A Pear in an Apple Tree

A Pear in an Apple Tree: A Journey with Multiple Sclerosis by Janet A. Werner, artwork by Kyle Horne
220 pages, 6x9”, paperback
$18 + $4 shipping - $22.00 (includes NYS tax where applicable)
for 2 books: $36 + $5 shipping - $41.00
for more than 2 copies, email: mankh(a)allbook-books.com
PDF-version $10
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Allbook Books
PO Box 562
Selden, NY 11784
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"Teacher-pupil pair inspire hope for those with multiple sclerosis"

JanetWerner CoverWeb

from the Foreword:

One of my lifelong goals was to write a book, to communicate and share with others. As time went on, life’s experiences have served to shape the essence of who I am. Well into my sixties many things were happening in my life, some utterly wonderful and some not so wonderful. I began jotting down notes about my experiences, and the culmination is this book. I want to share with you how life’s challenges have shaped my life. You see, on April 7th of 1986 I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (often referred to as MS). So many emotions ran through my mind that day, mostly fear of what was to come.

I want people with multiple sclerosis to understand that they are not alone in their journey with this disease. Tears and laughter are a part of all our lives, but we have a choice as to how this disease will affect us emotionally. We cannot get through this life without challenges no matter who we are. Our task is how we handle those challenges. I also want people who do not have MS to understand what we MSers go through. Some strange things happen to our bodies that healthy persons find unbelievable.

excerpts:

ACCEPTANCE
I traveled a long road to get to this stage, years in fact. Someone once said to me that acceptance was a form of giving in. I couldn’t disagree more. Acceptance is to accept a challenge head-on and deal with it. In accepting a challenge you have to reach down inside yourself and find the strength to deal with that challenge. You have to be resourceful. You have to be creative. And you’ll be surprised at how much you can learn about yourself by doing so. I have achieved things that I never thought were possible in this journey. I’ve found that in dealing with my MS I hope to set an example for others, to show them that they can also find strength within themselves.
“Success is how you handle failure.”
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In people with MS, nerves are missing some or all of the myelin sheath thus disrupting signals to the body. Sometimes while washing dishes, the hot water feels cold on my right hand. It’s an odd sensation that took me a while to get used to. If you know what happens to an electrical system when it short circuits, MS is similar to that. Information is interrupted as a result of demyelination (lessening or lack of myelin) around a nerve. Due to the lack of this fatty layer, it takes more time for the nerves to transmit information throughout the body and to the brain. You all know how frustrating it is when your cable service goes out and you must wait for the prompt that says initializing, please wait. You get impatient and very annoyed. Signals to and from the brain take more time when the fatty myelin sheath around the nerve is absent. It takes more energy for those signals to travel.
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Over the years I’ve come to grips with my MS. And if I ever need a wheelchair I want one with bubblegum pink wheels, seat cover, the works!!! I want it to be a conversation piece, a work of art. I want people to say, “Hey granny, that’s so cool!” Anyway, that’s my plan. After my diagnosis all I could think about was, “How long until I am in a wheelchair.”

One thing MS has done is make me more sensitive to my surroundings. I am more cognizant of handicapped facilities in stores, restaurants and parking lots. And over the years I have found people more compassionate towards those with special needs. And when someone is very negative about a situation, when educated about the realities of MS, they soften and become far more understanding and compassionate.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Janet Amelia Werner has a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Southampton College on Long Island and a Master of Science in Geology/Earth Science from Northern Arizona University. As an educator for almost forty years, she has traveled extensively to all fifty states and many countries. Her life experiences and love of science have stimulated the minds of young people and adults, encouraging them to appreciate and admire the wonders of nature.

She has won numerous awards and accolades, including National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMMS) Mother of the Year Long Island Chapter, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, Dowling College/News 12 Long Island Educator of the Month, SCOPE Teacher Service Award, Edwin D. Miller Civilian Service Award – Suffolk County Police Historical Society, and the Suffolk County Police Historical Society Heritage Award.

Janet is a member of the Long Island Writers’ Guild and has been involved with many Long Island organizations. Her journey with multiple sclerosis has taken her to new places and new people, making life’s journey quite exciting. She lives with her husband, Ernest, on Long Island.