Disabilities Books

The directions are so clear that this can easily be a first cookbook for young marrieds or students living away from home for the first time. To view some sample recipes, go to [website]

The book is MUCH more than I expected when I ordered it because of a printed explanation its contents. It seemed possibly appropriate for some of the "well aged" members of my Sunday School class in need of such things. But the idea of showing, explaining, and providing information about where to buy the tableware (to me unknown) so useful to older people was an unexpected bonus. In addition, having family experience with some of the problems of the well aged, I treasure the variety of recipes given. Now I have found out that the author targeted mainly baby-boomers, who might well use it in connection with parents and grandparents. I think it has universal appeal. Right on!

Anyone caring for an elderly person should be required to read this and refer to it often. Many older persons have very little left but their dignity - let's help preserve that. Wonderful ideas on special utensils for older people who have trouble handling regular silverware and china. Easy to follow recipes and special tips make this a "must have" for caregivers.

Ginny Gordon Walters has assembled a collection of tasteful and tasty recipes that my 79 year-old mother finds nutritional and easy to prepare; whether cooking for just herself or for a family gathering. The general tips, along with the graphics of special utensils, I found very helpful in trying to provide mom with cookware that can make things a bit easier on her arthritic hands. Ms. Walters' brief comments before each recipe seem indicative of someone who has experienced the ways in which this information can help our older generation maintain their quality of life. A valuable tool for our parents to continue to enjoy their independence!

This beautiful and thoughful cook book offers a wonderful selection of "comfort" foods with high nutritional value for the elderly and/or disabled person. Since nutrition is a key factor in health and longevity, Walters has highlighted the needs for certain foods and collected easy-to-make recipes focusing on those needs. In addition, the Introduction and Tableware sections have valuable and innovative tips for those caring for the elderly. I highly recommend this book!

While the loss of both legs gets your attention, the way Allen has chosen to live his life since is the real story, making him a true American Hero. This book illistrates his courage and struggles openly as he shares the unabashed truth of his entire life with no holds barred.
I had the rare privledge of introducing Allen to a group of 200 stout hearted men where he highlighted his book "Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior". He was an inspiration for all in attendance who learned he is indeed a healing warrior and patriot.
You are in for a real treat... an inspiring, must read.

I've had the privilege of knowing Allen and his family for some years. While I knew the stories behind his long and fruitful journey, in reading this book, I was still moved by the intensity of the pain that he met head on with steady determination. His testiment to Christ is clear. For those who will come to know him through this wondrerful book, his capacity to place himself in others' thoughts, sentiments and needs is also clear. So too is his wit throughout it all. Read this book for the journey to the sure, certain peace that we all seek. While his journey is unique, as is all of ours, his approach and commitment to the journey through his embrace of God and fellow man is universal. Allen's story is for the ages.

I read this book at a very important time in my life, when I needed to learn from a man of courage, faith, and selflessness. Allen Clark is all that, and this book moved me greatly. His open heart, quick wit, and trust in the Lord will inspire all who read it. It's not a book about Vietnam. It's a book about a man's journey through life under extraordinary circumstances who is lifted up by his faith and becomes a disciple we should all emulate.

Allen's book tells the story of a remarkable journey taken by an even more remarkable man. In the face of adversity, he summons the courage to face each situation head on, learns from it, strengthens his faith, and moves on to the next challenge. I highly recommend this book.

Allen Clark's book is a very poignant and compelling recounting of an American patriot's answering his country's call to arms. Set during the timultuous 60's when America was mired in those unpopular and far-off jungles and ricepaddies known as Vietnam, "Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior" tells the story of a scrapy Texas kid who yearned to get into the Military Academy at West Point, how he graduated and became an elite Combat Special Forces Officer and then volunteered to go into battle overseas; how he was wounded and knocked down by the enemy and then how he was picked back up and learned to walk yet once again via the Guiding Hand of GOD. This is indeed a timeless story of one soldier's ability to triumph and overcome some of the most haunting and hurtful exeriences of war; A war fought first against the enemy without and then fought again against the enemy within. As a Vietnam veteran who knows both Allen Clark and some of the soldiers mentioned herein, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who may need to encounter firsthand the very essence of HOPE, COURAGE, FAITH and LOVE.

