Pathway to Freedom Book Two: The Raw Truth
Copyright July 2023
Patty L. Fletcher
The following content will be updated with Advert and News Nugget announcements from time to time. Please check back often to see what’s coming up on the #PathWayToFreedom
*As Blogged*
Hello, Patty’s Worlds followers.
I hope this message finds you well.
Today, I’ve got an exciting and for me, a little scary announcement.
In August 2023 I’ll begin writing, “Pathway to Freedom Book Two: The Raw Truth” and you, my faithful readers, get to help. Keep reading to learn more.
Introduction
Since the publishing of the first book in the Pathway to Freedom Broken and Healed trilogy, I’ve received many letters and reviews from readers.
Even though I tried to write with as much candor as I could manage my readers still had tons of questions. The main one being, “What happened to cause Drew to no longer want anything to do with you?”
After returning home with Campbell, when I’d reconnected with Drew, via way of the Grad Services provided by The Seeing Eye, I’d been delighted and amazed at once, when he’d begun calling me on his personal cell.
For some time, he called due to the need I had to walk to and from work should I find myself with no transportation.
But after he’d come, provided his lesson and gone home, the calls continued and soon we were talking as any two friends would do.
Sometimes, I did ask his advice concerning situations I found myself in with Campbell.
During our calls, we talked about our work and though he never told me staff or student’s names, his descriptions of funny things happening throughout his day made me laugh.
I too was constrained by confidentiality laws, but I did talk with him quite a bit about how the organization for which I worked ran and about how important each thing it did was to our communities.
Sometimes, I could hear a tinge of displeasure or annoyance at something someone said or did in his voice, and after a bit more time of talking with him, I learned who was who by the import of the things he stated, or quick quips he made.
As my illness grew and Donnie’s abuse of me increased in severity, while continuing to try living a double life I became quite ill.
The symptoms of that illness, at their worst, included Dissociative behavior, and OCD loop thinking.
I managed to have quite a bit of each one and after a time, they spun horribly out of control.
Not only was I a bipolar disorder train wreck, but I’d began a true exploration of my spiritual path and not knowing enough to realize I was being given incorrect information by someone I thought was my friend, during one of the worst hurricanes in history, I’d caused more trouble than anyone, including me, had known I had the potential for.
In short, I became a destructive distraction in Drew’s life and the lives of those around him.
However rather than confront me about my behavior changes, he simply ignored them and me. Maybe he thought they’d subside. Maybe he’d never cared at all.
I had no way to know.
His last communique, in reply to one of my mania-driven blasts of messages in which he stated, “You’re wasting your time, I no longer read these. Had destroyed me in ways I still can’t quite define. Drew had represented safety and security to me. We’d been friends. When I’d realized what I’d done the guilt had overwhelmed me and in trying to fix what had been destroyed, I’d only made things worse.
No matter what anyone said or did, I couldn’t seem to stop trying to reach him. Because our original reconnection had taken place via way of ‘Grad Services’ I thought to start there was the right thing to do.
When I wrote and asked them to have Drew call me, one of the training supervisors called me instead.
He’d stated in a matter-of-fact tone,
“Mr. Gibbon feels he’s assisted you all he can.”
“I don’t understand.”
I cried into the phone. To which the supervisor had replied in that same, matter-of-fact tone,
“Mr. Gibbon is simply following protocol. You made a request for services. Mr. Gibbon has provided your request. There’s nothing else anyone here can assist you with as a handler for the moment, so you’re being asked nicely for the last time, cease, and desist.”
“But I…”
I tried to say,
“Miss Fletcher.”
He insisted,
“This is the last conversation you and I will have on this subject.”
This had gone on for quite some time before I’d begun to understand I was behaving in ways I couldn’t seem to control.
It turned out, the training manager I dealt with had unintentionally frightened me into taking that first, hard look at the situation.
Then, had spurred me forward by quietly letting me know his approval of my action, when finally, I realized everyone thought I had initiated continued contact I sent proof which showed, that was not the case.
Hideous as those dark times were, I no longer regret them. Because now, I am aware of myself, am learning to control that type of behavior and I’m stronger.
