In 2010 Kirin Jacobsen walks across the auditorium stage to receive his Bachelor's Degree. For his parents, Suzanne and John Jacobsen, this moment is more than a milestone - it is a celebration of Kirin's courage to overcome enormous obstacles. Follow the Jacobsen family as Kirin grows from a boy who passionately loves Thomas the Tank Engine into a wise and wonderful young man who becomes a train conductor. The Jacobsen family faces many challenges with medical professionals and educators, demonstrating the extent of the advocacy required to support Kirin into adulthood. Individuals with developmental differences and their families are constantly faced with ignorance, complacency, disrespect and misunderstanding. The Jacobsens' story is shared to encourage parents to advocate for their loved ones, and inspire changes that will make a difference in the lives of these individuals.

When James Pedersen, DDS graduated from dental school, he knew how to make his own gold castings, build his own porcelain crowns, cast his own partial denture frameworks, weld the fixed bridges together, prepare teeth for crowns and bridges without a chair-side assistant, fabricate full dentures, and pour his own plaster models. Because of his excellent dental education, he knew precisely how all the mechanics of dentistry worked. Dentistry is a multifaceted profession, and in many cases an art form, which also requires extensive medical knowledge, mechanical expertise, manual dexterity, and a kind, gentle, chair-side approach to the patient. He worked standing up for more than thirty-six years.

Dental Dilemma is a humorous and pragmatic analysis of the dental profession and its metamorphosis into a highly competitive business. It tells the story of the author s adventures, experiences, and encounters with many California Dental HMO providers. This book includes typical stories that create the dental dilemma for the average patient. The story arrives at conclusions that will encourage the patient to be an intelligent and informed consumer before making a commitment to receive dental treatment that is oftentimes profit oriented. Also included in Dental Dilemma is some sage advice for the new practicing dentist.

Cousin to schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) affects about 2% of the population.

Our father ricocheted through childhood as one of 3 siblings dropped at a Sasakatchewan, Canada orphanage in the mid-1920s. As a child, -Edgar went to farm foster homes, was adopted once, and sent back. Their father surfaced briefly, from Michigan, dying of TB -which he gave me - in 1952 or 53 and the siblings estranged each other, totally, by the early 1970s.

Edgar borderlined or schizophreniaed his way through a crude and lewd control freak adulthood --menacing his wife and 3 children - moving us so frequently, well - from age 5-12 I attended 13 schools and moved 18 times. He was a self-made (?) Ameri-Canadian gipsy. - Abused by my grade 1 teacher, I lost my age 6 year to amnesia, once she was caught. I woke up, age 7, at a different school, new town. Despite other child and adult traumas, that was my only dis-associative experience. My childhood was normal enough, after that, school-wise, 'til grade 7. - Childhood stopped at age 12. Chased out of home at noon, Dad brutally discarded me to Children's Services the same afternoon. They moved and got a silent phone number. Four years of messing with my teenage-hood followed as he took me back and made me run away in fear all the time. Bait and switch by Dad and anxiety/depression ruled those years. I never knew where I stood with him. - At age 15, 20 days shy of 16, Pierre, 21, Dad forced us into a doomed marriage. By age 20, I was divorced and re-married.

A lot of life happened between ages 20-38. Then, happily married, 22 years ago, I survived a weird sexual assault, in a work colleague, off-duty environment: by a police detective - my temporary boss for a week. Curiously, other police witnessed but did not intervene. His, their, alcohol abuse was involved. It was really stupid. No one is identified, herein, by name - only by rank.

I translate my 16 dream journal and some of their universal symbols and themes. I was Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, et al, studied/influenced and psycho-analyst-assisted.

I have no children and am glad to not pass on damaged chromosomes.

MURTHY'S LAW: EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

Shortly after Alysa Cummings was diagnosed with breast cancer, she sat down at her laptop computer and began keeping a journal. Over the two years of her cancer treatment, Alysa continued writing as she moved through the healthcare delivery system:

"I fantasized that I could somehow use my computer to craft a story with an upbeat next chapter or fairy tale happily-ever-after ending. Looking back, that's the only explanation I can come up with, why I felt so compelled to create a record of my day-to-day experiences as a cancer patient. The one thing I could control were these words that crowded each other as they quickly appeared on my computer screen; these stories that flowed through my fingertips in such a manic rush; these traumatic adventures that happened to me in a place I began to call CancerLand.

