My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis is a poignant memoir penned by Jennifer Gasner. She chronicles her journey of learning to accept her disability and living a full life after being diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia at seventeen.
Table of Contents
Review
My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis by Jennifer Gasner is the story of an extraordinary woman who has beat all odds and lived life to the fullest. In her memoir, Jennifer Gasner unabashedly bares her soul and takes us on a rollercoaster journey of emotions.
Jennifer Gasner was only seventeen when she was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Little was known about the disease at the time. Yet, it was expected that Gasner would soon lose her physical abilities and need a wheelchair. In fact, it was predicted that she would leave this world by the age of twenty-five. Gasner did not let these dire predictions stop her. She decided to live as normal a life as possible. In fact, she decided to go to college, find love, make friends, and get a degree to work in her dream career.
Did Jennifer Gasner survive college and accomplish her goals? Was she able to live past the age of twenty-five? Most importantly, was Jennifer able to come to terms with her disability and live a happy life?
Jennifer Gasner’s My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis is divided into three parts. The first part presents to us a young Jennifer grappling with her new diagnosis. Her foray into university and her first encounter with love are the focus here. In the second part, Jennifer finds her footing in university and gradually starts coming to terms with her disability. In part three, she finds her balance as an adult and learns to adapt to her evolving disability.
Jennifer Gasner has lived a full life. Though there were some detractors, she had a lot of amazing people in her corner. Her encounters with Dave Mathews, the legendary rock star, are inspirational. I love how she never took advantage of her rare friendship with him. Jennifer’s bond with Kevin Daly is also special. Steve, Jonathon, Paul, Robinson, Vance, Ruh, and Sonja are all amazing friends to her. Eric deserves a special mention. I found Jennifer’s relationship with him to be quite relatable. Jennifer’s bond with her parents mirror most parent-child relationships. Jennifer wants them to understand her and her changing needs. She finds it hard to relate to them. Yet, she knows that they love her. Despite everything, there are moments when it is evident that they care for her.
My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis is a beautifully penned book. It is evident that Jennifer Gasner is a talented author with a natural penchant for words. She enmeshes us in her story and makes us live her life. We feel like we are there with her every step of the way. The memoir starts when she was just a teenager. I love how she recaptures her young adult voice. Through her writing, we feel her growth from a seventeen-year-old to the strong woman she is today. Gasner went through a lot in life. Very few of us experience what she has. It is praise-worthy that she never loses her zest for life through it all. The way she uses humor even in the most dire of circumstances makes me look up to her.
Music plays a key role in My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis. Gasner’s love for music is one constant in her life. Being an avid music aficionado, I appreciate all the amazing musical references included in the book. They made me nostalgic.
Jennifer Gasner presents to us life from the point-of-view of a disabled person. We learn that disabled people are not to be pitied for. They are different yet equal to us in every respect. I admire Gasner for teaching us this valuable life lesson. She also shows us the importance of adaptability. Making the best of what life throws at us is the key to happiness.
My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis by Jennifer Gasner is a poignant memoir. It gives us a rare glimpse into the life of a woman who defied all expectations and found happiness. I highly recommend this inspirational memoir to one and all. People who enjoy music and like reading well-written motivational life stories will love this extraordinary book.
About the Author
Jennifer Gasner earned her BA in English from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and her MS in Recreation from Western Illinois University. Her involvement with Independent Living Centers exposed her to various disability programs nationwide, sparking her passion for disability culture. Moving to San Diego solo at twenty-eight, she immersed herself in the local disability community, serving as a mentor for What’s Next and co-chair of UC San Diego’s Staff Association for staff with disabilities. In 2020, Jennifer became a Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) ambassador, advocating for awareness of FA through initiatives like Rare Across America, where she engaged with legislators on issues impacting millions living with rare diseases. Additionally, she contributes to the San Diego Memoir Writers Association, with her work appearing in Shaking the Tree volumes 3 and 4.
Book Details
- Title: My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis
- Author: Jennifer Gasner
- Genre: Memoir
- Theme: Life, Music, Disability
- Publication Date: September 7, 2023
- ISBN or ASIN: B0CCGDLL16
- Number of Pages: 357
- Minimum Audience Age: 13
Book Themes
(Note: 0=none, 1=a few, 2=considerable, 3=pronounced, 4=excessive)
- Sexual themes: 1
- Religious themes: 1
- Violence, self-harm, etc.: 0
- Crude language, expletives, swearing, etc.: 2
- Other adult themes: 0
Rating
- Content: 5 stars
- Writing Style: 5 stars
- Appeal to Target Audience: 5 stars
- Uniqueness: 5 stars
- Editing: 5 stars
- Other factors: 5 stars
- Overall: 5 out of 5
Links
- View the book on Goodreads.
- Get a book copy via Amazon.
- Get a book copy via Barnes and Noble.
- Visit our author’s website.
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Wow. The message about adaptability got to me. And I learned about Friedreich’s Ataxia; I wasn’t aware of this condition.
I’m glad the message resonated with you! Friedreich’s Ataxia is indeed a lesser-known condition, and spreading awareness about it can be crucial for understanding and support. It’s a reminder of the importance of adaptability in facing life’s challenges and embracing empathy for those navigating different paths.
I appreciate how Jennifer uses humor to lighten even the most challenging moments, showing that laughter can be a powerful coping mechanism. Her message about adaptability and making the best of life’s curveballs is something we can all learn from.👌
I second that. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
🤝