This is an excellent book - it is more focussed on a lay-person's introduction to neurofeedback treatments for ADHD, great for parents. It is not really technical enough for a practitioner or someone wanting to learn more about the clinical application of neurofeedback.

A large section at the back of the book is dedicated to an index of worldwide practitioners who can treat ADHD with this drug-free approach

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (11/06)

If you've ever dealt with an ADD/HD child you know the frustration of a child fidgeting, disrupting others and needing constant supervision. If you are that frustrated, just imagine the frustration of the child. The authors have offered us a clear and concise look at ADD/HD. They have offered us an option that does not include medication.

Matthew's parents and teachers are at their wits end. They sincerely want to help Matthew but don't know how. "This book is about helping kids like Matthew: ADD/ADHD children who possess the potential to succeed, but who chronically function below their abilities because they cannot regulate themselves. `ADD: The 20-Hour Solution' describes and examines a revolutionary hi-tech methodology called EEG biofeedback (also called neurofeedback) that has unequivocally demonstrated its efficacy in helping chronically inattentive, distractible, impulsive, and hyperactive children regulate themselves."

"The pluses of EEG biofeedback training in treating ADD/ADHD children are extensive. This quick and painless treatment:

- Provides a viable alternative to psychotropic medication
- Trains children to self-regulate naturally and safely
- Trains children to adjust automatically to changing demands and conditions
- Emancipates children from continually professional supervision
- Creates a synergistic effect that can help other treatments work more effectively
- Permits parents to become involved directly in the treatment process"

Steinberg and Othmer discuss ADD/ADHD in terms that a layman can understand. Parents and teachers will be wondering why this book wasn't written years ago. The authors propose that ADD should stand for Arousal Disregulation Disorder. They made an excellent case for their opinion. In detail they discuss Matthew, a child that has ADD/ADHD. I found myself sympathizing with Matthew; he cannot control his fidgets and distractions. He soon becomes labeled as trouble and that label follows him from year to year. "Matthew had trouble staying in his seat and keeping his hands to himself. Note that he was `verbally exuberant when others wanted him to be quiet, and ... withdrawn and often clueless when people demanded answers...' Matthew was simply lost in an eternal maze of jumbled, intense feelings, sporadic mood shifts, changes in energy level and focus, and incomplete thoughts. These are hallmark signs of disregulation."

This book is well written and documented. As I stated previously it is written in terms that laymen can understand. I highly recommend this book to teachers, parents, grandparents and all who deal with children with ADD/ADHD. I believe "ADD: The 20-Hour Solution" is the answer for many children.

I think that the person that wrote the last review does not know nothing about neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is a self-regulation work. In other words, it does the same thing that a psychoterapic aproach does, but faster.Only this!!!

I found this book, ADD The 20-Hour Solution, a clear and concise guide to understanding how the brain works and how EEG biofeedback can improve its behavior by self regulation. This book is written in a way that parents can understand not only what ADD is but how to approach it. Parents can learn from this book the questions they should ask and most importantly to take action themselves. I was amazed to find that ADD can be treated in your own home. As a mother and teacher, I wholly support self help solutions without drugs which are so often overlooked today. The case studies examined in this book give hope to any parent. I would do anything as a parent to help my child. If using a computer to train your brain works than that is what I would want for my child. This book is a must read for any parent that wants a solution to their frustration with an ADD child or for a parent that just wants more information about ADD. There is also a great Neurofeedback Practitioner Listing in the back of the book.

As a neurofeedback clinician, I have given this book to parents when they are considering brain-training as an option for their child. I have to say that I'm not wild about the title, as it suggests that in less than a day, the ADD will be gone, instead of it being 40 sessions at a half-hour each. The book is a simple, quick read and does a good job of explaining ADD/ADHD and sympathizing with parents who are trying their best to cope with a child who exhibits some of the symptoms inherent in the disorder. It doesn't go into any detail on the development or mechanisms behind neurofeedback, however, and is kind of showy and overly-excitable (too many exclamation marks) about how great training is. Don't get me wrong - I know it's great and I know it works, but there's just something about the book that seems to be over-selling the technique in a hokey way - like their on the home shopping network or something. I find myself more often referring clients to read "A Symphony in the Brain" or one of Daniel Amen's books instead, or else forewarning them that this book is a bit over-the-top excited about neurofeedback.

