Polymyositis (PM) means inflammation of many muscles.
Dermatomyositis (DM) means inflammation of many muscles and skin
Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) means inflammation of many muscles with "Inclusion" (abnormal protein deposits) and vacoules (holes) in the muscle cells and fibers. Virtually 95% of physicians are unlearned about this chronic, lifetime muscle disorder. So little information is given to the patients after they have finally been diagnosed, but offered no further information about the future expectations might be.
The four Myositis diseases have individual case reports from patients with the diseases, telling how the disease affected them, their families, their working and the dark future that no physician had told them would happen.
The Myositis patients are telling their stories to help newly diagnosed Myositis individuals learn more about the disease, what to expect. Several Neurologists who have read the stories have said the book will be a great teacher to the medical profession because the stories give a glimpse into the daily life, the philosophy on the mind and inner workings of the patient's body; whereas the medical profession can only ascertain what they learn through diagnostic procedures.