Silent Courage

 

Silent Courage, by Mary Byrne Eigel, 250 pages

Mary Byrne Eigel was born with a painful, congenital condition known as hip dysplasia.  Doctors of the time did not have any means to correct the condition, so Mary was raised without knowing that the pain she felt was not normal.  Discussing her pain was discouraged, and she was forced to soldier on through the pain in a misguided attempt by her parents to raise her like any other "normal" child.  Mary learned later in life about various corrective surgeries and forms of pain management, and is currently actively involved in education regarding diagnosis and treatment of hip dysplasia.  Mary is also a very gracious local author who visited the library's book discussion of this title.