"Coping with Physical Loss and Disability" by Rick Ritter, MSW, is a jarring book at 92 pages. When I first got it, I thought it would be a regular self-help book, and I admit I was skeptical. But I opened it and it turned out to be a workbook.

There are six sections of the book, going from what your original loss was to how you could ask for and get help for it. In fact, I really had to consider that particular question. "Describe your loss in detail" was another. That was one of those where I had to write my feelings, and like many with disabilities I've told the story so many times, I figured I'd gotten it to a science. It was a blah story with which I started out, therefore; one I'd told a million times.

Then, something happened inside of me. I got angry. I don't do that too much; usually I'm at most irritated and that's that. Life is irritating to me these days for various personal reasons, so that was what the answer was like till that particular switch in my head went off. All of a sudden, there was a real answer. I actually started yelling "What? You want to know about the stupid primary care physician who said one leg was shorter than the other, when it turned out I had a blood clot in it? You want to know about my parents? What...?"

In the end, the question tore something out of me that I hadn't expected at all.

If you read this book, be prepared to do it slowly. At the end, you'll find a section of resources that is very intense. The author even stuck in movies that deal with disability! The book itself will take you to places inside that you didn't know existed, like that bit of anger -- believe me, I had more than one of those. I cried, I threw things, I felt sorry for myself, I sat for long periods of time thinking hard about questions my mind refused to answer but that on the other hand it wanted to. That test of my own will-power hurt a lot sometimes. But believe me when I say, it's very much worth it.

"Coping with Physical Loss and Disability: A Workbook" - Rick Ritter, MSW; LovingHealing Press 2006.

As we prepared for our oldest daughter's amputaion, I searched for something to help guide us along as a family. This work book is wonderful. Although my daughter was emotionally ready for her loss, Rick Ritter was able to better address some of what we may have missed prior to her surgery. I strongly recomend this book for anyone dealing with physical loss them selves or that of a loved one. Joi Warburton, Las Vegas, NV

After reading the other reviews I purchased this book. I have a degenerative muscle disease for which there is no treatment. Although I have coped fairly well up to this point, I was finding myself more and more isolated. As I answered the questions, I felt it would be better if I were going through this process with a professional. I answered as fully as I was able, but there doesn't seem to be any suggestions as to what to do with this information. The book suggests that you share your answers with three people. In my case that wasn't possible.I can see that it would be useful in conjunction with therapy. Without that professional input, the book left me hanging.

Rick Ritter has written a superb self-help workbook that will benefit readers who have suffered a physical loss or disability. Ritter has included 50 questions to be answered by the reader. He recommends these answers be shared with at least three other people. In responding to these questions, the reader is able to reflect on his or her disability or physical loss. The book engages the reader in discovering ways to deal with their physical loss. To those readers who have experienced such a loss, the workbook will provide a sense of empowerment to those still in grief or depression.

Ritter himself has experienced his own disability. As a social worker(MSW), he has had the opportunity to work with 100 people who have suffered a physical loss or disability. His workbook provides a roadmap for readers to follow to reach attainable goals.

Also included are interesting short stories of people he has worked with ranging from amputation, breast cancer, muscular dystrophy, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, and quadriplegia. He recounts how these people were able to cope with their loss.

Having a disability or having suffered a physical loss doesn't necessarily lead to unhappiness. How one responds to that loss is what really matters. Rick also uses spirituality, support systems, and holistic methods as an approach to coping with the loss. Resiliency is crucial in facing any loss or disability.

As a mother of a son with cerebral palsy, I can see how this workbook could be very useful. He is now a happy young man working as an attorney. His disability didn't stop him from being productive. Also, having battled my own muscle disease along with rheumatoid arthritis, I found it helpful. As the daughter of a mother transfused with HIV contaminated blood, I can see how this workbook could have benefited her.

The resources included at the end of his book are certainly a bonus. He has listed helpful organizations, suggested reading, and films relating to physical loss and disability.

Rick Ritter has given his readers a wonderful gift. "Coping with Physical Loss and Disability" is an empowering book that will benefit many readers. I highly recommend this workbook. Thank you, Rick for caring. Your workbook will be appreciated by many people.