CancerLand: it's this parallel universe, I swear, separate and apart from the rest of life as I once knew it. How did I end up in this wacky Bizarro World filled with freaky language and even stranger rituals? "

Gradually her daily journal entries became vignettes and poems that were published on the OncoLink website. Greetings from CancerLand, a collection of Alysa's writing from 2002-2012, charts one breast cancer survivor's journey as she discovers the power of writing to move her recovery forward.

"Something More" by Alexander Kalenak, M.D. is a remarkable personal history of a WW II childhood, a pioneering career in sports medicine, and a life seeking the true meanings of medical care and spiritual faith.

"On my way to the training room where players were suiting up for the game, I would stop to think about what kinds of emergencies I might have to deal with. I would think about neck injuries, head injuries, broken legs, dislocated hips and what would have to be done quickly. I knew that for the next six or seven hours, I would be in a world of semi-controlled chaos, and I wanted to be sure I was in a frame of mind to deal with any major crisis in front of a hundred thousand people. I would pray that there would be no serious injuries, but if there were, that I would be able to apply my knowledge and my skills to take care of the players. This was my mental preparation for the game."

"Throughout my life I have been certain that the central thing we have been put upon earth to do is to develop and nurture relationships. If you nurture relationships, many rewards will come to you. It's just that simple."

December 9, 2003, is a day Mary Ann Sheveland will never forget. With the sun just coming up and a fresh pot of coffee perking in the kitchen, she walked into the bedroom she shared with her husband that early December morning and found him dead. Death had come quickly and silently; he was gone.

In Mary Ann's memoir, "Journey of My Heart," she shares a story written with love, humility, and a great amount of faith. It is an account of emotional courage, determination, and the desire to have the best quality of life in our allotted time. She chronicles the challenges faced when caring for a terminally ill spouse and the love that she and her husband shared during the good and the bad times of their crisis.

"Journey of My Heart" also tells how Mary Ann overcame grief using the tools of music, journaling, travel, and the various social activities she depended upon to put her in a positive frame of mind. She hopes to help illuminate the steps along the slippery road of a progressively worsening medical condition. Gradually, with every day, she became stronger, more independent, and at peace with her new life. She emerged from grief a completely different person; she is a survivor.

"This book will stay with me for years." - Adam Kay, author of This Is Going to Hurt What happens to pregnant women when a humanitarian catastrophe strikes? Belly Woman shines a light on a story often left untold. May, 2014. Sierra Leone is ranked the country with the highest death rate of pregnant women in the world. The same month, Ebola crosses in from neighbouring Guinea. Arriving a few weeks later, Dr Benjamin Black finds himself at the centre of an exponential Ebola outbreak. From impossible decisions on the maternity ward to moral dilemmas at the Ebola Treatment Centres. One mistake, one error of judgment, could spell disaster. An eye-opening work of reportage and advocacy, Belly Woman chronicles the inside journey through an unfolding global health crisis and the struggle to save the lives of young mothers. As Black reckons with the demons of the past, he must try to learn the lessons for a different, more resilient, future. "A must-read for our times - riveting, illuminating and humbling." - Aminatta Forna, author of The Memory of Love and The Devil That Danced on the Water

The 1950s was a time of great prosperity for many Americans. Gerard and Christina van Amstel came to America with many dreams and hopes. They worked hard, educated themselves, assimilated into American culture and raised a family. Gerard and Christina always worked as a team, so they always shared the financial and domestic responsibilities of the family. It was this equal sharing and mutual respect that made them happy as a family and successful as a couple. Gerard and Christina bought several homes during their working life, raised three children, vacationed every summer and looked forward to a comfortable and much anticipated retirement.

Then life delivered a cruel blow: Christina developed Alzheimer's disease. The disease progressed slowly at first with memory loss and confusion, symptoms most people could shrug off as stress related. When Christina lost the ability to complete simple tasks like following a recipe she had used for 20 years, refused to drive the family car because she feared she could not find her way home and began drifting often into the past with little recall of daily events, it was clear the disease had become debilitating.

