A lot of wonderful things have happen to me since I started selling "A Balancing Act: Living with

Spinal Cerebellar Ataxia" ten years ago. The two most memorable are "Thank You for writing the book " I have received from people all over the world. Another is the National Ataxia Foundation recognition of my book in June 2003: "We are updating our Living With Ataxia book and would like to add your book for a resource. "

Spinal cerebellar ataxia, is known in the medical community as cerebellar degeneration or SCA. SCA is a rare, debilitating disease that I inherited from my father. 

My connection to this disease was not made until 1985, when I was 34 years old. Suffering from advancing symptoms of the disease, I eventually had to leave my job as a financial analyst at IBM, unable to keep up with the stressful demands of my profession.

"Increasing difficulty with balance in walking, problems with slurred speech and trouble focusing made it clear to me that I had to stop working there."

I wanted to stay busy so I decided to pursue an interest that I had never had time for in my busy working mom's schedule. As I began to search for practical information on SCA in libraries and book stores, I discovered there was nothing available to help me cope with my advancing disabilities on an everyday basis.

It was early 1992, when I decided my mission was to document my experiences for others. I set out, armed with a computer and printer, and taught myself every step necessary to produce a book. My book describes my early life as a healthy, happy child, my experiences as a young adult with early symptoms of ataxia, how the progression of the disease has affected my life, and how I adopted a positive attitude to help me cope with the disease.


In February, 1997, I triumphantly took my finished work to the National Ataxia Foundation Annual Membership Meeting in Jackson, Mississippi, where many of the 300 members of the organization afflicted with varying types and degrees of ataxia greeted my efforts with delight and gratitude.

"Not everyone's experience with ataxia is identical, but we need to know that there are others like ourselves out there.

It helps tremendously to know that."

I will continue to provide practical information that will help those who for so long have felt abandoned by a medical community that is still learning how the disease affects people in practical ways.

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Resume

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Patricia Birdsong Hamilton
 638 Hennepin Terrace

McDonough, GA 30253

Office:: (678) 432-2950

Email: AtaxiaBooks@aol.com

Education:

September, 1974 - June, 1975 - Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA.
                                      MBA Finance 

September, 1970 - June, 1974 - Spelman College, Atlanta, GA.
                                    BA Economics

September, 1965 - June, 1970 - Samual Howard Archer High School, Atlanta, GA.
        
       

Published:

August 15, 2002 Wrote and Published "Walking: A Balancing Act"

January 2001 - December 2001 Wrote and Self-Published the following books:
                
"Coping Skills for the Ataxia Individual"
"A Broken Shell, NOT A Broken Spirit"
"Stretching Toward A Healthier YOU!"

"What's Up? William Explins Ataxia to His New Friends"

"Why do You Walk Funny?"   
"A Cross To Bear"
"Faith Through The Holy Spirit"
"Give Us This Day"
      
1999 - Self-Published a newsletter, "Speak Out" for people that has ataxia or any disability. The newsletter, served as a forum which allowed people with physical challenges to speak out.

1998 - Wrote and published a children's book "Mommy and Baby Jasmine." A book about a mother's expression of love to her baby girl!