Nancy A. Draper (Author) A Burden of Silence: My Mother's Battle with AIDS

Reviewed by Christina Gonzalez, LMHC for Reader Views (5/06)

The author starts this very unique workbook with a compelling quote from Christopher Reeve, "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable". This book is a way to help those who have found their dreams become impossible, find new ways to restructure their life, their ways of thinking and their ways of being in order to find ways to help their dreams become inevitable.

This book is oriented towards those who have experienced some type of a physical loss, whether from a disability, accident or including serious, chronic illnesses and pain. His examples range from people who have suffered knee injuries to quadriplegics, to individuals who have undergone a mastectomy from breast cancer to debilitating illnesses like muscular dystrophy. I would see value for individuals with ANY chronic health condition benefiting enormously from this book.

The author suggests that individuals who use this book consult with at least three people in their lives with whom they can share the results of the exercises which is very wise. The author takes the reader through a series of written exercises and anecdotes through six main chapters: Past and Future, Self Care and Support, Dealing with Loss: Feelings and Beliefs, Understanding Disability, Transforming Circumstance, and The Ongoing Process of Loss and Recovery. Each of these remain only questions and words on paper until the reader takes these questions and looks into their lives and then shares them with another.

As a therapist I will be recommending this book to my clients who are struggling with any chronic health issues. I would love to use this workbook with my clients in their therapy as well as suggest they share the information obtained about themselves with others in their lives. The author includes some excellent exercises to help the reader determine what people in their lives might be supportive to this process of recovery from physical loss and/or any chronic health condition.

The appendices include some excellent resources regarding therapeutic techniques and alternatives, suggested reading for coping with loss and disability, films on issues related to physical loss and disability, guidelines for watching films, and a listing of organizations and other resources that can help individuals coping with loss and disability.

As the mother of a child with Cerebral Palsy and as a psychotherapist myself, I found this book to be highly valuable for people dealing with any type of physical loss. As I mentioned above, just buying the book will not do anything. Filling out the exercises will help, but will not make a huge change. Filling out the exercise, following the author on the journey that he is leading the reader on and sharing with those close to the reader will make a great deal of difference. Some of the exercises I found helpful for those suffering from debilitating mental or emotional illnesses and even less acute health conditions such as asthma or others. This book is highly recommended to any individual who has suffered a physical loss and is still struggling to find their dreams. It would make a great gift from a supportive loved one who is also willing to make a stand to be there with the reader as they go through these exercises, and it would make an excellent aid to an individual who is currently seeing a therapist. I would not recommend this to someone who just wants to do the exercises randomly, haphazardly or in order to just keep their answers to themselves and not share them with another.

My son appreciated reading this. He said numerous times, "that's just like me". He refers to the book in conversation when we are discussing behaivor. Good reference for kids and parents!

This is perfect for helping parents understand what children who have ADHD are feeling and for children to felt understood!!!

My 8 yr old daughter enjoyed this book and really related to the character. Would recommend this!

Our 9 year old son has been recently identified as a child with ADD and mild hyperactivity. We have been discussing techniques with a therapist on how to stay on task, but after reading this book with our son, we found out that he feels like more of an outcast than we realized. He was excited to know that someone else feels the way he does, that the rest of the family has some of those same thoughts and feelings too and it made all of us laugh about it.

A wonderful book that helps children and even adults understand what it feels like to have ADHD. I think it really helped by 6 year old son understand that he is not alone in how he feels with this disorder. For the past two years we didn't know what was wrong with him, we thought that maybe he was just really hyper. When his teachers told us that his behavior was so bad at school they were thinking of putting him in a special class, we knew we had to do something. He was diagnosed with ADHD and is now in therapy and takes medication. We have noticed a huge difference. It feels good to know that we are not the only ones going through this, and that he is not a bad kid, he is just different. This book really helped to get that point across. I bought a few copies for his grandparents and teachers. A great recommendation for parents looking to explain their child's ADHD to them.

A heartwarming story. Not only the story of one man's courage and determination to overcome the challenges of near total paraplegia to become a successful artist-----but also the story of the generosity of spirit that he encounters in the benefactors and friends that he meets along the way.
The author brings us into this "Creative Odyssey" and with clarity and wit enchants us and puts us in touch with the best the human spirit has to offer, filling us with warmth and hope and the appreciation of life's gifts.

