From watching inspirational videos online to focusing on healthier eating, Pasquale DeSavino learned how to manage his epilepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnoses he’s had since he was a pre-teen.
Recently, the 22-year-old from Peckville published a book to help other young people struggling with their own challenges, whatever they may be.
“This is a book that talks about how my childhood was filled with mental and physical health problems, which really lowered my self-esteem and happiness in life,” he said. “These conditions unfortunately made life an everyday struggle.”
DeSavino had his first seizure at 11 and was diagnosed with ADHD at 12. Both he and his parents immediately began researching the topics online, looking for solutions, doctors and ways to stay positive. As his epilepsy worsened, he was often taken from Valley View High School by ambulance. He tried a number of medications to control the symptoms of his epilepsy and ADHD, but the side effects sometimes multiplied his struggles at school and at home.
To cope, DeSavino began watching motivational videos he found on YouTube. He especially credits former college athlete turned motivational speaker Inky Johnson, whose story of overcoming a life obstacle helped DeSavino put his own disability into perspective and keep faith in a better future.
Those videos also sparked a desire to be an inspiration to others, he said. He began working on a book during the COVID-19 lockdown, when he had plenty of spare time. The 273 pages takes readers through his experiences overcoming his disorders and his belief that having the right mindset amid adversity will help overcome all obstacles. He self-published the book in January.
“I discuss tactics and methods for overcoming troubles in life, as well as increasing both mental and physical health through an improved diet and self-help techniques,” he said.
DeSavino hopes that his book will serve as motivation, inspiration and hope for other adolescents who are struggling with obstacles and disabilities in their own life, just as he found hope in online sources as well. He has managed to go the last four years without a seizure, which he believes is proof of the future getting brighter.
“Don’t despair, nothing stays bad forever,” he said.
A lot of what helped him avoid seizures for so long, in his belief, was the strict diet he had begun around the time he last had a seizure. Cutting out processed foods and focusing on healthy fats and high-protein foods, along with the proper medication, helped him be healthier and less prone to seizures.
DeSavino is a junior at Marywood University, majoring in exercise science. He works at NEPA Fit Club of Scranton and, in the future hopes to open his own gym as a fitness coach. While he has no plans to write another book, he said he’s open to it again someday. He is also interested in getting more involved in making motivational videos and speeches to post online to help adolescents struggling with their own obstacles, just like the ones that helped him.
“Pat had been very on top of everything, a good student with a strict regimen,” said his dad, Pat DeSavino. “Pat always surprises us and (we) never expected him to be doing so much already.”
The younger DeSavino’s advice for aspiring writers is to explore using Amazon direct publishing programs, which helps independent authors to get their work out and keep all the rights to the book. He said this method is less difficult than conventional publishing methods, which include working with a publishing company, having an agent or risking your own income in self printing. Amazon also has a massive base of consumers and offers Kindle downloads and print-on-demand options at checkout.
But above else, “get your thoughts on paper,” he said. “Start somewhere and begin writing your ideas.”
from Kindle Publishing – My Blog https://www.techyrack.com/syndication/2022/04/22/overcoming-obstacles-peckville-resident-writes-book-to-help-others-valley-advantage/
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