1. The Struggle James D’allaird

2. Being a Kid Chapter One

3. The Masons First Memories First Memories They helped us in our time of need They helped us in our time of need Ignorance was bliss Ignorance was bliss

4. The Farm Where I’ve grown up Where I’ve grown up Adventures outside in the woods Adventures outside in the woods Animals Animals Homeschooled Homeschooled

5. My Family (back in the day) Whole Whole Hard Working Hard Working Extended Family Extended Family Me`me Me`me Foster Cousins Foster Cousins The Ol’ Pond The Ol’ Pond

6. Aunty Susan Died on her couch from a rare “heart cold” only a few months after Me’me Died on her couch from a rare “heart cold” only a few months after Me’me Out of no where Out of no where She was as good as my Me`me She was as good as my Me`me Cousins were distraught Cousins were distraught

7. Death Take nothing for granted Take nothing for granted Stick to the Bright Side Stick to the Bright Side Death is part of life Death is part of life

8. Chapter Two Amy

9. The Sister Story The Wrong Path The Wrong Path Slowly slipped away Slowly slipped away Started doing drugs, stopped doing school Started doing drugs, stopped doing school Friends and fights Friends and fights Family and fights Family and fights Eventually she left Eventually she left

10. Afterburner Dad got meaner Dad got meaner Mom got sick Mom got sick I had to learn to take care of my brothers I had to learn to take care of my brothers Middle School sucked Middle School sucked

11. The Return Amy came home one night Amy came home one night Her face Her face She lived with us for about two weeks She lived with us for about two weeks Mom wanted rent and dad wanted her gone Mom wanted rent and dad wanted her gone She left again She left again

12. Afterburner Two More quality time with pops More quality time with pops Getting locked out Getting locked out Protecting my brothers Protecting my brothers We grew closer, but I began to hate my sister We grew closer, but I began to hate my sister

13. The Arrest Amy returned Amy returned DUI and Trafficking DUI and Trafficking Probation Probation Resentment Resentment Forgiveness Forgiveness

14. Betrayal Another DUI Another DUI She faced jail time She faced jail time Rehab at Black Mountain Rehab at Black Mountain Transformed back to the old Amy Transformed back to the old Amy She came back a happy and healthy person She came back a happy and healthy person

15. Chapter Three Belly Burtha

16. Skin Care Gnarly Acne Gnarly Acne Hard to fit in Hard to fit in Cysts Cysts Ashamed Ashamed Accuttane Accuttane

17. The Wreck Uncle Jim’s monster two stroke Uncle Jim’s monster two stroke Broken wrist and cracked ribs Broken wrist and cracked ribs Internal bruising? Internal bruising?

18. Symptoms Throwing up Throwing up Weight loss Weight loss Pain like nothing I’d ever felt Pain like nothing I’d ever felt Exhaustion Exhaustion

19. Difficult Diagnosis Bruised Liver Bruised Liver Stomach Ulcers Stomach Ulcers Celiac Celiac Chrons Chrons

20. Prednisone Powerful Steroid Powerful Steroid Water Retention Water Retention Energy Energy Anger Anger Addictive Addictive Almost a year Almost a year Control Control

21. The G-Tube Excitement Excitement Nasal insertion Nasal insertion Waking up Waking up Three weeks Three weeks Lots of pain killers Lots of pain killers No fear No fear

22. Results Learned to be kinder Learned to be kinder Keep emotions under control Keep emotions under control Learned to be less physical Learned to be less physical Strength Strength Live care free Live care free

23. Chapter Four Divorce

24. The Cookie Crumbles… Before Christmas Before Christmas Mom needed to leave Mom needed to leave Dad freaked out Dad freaked out Middle man Middle man Dad moved out Dad moved out

25. Demon Never really a father Never really a father He kicked my sister out He kicked my sister out Cheated on my mom Cheated on my mom Started “planning” a year before Started “planning” a year before Lair Lair Thief Thief

26. Angel My mom has always been there My mom has always been there So strong then, so strong now So strong then, so strong now Trying so hard Trying so hard No money, no family, but still fighting No money, no family, but still fighting Still kind and still makes people smile Still kind and still makes people smile

27. Chapter Five The Future

28. Neuropsychology New research on the connections between the parts of the brain, and the body itself New research on the connections between the parts of the brain, and the body itself Work to find more natural cures to diseases Work to find more natural cures to diseases UNC UNC

29. No Clue I don’t know what’s coming for me, but I know that I can handle it. I hope to make the world a better place. If I could change anything about my past, I wouldn’t.