This is a very well-written character study describing life in the first half of the 20th century. It would be of specific interest to people who enjoy history, particulary first and second-generation Americans in the Northeast.

Floyd is a fascinating character and well worth the time spent learning about him.

Does one's inspiration and motivation for living a meaningful and gratifying life get any better than this? A Creative Odyssey is a real story about how two very special individuals, Richie and Floyd, met despite distances and backgrounds far apart, resulting in a captivating combination of courage and caring. It is a story that had to be told. Author Dick Rotelli had a huge advantage in relating the human bonding aspect while interweaving much of the history of the times and locale of Framingham, Massachusetts. Richie was the author's dad.

Floyd Walser, stricken as a young man with polio, refused to allow his adversity to become an obstacle in experiencing a rewarding and productive life as an accomplished artist. Richie, a neighbor and mechanical wizard, one of Floyd's closest supporters, provided not just a spirit of hope and friendship, but took his mechanical ingenuity to the next level in building several apparatuses that would miraculously facilitate Floyd's mobility- including a fishing boat in which Floyd spent many enjoyable days on a nearby pond.

An interesting assortment of historical photographs sprinkled throughout the book capture the colorful flavor of the times and the closeness of an immigrant Italian family, while much of Floyd's remarkable artwork demonstrates his true genius. Dick Rotelli has a down-to-earth style of writing that effortlessly conveys the intended message of his story; a message of courage, human kindness, generosity, caring and of course, family pride. This is a must read for anyone who needs a little inspiration now and then.

"A Creative Odyssey" is the engaging narrative of a young Texan man by the name of Floyd Walser who answers adversity with courage, and finds meaning in a life of art. It is also the story of his inspired patrons - the Greenes, husband and wife musicians who bring a young Walser to Massachusetts to live with them and to study art at the famed Museum School in Boston. Lastly, it is the story of Walser's neighbor Richie Rotelli, and how the courage of a disabled man facing life without excuses can inspire the generous support and incredible ingenuity of a man and his family. This is a true story of Americana, with threads of interesting historical detail supplied by the author. The most compelling aspect of the book is the human drama - how people respond to challenges, whether their own or someone else's. This is not history writ large, but the rich history of extraordinary people you find next door to you. This book should resonate particularly with residents of Framingham, Massachusetts, where most of the story is set. Well-researched, the book is written with a personal, refreshingly unmannered voice. The book is illustrated liberally with examples of Walser's art, and with many interesting period photographs.

America was still young, when this story began. Hardships were common among the general population. Immigration from Europe was still heavy in the early part of the Century, and the story is alive with the kindness, and helping of recent immigrants.
It brought back so many memories for me, things I had forgotten, about how good family and neighbors could be for and to each other.(It is especially interesting, if you grew up in Framingham, with Fred Bortolussi, Henry Belloli, and Richard Rotelli, as I did.) Here was a man, Floyd, born over two thousand miles away from New England, who came as a stranger, and ended up being supported, loved, cared for and encouraged, by total strangers who in essence became his family. It is more than the story of Floyd Walser and the Greenes, who took in Floyd Walser , it is the story of the neighbors, the Rotelli's, the Bartolussi's, the Belloli's and especially Richard Rotelli, who invented an electric wheelchair and a boat for Floyd, and of Carlo Belloli, who was with Floyd to the end. We can not forget the author's part in this story, obviously he was awed and impressed by the interaction of the people involved in doing what we are here on earth to do. Give of ourselves, our love and caring, to help others learn to overcome the obstacles in their lives. Truly an all American story, garnished with history, as it was occurring around us.

As a mom to a dachshund in a dog cart ("Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog")I could relate with everyone of these stories in Joyce's book. Disabled animals truly deserve a chance and Joyce proved that over and over again with these truly, heart warming, inspirational stories. I found myself laughing and then crying. My heart is so happy for all the animals in this book that were given a chance at life. Joyce proves in this book that animals with disabilities can absolutely live a life of quality. We just have to give them the chance.