This is not a story of shattered dreams. It is the story of one couple's struggle with Alzheimer's and a healthcare system that provides marginal care for the elderly and their afflictions. It is also an account of Gerard's attempt to bring care and compassion to people affected by dementia and the millions of elderly trapped in the nursing home industry.

Bill Dye is one of the lucky ones. Like so many of his childhood pals, he dreamed of flying jets or being "a console guy" launching satellites. Unlike so many young boys who wished for a life of adventure amid the romance of space travel, however, Bill's dream became his reality. His boyhood passion for airplanes and rockets, fueled by his parents' encouragement, launched him into an exciting, fulfilling career in aerospace. In Dye's often humorous, entertaining memoir, you'll get the inside scoop on the US space program from an aerospace engineer with more than three decades of experience. You'll discover how a kid who used to win science fairs and fire off homemade rockets ends up directing the design and development of several spacecraft-including IKONOS, an Earth-observation satellite that changed the world. He is proof that even the loftiest dreams are attainable with the right opportunities, the right education, and the right attitude. "As a fellow aerospace engineer, once I started reading "Climbing into My Dream, " I couldn't put it down. Many of us from different backgrounds went on this exhausting but exhilarating journey. Bill Dye was the go-to guy who was fun to be with. His story brought back memories of 'learning the trade.'" -Tom Dougherty, program director (retired), Lockheed Martin

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat . . . but 1.4 million NHS staff are heading off to work.

In this perfect present for anyone who has ever set foot in a hospital, Adam Kay delves back into his diaries for a hilarious, horrifying and sometimes heartbreaking peek behind the blue curtain at Christmastime.

This is a love letter to all those who spend their festive season on the front line, removing babies and baubles from the various places they get stuck, at the most wonderful time of the year.

"A valuable book, fresh with insights."

-Pete Earley, author of Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness

Until she experienced her first manic episode at the age of seventeen, author Lizabeth D. Schuch had little knowledge of mental illness. From that point on, her life would never be the same.

In her memoir, "More Than Bipolar," she discusses her twenty-five years of experience with bipolar disorder, sharing the wisdom attained to break the hold of stigma, shame, and fear surrounding this illness.

Schuch reveals the full reality of what living with this illness looks like. She shares the truth, from its manic and depressive extremes to the life lessons of understanding and maturity necessary to live well in recovery. More Than Bipolar also provides information about the importance of getting a proper diagnosis, working with the medical providers, trusting your own instincts about your care, and having the insight to know when the warning signs are leading you in the wrong direction.

"More Than Bipolar" focuses on knowledge gained and strength restored on the path of a complete bipolar journey. It shows that living well with bipolar disorder is possible and may indeed be a part of the diagnostic picture.

A Cancer diagnosis is never something you want to hear, but many people have claimed that it's the best thing that ever happened to them. The best? Not as crazy as it sounds when they tell you how cancer brought out a powerful love in themselves and their loved ones that fundamentally changed their lives. That love often can be a key to healing. When Jack Dold's wife of forty-seven years was diagnosed with sarcoma, he vowed to make Mary the center of life for her year of treatment. He has recorded that year with all of its ups and downs-surgery, chemo, and radiation, but also delightful family holidays, the ordinary pleasures of loving grandchildren and the ongoing support from a whole army of friends. Jack watched Mary bloom from the love that surrounded her, even during the darkest days. You Don't Stop Living offers encouragement to families facing cancer by reminding them that illness is only one aspect of their lives. They will still empty the dishwasher, weed the garden, be blessed by the kiss of a grandchild and the love of their children, and strengthened by the hug of a friend. Lovingly told, this book is a reminder that cancer families will still have an abundance of life and warmth to share. Text: Jack Dold has been writing his journal for almost 20 years, a chronicle of his extensive world travels as the owner of Golden Gate Tours, and also of the events, large and small, in the lives of his family and friends. You Don't Stop Living filled his journal writings for the past year, as he describes the successful struggle of his wife, Mary fighting sarcoma cancer, and the therapeutic help she received from her family and friends. Jack recently published his first novel, Crosshairs, and is presently working on a major historical novel. (Picture to be provided)