Heartfelt self-help by author with CMT

[Guest guest]

Heartfelt self-help

Local woman's book assists those dealing with disabilities

By Bob Petrie • Sheboygan Press staff • February 25, 2009

http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20090225/SHE0101/902250386 & refer

rer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

The material was there, in hundreds of pages, written in longhand by

Chaudoir-Federer, who herself has been afflicted with Charcot-Marie-

Tooth disease — or CMT — from birth, leaving her unable to walk

without the use of crutches or assistance.

It became a matter of her taking the toughest last step on her own —

to get her work published.

" It really had turned into an oversized paperweight on my desk for a

very long time, " said Chaudoir-Federer, 45, of Sheboygan, who with

the help of an editor she met, finally gathered the encouragement to

publish the book herself.

The result is " Chasing Normal, " a 130-page collection of stories,

anecdotes and tips for those who are either disabled, or for family

members to help them understand the needs and emotions of the

disabled. The price is $12.95.

Initially released as an e-book where it could be downloaded for a

fee, " Chasing Normal " was released in paperback form in December.

From 4 to 7 p.m., on Friday, Feb. 27, Chaudoir-Federer will sign

copies of " Chasing Normal " at Book World in the Heights

shopping center.

" My hope is to get the message out to people that there's life after

disability and to give people hope that they can have good quality of

life, and they don't have to do it alone, " she said.

Chaudoir-Federer had plenty of people in her corner to help her turn

that stack of paper into book form. One was Jim Roncoroni, an editor

who worked for Distynct Solutions, an Ohio publishing company.

Another is her husband of 20 years, Don Federer, who encouraged and

supported her to complete the book, and her dream.

" I was really impressed with how she wrote the book, " said Don

Federer, 45, who took the cover photo of a small flock of ducks at

North Point Park in Sheboygan. " She writes from the heart, and there

isn't a kinder person I've ever met and she's willing to help anybody

out and if this does it, it'd be great. "

Chaudoir-Federer, who worked with the state for 18 years as a

vocational counselor, helping people with disabilities become

employed, said the book is also geared to help people who have

recently became disabled deal with their new life circumstances.

" I realized that there's a big difference between people who are born

disabled and people who become disabled, " she said. " There's a huge

adjustment crisis that people go through. "

Chaudoir-Federer herself had to readjust to a new crisis in her life

about a decade ago, when she became afflicted with trigeminal

neuralgia, which causes intense electrical nerve pain in the face.

While she drives a specially equipped van and has a scooter to get

around, her disease has advanced to the point where she can't work

full-time anymore.

In looking around the market, she couldn't find any such help books

on coping with disability, which led her to try writing one herself.

" I didn't see anything saying, 'This is what to expect,' or, 'It's

normal to be fearful, it's normal to be angry,' " she said. " It's OK. "

Mikealynn Trimberger, a physical therapist assistant at Healing Arts

in Sheboygan, said the book's format, with easy to remember tips and

space for people to take notes, is a big plus. She also enjoys

Chaudoir-Federer's personal writing touch.

" I like the way she brings in friends and family and helps them

realize what's going in with their loved ones, " said Trimberger, 45,

who also was among those encouraging Chaudoir-Federer to complete the

book.

Unable to type well, Chaudoir-Federer ended up taking pen to paper to

write the manuscript, and then handed it over to a friend, Carol

Westfahl of Manitowoc, who did the inputting on computer, and then e-

mailed sections back to her. Chaudoir-Federer and Roncoroni did the

editing, and she tried to keep things simple, for her target audience.

" It's short and direct on purpose because people in crisis can't

digest a lot of complex information, " she said. " It's too

overwhelming. And rather than overwhelm somebody who's already

overwhelmed… "

As for her reasons to write, Chaudoir-Federer said it was " something

I felt compelled to do, something that was necessary. " And once she

was able to begin writing, she found it easy to get into the flow,

because she knew what she wanted to say.

" It was just finally making myself sit down and do it, " she said.

Reach Bob Petrie at bpetrie@she boygan-press.com and 453-5129.