Joyce Darrell is a saint and her work as a volunteer rescuer of dogs with disabilities should be applauded. EXTRAORDINARY DOGS is a deeply moving read and I hope that people will choose to adopt more of these wonderful creatures after learning that they, too, can lead happy, healthy, and normal lives just like any other dog. Incredibly heartfelt and highly recommended!

I just received this book yesterday and I'm already half way thru it. The stories are great. I have a blind dog and I feel better about some of my struggles. You're on your own when these things happen. But I am glad to see that there are lots of dog lovers out there that refused to give up just because their dog was disabled in some way.

Thanks for the inspirations!

Overcoming the hardship and time-consuming nature of having a disability is able to be done if one fails to see or think of themselves as being disabled (an attitude that allows moving on). This book shows us that pets are able to do this - they can move on with the help of people and live a full, happy life in spite of physical hardships. We should work to learn from our companion animal friends and follow some of the lessons they teach us in this book.

The built environment handicaps us, whether we have disabilities or not. We should also work to build a handicapped-free environment that is accessible to everyone. We need more work done on designing and building handicap-free spaces for people and pets.

"Extraordinary Dogs" teaches us more about ourselves and how our pets help us, than about how we help our pets. It is through helping them that our lives become richer. This book has taught me that the symbiotic relationship between people and their pets, especially pets with disabilities (which have greater dependencies), is extraordinarily valuable.

In today's "throw a-way" society, I found Extraordinary Dogs to be a breath of fresh air!
It's an enlightening, inspiring and heartwarming read.
I ordered three more books to share with friends and the patients in the waiting room at my office!
Visit the website, [...]. You'll be glad you did!

I have a child who is 8 and has Asperger's. I laughed and cried during the reading of this book, which I did in one sitting. I usually get half way through a book and get so depressed- I can't go on. If you have a child recently diagnosed or even later who has Aspergers - you have to have this book. It gives you real life solutions written by a mother - not an educator who goes home at 4:00 pm. My favorite part was about the socks! I had just finished ordering socks from 3 different places on the internet - hoping to find some she'll wear. There is comfort knowing that however unusual your child is about things - it's normal for her.

Wonderful book stuffed full of easy and practical advice. I couldn't put it down. It's fun writing style makes turning each page a treat in itself. It's obvious why this book won the 06 ASA Literary Work of the Year. It's a gem! ENJOY!! Joanna Keating-Velasco, Author, A Is for Autism, F Is for Friend.

Quit reading these reviews and get this book! Every parent or professional who advocates for individuals on the autism spectrum needs to read, underline, and share this book with someone else. Parents will realize they are not alone in their feelings and experiences and professionals will gain much needed insight into the lives of the families who sit with them in IEP meetings and parent-teacher conferences.
I can't say enough good things about the practical advice in Ms. Sakai's book. For example, her chapter on tools for building a relationship with the school is priceless.
"Finding Our Way" is a unique resource that earns a spot on the "must have" list of books about Asperger Syndrome.

It takes a wise person to see the good news in the great struggles of living and Kristi Sakai has done it. Without offering any pat answers or any new "isms" she is able to show families with children with Asperger Syndrome what it means to not only survive but thrive. There is nothing in this book but good news and authentic observations. Obviously adept in the clinical and psychological issues affecting persons with AS, Mrs. Sakai takes you into her home and her heart and wants you to know that there is genuine hope and real help for you. Get it while you can. It's going fast, folks!

This is an excellent teaching tool for families with children who have Asperger's Syndrome. Kristi Sakai, the mother of three children with Asperger's provides excellent tips; explanations and vivid vignettes describing spectrum behavior. The book also includes funny little drawings that are clear and direct and people on the spectrum should have no difficulty decoding their expressions. I love this book!

Kristi Sakai was blessed with the gift of humor. Humor is one impetus that keeps this book rolling. I love her quick quips for judgmental comments people endure when their child is suffering during a meltdown or having trouble navigating on social territory. This book really is a Godsend!

One part that made me laugh was when Sakai wrote about a boy who disliked baths because of sensory issues and provided very real, very legitimate reasons for why he resisted enduring them. I also like the way she provided an alternative approach to ensure his cooperation during an unpleasant activity. The part that had me laughing was when she said her daughter Kaede, upon being needled about not liking to have her hair washed, said she didn't have to suffer that unpleasant activity - she poured the shampoo down the sink! (Sounds like the kind of thing I would have done - only I poured shampoo in the toilet at that age or in the tub and said it was bubble bath). In all honesty, hair washing is about the least favorite activity of many, myself included.

