There have always been people who are different. Whether it is their sexuality, mental health, or their way of experiencing the world. Throughout history, perceptions of abnormality have changed for the better (much like fashion, though that hasnt improved all that much so thats probably a bad comparison horrible fashion seems to be cyclical, much like the negative attitudes towards difference). There are still battles to be won, but on the whole, attitudes and treatment have improved. The aim of this collection is to represent the misunderstood and challenge those who hold prejudice. They are set in different decades to show improvement of treatment, however minor. In these stories, the most important message is for those who can relate to the characters and/or situations and for you to know that things have gotten better, and will continue to get better still.

You look into this beautiful child’s eyes and suddenly realize all the love you have to give, all the hopes you had for them can’t change the damage done to them in the womb before they ever had a chance. This is the heartbreaking reality for some adoptive parents as they realize the lifelong consequences of alcohol use during pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder is a leading cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States. What do you do when the fairy tale family you believed in suddenly seems to be falling apart in the face of this harsh reality? Author Kristin Berry: There is no need to struggle alone or in isolation. Other families know what you are going through. Find strength in not only your faith, but in the community of others who understand your heartache and disappointment, and the desperate need to help these children have a future. Provides an account of real-life struggles and solutions from early childhood to young adulthood Opens a window into their life and family in hopes of encouraging others Reveals understanding, compassionate support for families facing these heart-wrenching challenges.

The story began like a dream… A child is born with all the possibilities of a bright future. Nearby, a loving family waits for the son they have always dreamed of. When they become a family, little league, playdates, birthday parties and college scholarships all seem within the grasp of this all-American family. But when the fairy tale ended… The family realizes their precious child is struggling with the most basic developmental milestones, and they vow to love him more. However, the truth of their son’s condition is something that even the strongest family could not undo. His brain has been damaged by alcohol before he was even born. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is the leading cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States… and there is no cure. One family’s powerful story of faith began. The fight to advocate for their son in a world that did not understand left this family feeling exhausted and hopeless. The isolation of their reality almost destroyed their marriage and their family, until they found strength in a community they never knew existed. They found families that were struggling too. They stepped out of isolation and together they found faith and hope once again.

Born in the USA examines issues including midwifery and the safety of out-of-hospital birth, how the process of becoming a doctor can adversely affect both practitioners and their patients, and why there has been a rise in the use of risky but doctor-friendly interventions, including the use of Cytotec, a drug that has not been approved by the FDA for pregnant women. Most importantly, this investigation, supported by many troubling personal stories, explores how women can reclaim the childbirth experience for the betterment of themselves and their children."--Jacket.

"The first step in the solution to our health care crisis is not political or fiscal. It involves a grass roots decision to resolutely dissolve the marriage of medicine and health, and to make a new commitment to an ever-deepening relationship between ourselves and the innate capacity within each of us to heal, grow and thrive..." Born Broken is a groundbreaking work that exposes the unspoken paradigm of a health care system that is built around a flawed and narrow view of the human body and living systems. From pregnancy and childbirth to barefoot running and sprained ankles, Dr. Matt Rushford takes us on a fascinating journey across time and deep within our bodies to uncover hidden wisdom, ancient misconceptions, and a newly evolving approach to health and health care that is based on a recognition and alliance with the amazing power of the body to heal. Dr. Matt Rushford draws from his 25 years of experience as a family and pediatric chiropractor and 15 years as an instructor of anatomy & physiology and uses his unique wit and insight to give readers a fresh perspective on their own bodies and the miraculous intelligence that we so easily take for granted. Born Broken explores: - The limitations of western allopathic medicine in the maintenance and enhancement of health - The multidimensional nature of wellness and the need for a multidimensional approach to wellbeing. - The hidden wisdom of our bodies with respect to: o Pregnancy o Birth o Being "sick" with fever, diarrhea, inflammation o "Expendable" body parts like the appendix, tonsils and foreskin Fastidiously documented with scientific data, Born Broken is a course correction in the runaway world of Pathologization- reframing the normal as abnormal- as an inevitable by-product of the shotgun marriage of medicine and health care. Entertaining, enlightening and empowering, it will change the way you see your body and your life.

Born Broken is the story of my struggle with alcoholism and my journey to recovery. It's the story of growing up in a poor white neighborhood called Okieville with no way out and no hope for a better tomorrow. As you travel through this story with me, you will discover how alcohol took control of my life while I was still young and vulnerable. Yes, most of my struggles stem from chronic alcohol abuse, a disorder that this story will expose for its true nature. It will reveal insights I gained during my battle with this deadly disease. It tells how God grasped my trembling hands one desperate night and summoned me out of the abyss. Since that night, I have been struggling with alcoholism one day and one step at a time.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, producer, and six-time Grammy winner opens up about faith, sexuality, parenthood, and a life shaped by music in “one of the great memoirs of our time” (Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed). NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR AND AUTOSTRADDLE • “The best-written, most engaging rock autobiography since her childhood hero, Elton John, published Me.”—Variety Brandi Carlile was born into a musically gifted, impoverished family on the outskirts of Seattle and grew up in a constant state of change, moving from house to house, trailer to trailer, fourteen times in as many years. Though imperfect in every way, her dysfunctional childhood was as beautiful as it was strange, and as nurturing as it was difficult. At the age of five, Brandi contracted bacterial meningitis, which almost took her life, leaving an indelible mark on her formative years and altering her journey into young adulthood. As an openly gay teenager, Brandi grappled with the tension between her sexuality and her faith when her pastor publicly refused to baptize her on the day of the ceremony. Shockingly, her small town rallied around Brandi in support and set her on a path to salvation where the rest of the misfits and rejects find it: through twisted, joyful, weird, and wonderful music. In Broken Horses, Brandi Carlile takes readers through the events of her life that shaped her very raw art—from her start at a local singing competition where she performed Elton John’s “Honky Cat” in a bedazzled white polyester suit, to her first break opening for Dave Matthews Band, to many sleepless tours over fifteen years and six studio albums, all while raising two children with her wife, Catherine Shepherd. This hard-won success led her to collaborations with personal heroes like Elton John, Dolly Parton, Mavis Staples, Pearl Jam, Tanya Tucker, and Joni Mitchell, as well as her peers in the supergroup The Highwomen, and ultimately to the Grammy stage, where she converted millions of viewers into instant fans. Evocative and piercingly honest, Broken Horses is at once an examination of faith through the eyes of a person rejected by the church’s basic tenets and a meditation on the moments and lyrics that have shaped the life of a creative mind, a brilliant artist, and a genuine empath on a mission to give back.