Fueled by Misery: My journey through life with Muscular Dystrophy

When I first met Peter Li, he greeted me from his wheelchair with a smile and hearty "Nice to meet you!" Despite the fact that MD has taken away most of his mobility and that he is 100% dependent on his care takers at Angel's View, he maintains a pretty cheerful spirit and a smile that fills the room. Behind that spirit though, is a story of surviving and navigating life events that would leave most people without any reason to smile. Peter is a Chinese immigrant who sailed his way to American with his family. His childhood MD diagnosis came with devastating implications for a boy who just wanted to fit in, and for a family unfamiliar with the disease. And as MD began to take over his body, Peter's own bout with depression had him wondering if medical care was even worth it. As we sat and talked that sunny day in California, Peter shared the tragedy of his life, but he also shared the thankfulness and gratitude that has been a part of his experience. He receives incredible care from the nurses who serve the home he and his brother and several other friends share, all battling MD. He has met celebrities. He has been the keynote at fund raising galas and has helped spread the message that life after MD can still be richly fulfilling. Spend a few hours with Peter, as I did, and you'll walk away with a smile on your face and boost to your own spirit. That's Peter's hope for this book, that you will be encouraged to live life to its fullest and embrace all parts of it-the good parts, and the hard parts-as aspects of the journey. So go ahead, "meet Peter" by reading his book and see if you can find a smile and some encouragement for your life! Joe Castaneda -- Publisher