Posted on November 29, 2016 by J D Jung
(Reviewed by Pat Luboff)
I have a confession to make. I finished reading this book a while ago. I was stunned into silence, unable to approach writing the review. The book has haunted me since.
My father went the usual route of people diagnosed with ALS. The doctor says, “You have ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease), you will die in two years.” Patient dies in two years, or, in the case of my father, less. Joseph Wions traveled the road less taken. He decided that the usual medical model should be ignored because it offered no hope. Instead, he explored a wide, I would say dazzling, and sometimes to me, confusing variety of alternative approaches to healing his body from the disease.
In this book, he describes this journey in intimate details. He takes us from the first twinges that signaled something was wrong with his body to his ultimate spiritual triumph over the terror the disease inflicts on its victims. Sidebars give us insights from his family and friends. Excerpts from emails Wions broadcasted to family, friends and co-workers show his public persona, while his own journal writing takes us to the depths of his heart, mind and soul as he faces increasing physical limitations. What emerges is a portrait of a human being of great intelligence and wisdom and love.
I’m still a little baffled as to how to tackle this review. I think it’s best to just give you a few quotations. While he says these things in reference to his struggle with ALS, they ring true for me, and I bet they do for you:
”I learned that I had become addicted to a thought process that was not supportive of healing. The conscious choice that I made to change it has pitted me against all conventional wisdom, which insists that escaping death from ALS is not only unrealistic, but impossible.”
“It takes considerable diligence to stay on the productive side of that fine line between surrender and resignation. To effectively surrender, I must stay in the moment and abandon all judgments and projections that will invariably generate fear and doubt. The minute a connection is made between the current circumstances and past experience or future expectations, the moment opens up to a frightening array of negative emotions, which limits me physically and further fuels the fears I have created.”
“When my muscles atrophied to the point that a motorized vehicle was required, I had to find new ways to have fun.”
”I can tell myself over and over again that I am going to beat this disease, but my gut is quick to remind me that I have not yet overcome my addiction to the fear of failure.”
“It took me a while to realize that letting others help me do things that I could no longer do myself was a way of helping them.”
“I have emerged from the nightmare of belief that a horrible and untimely death was rapidly approaching. Several years after I was expected to be gone, I am still here and have enjoyed miraculous enhancements in my psychological, emotional, spiritual, and physical health.”
This is a must-read book for anyone who has a family member or friend diagnosed with ALS. In addition to his incredible personal story, Wions offers an appendix of advice and resources on the services and equipment needed by a person who has ALS. I also highly recommend it for anyone who is facing any physical or emotional challenge. And who isn’t?
(Editor’s note: For more information on More Time to Love, go to www.moretimetolove.com)
Joe's writing began as a journal of emotions during a dark time. With a diagnosis of ALS, he had little clarity as to how to move forward. What inspired this book was the journal's transformation from an outlet of despair into an inspiring journey of gratitude and love, which gave birth to the initial working title, From Nightmares to Miracles. In his proposal to publishers, Joe stated:
"My purpose in writing this book is to share my story about the impact of ALS, how I have grown from the experience, and what I have learned as a result. It is my fondest wish that this story will provide hope and inspiration to others who are fighting this devastating disease, and to anyone who is facing a formidable challenge."
When we look back on his writing, his growth and transformation, while extraordinary, are not the only engaging aspects of this book. Just as astonishing is how his community rose to the challenge of support, and embraced the Wions family's cause as their own. Joe's ability to motivate, teach, and enlist help from the people around him was just as impressive as what he was able to accomplish with regard to ALS. The more love and value he created around himself, the more he inspired and helped others. And so this book became not only about the extension and improvement of the life of an ALS patient, but about amplifying the love, and sharing his strategies for dealing with hardship with all who could benefit.
How is this book different from other books about ALS patients? How was Joe Wions' approach unique?
Joe was a tireless data collector and motivator, and an active member of a support group of ALS patients called Healers with ALS (HALS), many of whom are living 10-30 years beyond their prognosis. A few members from this community are in the process of writing their own books—some offering nutritional regimens through which they received positive results, others sharing their experience in an attempt to raise awareness and money for research. While Joe does both of these things, More Time to Love is not just about dealing with ALS; it offers insight and inspiration to anyone faced with overwhelming challenge or hardship. Joe's book is designed to help people put their problems in perspective, give them hope, focus their energies on the good in their lives and the choices they have the power to make, and motivate them to act on those choices to live healthier, more deliberate and satisfying lives. Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Album, inspired millions to make the most of each day through Morrie's example of appreciating the beauty and love in his life as he accepted his demise. However, while Morrie's story is about making peace with dying, Joe (with similar dignity, humor, wisdom, and grace) fought for his life, and fought to find a cure for the disease. The Joe Wions story has the potential to inspire and empower anyone struggling with chronic illness, by modeling an indefatigable intention to live fully, and an unwavering determination to do what it takes to beat the odds.
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