Writing With My Eyes

Angela Parker-Brown does not want her legacy to be that of a woman in Truro, Nova Scotia, who had ALS. She wants to be remembered as Angie, the super cool mom, daughter, sibling, aunt and friend who lived despite having ALS. This is her story, and she wrote this book to inspire others to thrive in their lives no matter what that life looks like. In telling her story, she encourages others to accept and embrace their challenges, to see past their limitations, and to be honest in the journey.

As she says, “Life can be thrilling. Life can be difficult. Life can be happy. Life can be all of these and more. Throw in a challenge such as the death of a loved one or being told that you yourself have a debilitating disease, and life can take on an entirely new meaning in the blink of an eye.”

That is exactly what happened to Angie. She was forty-six, happily raising her eight-year-old twin daughters, taking them on weekend getaways to friends’ and family’s homes throughout Nova Scotia and spending time with family and friends right in her hometown of Truro. They were happy and they were adventurous. Then in 2016 Angie started developing unusual symptoms in her right foot, symptoms that not only kept getting worse, but seemed to be spreading. This marked the beginning of her journey with ALS, although she didn’t know it at the time.

Throughout this journey with ALS, she came to learn a lot about herself. She came to terms with childhood trauma and how that trauma has played a long-lasting role in her relationships. She discovered how to truly appreciate life and, in doing so, she encountered many surprises. Angie also learned how dangerous and damaging secrets are to the soul. But, beyond that, she learned of her own inner strengths as well as the importance of family, friends and community.

This is the amazing story of Angie Parker-Brown’s skill at staying alive while dying, told “through her own eyes” with the assistance of eye gaze technology.