Silver Linings

This is a story of survival and self-discovery featuring one woman's riveting, bluntly honest, and inspiring journey through an abusive childhood, an abusive first marriage, and a series of terrifying health crises that ultimately lead to a fulfilling family life and a sense of self so strong that she serves as a daily inspiration for others. Hope, faith, perseverance, and humor are woven into the tapestry of this tale. PHOEBE suffers through a childhood that is saturated with abuse; the ramifications persist into an adulthood that begins with more abuse and sense of loss and loathing. But with courage and a strong drive to transform herself and her circumstances, she becomes an undaunted survivor, prepared for the challenges life continues to pose. PHOEBE learns to rely on hope, humor, and faith to reverse a terrifying downwards spiral, and the victim becomes a victor. By the time she turns forty, she discovers a resilient inner youth that had lurked in the shadows of her dark days and she is able to clear a path toward a satisfying and hope-filled life. Her future isn't easy, however. She faces the terrifying, chaotic, and unpredictable effects of an invisible neurologic disease, multiple sclerosis. Though the disease forces her to dip her toes into Hell on occasion, she finds a way to fight her way back--with instant gut-rolling humor, with deep empathy for other sufferers, and with a reliance on a rock-solid marriage, faithful friends, and a friend-based faith. She learns to treat her disease as her superpower. Since she can't rid herself of it, she is determined to utilize it to strengthen herself and help others dealing with their own personal tragedies. Through her determination, resiliency, and hope for the marvelous things life can offer, she forges her physical weaknesses into an unconquerable super-ability to surmount the obstacles that block her way.