Man with rare disease pens book to help others

SAY THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED AND STRESSED THAT ONE PERSON’S ACTIONS DON’T REPRESENT EVERYONE FROM THERE. A MAN FROM LAWRENCE GREW UP WITH SUCH EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL PAIN HE COULD NEVER TALK ABOUT. BUT NOW, 44 YEARS AFTER HE FIRST LEARNED HE WAS DIFFERENT, HE ISN’T JUST TALKING. AS KMBC 9’S DONNA PITMAN SHOWS US, HE’S WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES. ♪ DONNA: HE GOES BY D-J MIKE J., MICHAEL FREELAND, AND AUTHOR. MICHAEL FREELAND: I USED TO PRAY THE PRAYER THAT I WOULD RATHER LEAVE THIS EARTH THAN TO ENDURE ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES OF PAIN. DONNA: WHEN HE WAS 5, HIS MOM NOTICED SOMETHING VERY WRONG. MICHAEL FREELAND: I REMEMBER HER LIFTING MY RIGHT LEG, THEN MY LEFT LEG, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEAR HER SCREAM. WHEN SHE SCREAMED, SHE LEFT ME IN THE TUB, AND I AM SITTING THERE WONDERING WHAT’S GOING ON. DONNA: HIS LEG INCREDIBLY SWOLLEN. THEY FINALLY DISCOVERED FREELAND HAS MILROY DISEASE. >> IT’S EXTREMELY RARE. MICHAEL FREELAND: TO MY RECOLLECTOIN, I DON’T KNOW ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS HAD MILROY’S DISEASE. DONNA: ACCORDING TO THE GENETIC AND RARE DISEASES INFORMATION CENTER, ONLY 200 CASES ARE DOCUMENTED. IT’S INHERITED AND AFFECTS THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM. MICHAEL FREELAND: THE SICKNESS HAS PLAGUED ME MY WHOLE LIFE. EVEN AS I STAND HERE, I HAVE TO WEAR LEG COMPRESSION. DONNA: DESPITE PAIN, FREELAND FOUND PASSION D-J’ING. MICHAEL FREELAND: I GRAVITATED TO MUSIC. MUSIC BECAME A PART OF ME. I LOVED THE MUSIC. AND BECAUSE I LOVED THE MUSIC, USE THE MUSIC AT SOME POINT BECAUSE I REALIZED IT HELPED TO HEAL ME. DONNA: ANOTHER REMEDY -- WRITING. MICHAEL FREELAND: I SPENT A LOT OF TIME KEEPING MYSELF UNDER WRAPS. NOT TALKING ABOUT MELROSE DISEASE. NOT SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT I DEALT WITH, WITH MY LEG, NOT DISCUSSING IT. DONNA: NOW, IT’S ALL IN HIS BOOK, "FREE YOUR LAND: DEVELOPING YOUR MENTAL REAL ESTATE." MICHAEL FREELAND: LET ME GIVE YOU MY JOURNEY, IF THAT HELPS, TO PUT YOU ON MY BACK AND BRING YOU WITH ME. DONNA: AS FOR THAT PRAYER? WHEN HE ASKED GOD TO TAKE HIM. MICHAEL FREELAND: NOW THAT I’M OLDER AND A LITTLE WISER, I CAN APPRECIATE UNDERSTANDING WHY I WAS LEFT HERE. DONNA: HE SAYS HIS FAITH IS STRONGER, BECAUSE THAT PRAYER WENT UNANSWERED. DONNA PITMAN, KMBC 9 NEWS. CODY: WAY TO GO, MICHAEL. BY THE WAY, HIS BOOK LAUNCHES COMING UP ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, AT THE VIVID EVENT SPACE IN GRANDVVIEW FROM 2:00 TO 5:00. HE’LL BE SPEAKING AND SIGNING BOOKS IN TWO ONE-HOUR SESSIONS. YOU CAN ALSO FIND HIS BOOK

'I don't know of anyone else': Man with rare disease pens book to help others

Michael Freeland put his story with Milroy Disease in print.

Updated: 6:15 AM EST Jan 10, 2021

A Lawrence, Kansas, man spent most of his life with such physical and emotional suffering, he could hardly talk about his trials. Now, 44 years after discovering his rare disease, he isn't just talking about it. Michael Freeland has put his story in print. "I used to pray the prayer that I would rather leave this earth than to endure another five minutes of pain." Freeland said. His book, "Free Your Land: Developing Your Mental Real Estate," is about pushing through the pain, accepting life with the exceptionally rare Milroy Disease, and inspiring others. "I spent a lot of time keeping myself under wraps... not talking about Milroy Disease... not showing people what I dealt with, with my leg not discussing it," he said. Freeland started experiencing symptoms of Milroy Disease when he was just 5 years old. It's a rare disorder, affecting only 200 documented patients according to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. It is an inherited condition affecting Freeland's lymphatic system.Over the years, Freeland has found joy through music and has had success as "D.J. Mike J."His most recent endeavor: writing. His hope is that all he's been through now and in the past will help others through their hardships now and into the future. "Let me give you my journey if that helps you. put you on my back and bring you with me."

LAWRENCE, Kan. —

A Lawrence, Kansas, man spent most of his life with such physical and emotional suffering, he could hardly talk about his trials.

Now, 44 years after discovering his rare disease, he isn't just talking about it. Michael Freeland has put his story in print.

"I used to pray the prayer that I would rather leave this earth than to endure another five minutes of pain." Freeland said.

His book, "Free Your Land: Developing Your Mental Real Estate," is about pushing through the pain, accepting life with the exceptionally rare Milroy Disease, and inspiring others.

"I spent a lot of time keeping myself under wraps... not talking about Milroy Disease... not showing people what I dealt with, with my leg not discussing it," he said.

Freeland started experiencing symptoms of Milroy Disease when he was just 5 years old. It's a rare disorder, affecting only 200 documented patients according to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. It is an inherited condition affecting Freeland's lymphatic system.

Over the years, Freeland has found joy through music and has had success as "D.J. Mike J."

His most recent endeavor: writing.

His hope is that all he's been through now and in the past will help others through their hardships now and into the future. "Let me give you my journey if that helps you. [I will] put you on my back and bring you with me."