In this refreshingly relatable memoir， David K。 humanizes the experience of life with Duchenne muscular dystrophy。 His many poignant recollections act as a prism， making the invisible visible， and demystifying the reality of having this neuromuscular disease。 Among his many experiences:

• Being a “normal” college student: living away from home， staying in a dorm， learning independence， partying

• Confronting his early mortality at the age of 13， and being entirely unprepared to deal with it

• Kissing a girl for the first time at age 19， and realizing that women could indeed be interested in someone with a severe disability

• Learning he needed a ventilator the hard way: nearly suffocating when out with friends， and rushing home in a panic

David does not sugarcoat anything， nor does he spout a lot of empty inspirational rhetoric。 All he does is peel back the curtain and show what it’s really like to live with a disability。