My Pain Had a Purpose: How Affliction Became Stepping Stone

The memoir, My Pain Had a Purpose! How Afflictions Became My Stepping Stones, by Uneek Virginia Lowe, chronicles the author's journey of healing and transformation after decades of physical, emotional, and spiritual affliction, ultimately leading her to a life of purpose and self-acceptance. The memoir serves as a therapeutic exercise for the author and a testament that pain can be turned into purpose, encapsulated by her motto: "If you cannot change your circumstances, change your mind about it". Key Themes and Experiences: - Childhood and Family Trauma: The author recounts severe childhood abuse and neglect, beginning with her mother slapping her belly during pregnancy and later witnessing extreme domestic violence, including her stepfather Robert beating her oldest brother, Lonnie, and physically assaulting her mother. She details her own abuse, including being molested by an uncle at eight, and being raped and impregnated at seventeen, which shattered her dream of attending college. She also grew up with resentment from her mother and siblings due to her stepfather's blatant favoritism toward her.- Health and Betrayal Crisis (2005-2013) At age 50, the author faced a series of devastating losses: her 10-year marriage was revealed to be legally void ( void ab initio) due to her husband Ralph's existing marriage; she was diagnosed with an inoperable and potentially fatal brain condition, Arnold Chiari Malformation-1; she was wrongfully terminated from her job; and she endured betrayal from her church and a close friend. This period led to a spiritual crisis and deep despair, but also a profound turning point where she realized she was crying for her wounded inner child, "Ginny".- Journey to Healing: Through the encouragement of friends, the author chose to focus on living rather than dying, which included traveling and settling her disability discrimination lawsuit. After a renewed health crisis in 2013, she found peace by accepting what she could not change, which led to a miraculous remission of her most severe symptoms. After years of searching and repeated rejections from surgeons, she found Dr. Hoeprich at Kettering Brain and Spine Institute, who performed successful decompression surgery for the Chiari Malformation in February 2020.- Closure and Redemption: The author found closure and forgiveness for her past by excavating her mother's own traumatic history, realizing "hurt people can hurt people". Her mother apologized to her on her deathbed in 1995. Writing the memoir is described as her "medicine" to finally release the shame and trauma, allowing her to live a life free from her past afflictions.

Pages: 245, Paperback, Independently published