However, getting to this point in my life has been a grueling journey and it’s that which I wish to share here with you. Keep in mind, this is a trilogy. So, if while reading this series, you’ve yet more questions, please ask. It’s the amazing conversations I continue to have with readers which has assisted me in my work more than anything else I could do. Your feedback will help me know what must be written.
If you’ve not read the first book “Pathway to Freedom Broken and Healed: Book One How a Seeing Eye Dog Retrieved My Life second edition” I urge you to do so before beginning this series. Keep reading to learn how you can get a copy.
The series “Pathway to Freedom Book Two: The Raw Truth” will begin in August. To read the first book, see below.
Before we begin, there’s one more thing I must make clear. Even though Drew handled the situation badly, I continue to maintain that he is one of the best trainers the guide dog community has ever had. He’s retired now and is deeply missed by all who knew and worked with him over his 30 plus years of service to The Seeing Eye.
Thank you for embarking on this journey with me.
May Harmony find You. Blessid Be.
Pathway to Freedom Broken and Healed:
Book One How a Seeing Eye Dog Retrieved My Life
(Second Edition)
In the first book of her memoir trilogy, Pathway to Freedom Broken and Healed: Book One How a Seeing Eye Dog Retrieved My Life, Patty Fletcher shares how choosing to attend The Seeing Eye guide dog school in Morristown, New Jersey, helped her to gain complete independence. But this decision would reveal glimpses into worlds she had never before known existed.
Once home from The Seeing Eye, Patty soon begins to realize that all is not right in her own world.
Watch your step as you journey down the winding path with Patty and Campbell, for there are many obstacles along the way. Through triumphs and tribulations, through tears and fears, that forever guide remains at her side. King Campbell works tirelessly to keep Patty safe from harm.
Eva Pasco
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Moving, Multi-Faceted Memoir!
Patty Fletcher’s no-holds-barred candor delivers a moving, multi-faceted memoir through vivid details and snatches of actual conversations.
Ms. Fletcher’s well-written narrative makes it possible for the reader to walk along her pathway on the journey she began when harnessing Labrador, Campbell Lee, for the first time at ‘The Seeing Eye Guide Dog’ school. To be precise—attaching the harness, letting him walk on your left side, and keeping in rhythm with his gait.
Following Patty and Campbell in their soulful journey, the reader becomes acutely aware of the emotional, psychological, and physical toll domestic abuse takes on its victim. While Book 1 doesn’t have a fairy tale ending, this reader walked away admiring and respecting the author’s honesty, courage, bravery, integrity, and resilience as she continues along life’s journey.
I highly recommend this candid memoir which doesn’t tread lightly.
*Note*
This book may also be found at: https://bard.loc.gov/ Pathway to freedom: how a seeing eye dog retrieved my life DB106095
Read the continuing story here.
Trouble clicking? Never fear. The URL to the pathway is here: https://pattysworlds.com/prequel-to-pathway-to-freedom-broken-and-healed-book-two-the-raw-truth-the-land-of-ago-is-now/
The saga continues with…
Chapters One and Two of Book Two the Raw Truth.
Trouble clicking? Never fear, the pathway continues here: https://pattysworlds.com/pathway-to-freedom-broken-and-healed-book-two-the-raw-truth-series-part-one-chapters-one-and-two-llamas-edition-blindness-disability-domesticviolence-inspiration-memoir/
A word on the Pathway to Freedom Broken and Healed Book Two the Raw Truth series from reader Edward Cohen.
Hello Patty,
Tuesday, I finally got to a point where I could set aside time to read your bonus prequel to the Pathway to Freedom Broken and Healed.
As your words began to pour out of the speaker, I was transfixed and frozen in place. It was only a few moments after it ended that I could finally move. The power of what you wrote, combined with the speaking rate I use, gave the writing such power and amplified the already emotional impact of the writing.
Because of your first book and the few casual conversations we’ve had over the years, I knew you’ve gone through some difficult times.
But with those years presented as you did, my heart goes out to you for what you lived through, survived and overcame. What you wrote gives me a better idea of how you became the strong and determined woman you are. Throughout the rest of the day of that reading, visions of what you wrote came back to me.
And if that wasn’t enough, the very next morning on my public radio station, an hour-long show was devoted to the issue of intimate partner domestic violence. A coincidence; I won’t say.
Enough for now, I’ll get back to you again soon.
Warmly,
Edward
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