The beginning of a new year often brings resolutions and optimism, but for many people living with disability, the turning of the calendar does not erase physical pain, social barriers, or invisibility. 'A-Z of Disability: Life and Challenges with Chronic Pain' finds its voice within this quieter, more honest space, offering a perspective grounded in nearly five decades of lived experience.
Written by Martie, who began living with disability in her late twenties and is now 76 years old, the book reflects the cumulative reality of a life shaped by chronic pain, medical intervention, and constant adaptation. Since the onset of her condition, Martie has undergone more than seventeen major surgeries, including spinal fusion and multiple joint replacements. Rather than presenting disability as a single defining event, the work explores the ongoing nature of living with chronic conditions.
Structured alphabetically, 'A-Z of Disability' explores themes such as access, compassion, grief, justice, isolation, kindness, pain, and resilience. Each letter opens into a reflection that blends personal narrative with broader social observation, allowing readers to engage with disability not as a diagnosis, but as a deeply human experience. This approach makes the book accessible to both those living with disabilities and those seeking to understand the experience more fully.
Midway through the book, Martie makes clear that disability is shaped as much by the world around us as by the body itself. Barriers, attitudes, and assumptions often determine whether a person is included or excluded, seen or overlooked. The work quietly challenges readers to examine how everyday environments and behaviors contribute to marginalization often without intention, but with real consequences for individuals living with disabilities.
The New Year context feels particularly fitting for this publication. While many people are focused on self-improvement and fresh starts, 'A-Z of Disability' asks a different set of questions: What does progress look like when pain does not resolve? What does hope mean when independence is limited? And how can dignity be preserved when the body no longer cooperates with expectation? These questions have implications for healthcare providers, policymakers, employers, and community members who interact with people living with disabilities.
Martie writes with clarity and restraint about family life, caregiving, and the emotional cost of living in a body that requires constant negotiation with the world. She does not seek sympathy, nor does she frame disability as inspirational. Instead, the book insists on honesty about loss, frustration, adaptation, and the quiet strength required to continue. This honest portrayal could influence how disability is represented in media and understood in society.
As the reflections move toward their conclusion, the focus shifts from personal experience to collective responsibility. 'A-Z of Disability' does not offer solutions or prescriptions. It offers attention. It asks readers to notice what is often ignored and to reconsider how kindness is practiced in everyday life. As Martie reflects, kindness is born in the moment we choose presence over indifference.
Released at the start of the New Year, 'A-Z of Disability' is a reminder that meaningful change does not begin with resolutions alone, but with the willingness to truly see one another. The book is available in print and digital formats through major online retailers including Amazon. For individuals, families, healthcare professionals, and community leaders, this work provides valuable insight into the lived experience of disability that could inform more compassionate policies and practices across multiple sectors.
