ailments, you can learn to live your life with it, and the way these people do that is inspiring.... I recommend this for the portriats alone, but surely for the good it will also do it spreading awareness of this desise and the great people who deal with it daily.