Regardless of where on the spectrum you are, on or off or someone directly involved with people who do have Asperger's, you will get a lot of mileage out of this book and will often turn to it. It is one of the best teaching guides I have ever come across.

Hi, I loved this book Journey with Jeff. I read it a few months ago...and I learned so much. I work with Adults that have Developmental Disabilities.. and I learned more from this book than conferences I have attended. Sybil writes from the heart...and I learned such wisdom from her book, not just about Developmental Disabilities..yet about life, and positive and realistic perspectives. Hearing from a mother/parent perspective was so helpful in the field I am in.. I feel this needs to be a training tool for anyone going into the field of helping people with Developmental Disabilities.
Thank you Sybil for sharing your experiences..family, and good wisdom!
Sincerely,
Janda

As an author of the You Are Not Alone book series, I came across this precious book. It was an inspiring story of a family who shared their walk with Jeff, and how he impacted their lives and many others. It was honest and hope-giving.
Lynda Young
author, Hope for Families of Children with Cancer

This is an amazing story of love, commitment, and faith! Having known the author and her family for several years, we know how determined Sybil was to tell Jeff's story--would that we could all reach such an ambitious goal as she has done with "Journey with Jeff." For those who don't know, the contents of this book were originally narrated by the author in a set of CD's. They are great, also and could be used as a wonderful teaching tool. We, however, appreciate the book form and keep going back to it for inspiratioin and memories of Jeff and his family.

The author begins this book by describing the days before she knew her very young son "needed to be seen by a specialist" and then brings you through her personal experiences of caring and advocating for her child though out his all too short life. Journey with Jeff is a book that gives the reader an intimate look at the life of a beautiful and challenging person with developmental disabilities. It is very well written and it will move you. It is the perfect book for anyone who is, or expects to be, a parent or a caregiver of people. It is a fascinating look at human nature, as the reader can begin to understand the human experience through the interactions with Jeff by the many different people who touched Jeff's life in so many ways; more often than not positive and a few not so positive. Mostly this book will inspire the reader by witnessing this family's strength, persistence and faith in God, as they helped Jeff make his contributions to this world and live his life. Each chapter will give the reader a new insight into what life was like as Jeff and his family struggled with the many challenges they faced including, living with a serous seizure condition and the many resulting injuries, the efforts to learn the many skills and activities that most of us take for granted, the heart breaking good-byes when Jeff stayed in the hospital or moved to a special school or home to help him grow and, most gratifying, the many feelings of joy and jubilation when Jeff achieved a milestone. As a person who has worked in the human services field for many years (decades), I whole-heartedly recommend that everyone read this book. If you do, I know that you will be a better and more enlightened person for it.

My friends in Rochester sent me this book after reading about it in their local Sunday paper. We are raising a 2-1/2, very spirited and loving son with DS and, although it's frustrating at times with the extra time needed for various therapies, dr. appts., etc., the joy he brings our lives far outweighs any of those frustrating moments. My friends thought they were sending me a book that would just be an enjoyable read. What they - and I - didn't realize is the impact it would have on my heart! The author tells it like it is and doesn't sugarcoat anything: her sense of loss after learning that Jeff had DS. The anger she felt with people who treated Jeff like a "non-person" ....and the love and appreciation for those who loved him as much as she did. Even the frustration she sometimes felt with the doctors and Jeff's limited abilities. And ALWAYS the joy and faith she had in the Lord and His never failing ability to confirm that He was in control. No matter how difficult things were, she always praised and thanked the Lord for confirmation that Jeff was serving a very important purpose on this Earth: to spread unconditional love to everyone he met. The book is easy to read yet has the ability to profoundly impact your life. Personally, it has helped me realize that I have spent the last 2-1/2 years believing that my son would be the "exception". And he very well may be; no one knows God's plans for our lives. But Sybil's book has helped me "ground" me in more realistic goals for his future and prepare me in case he isn't the exception. She is openly honest about the difficulties of raising a child with special needs and for that I am very grateful. I can only say "Thank you!" to Sybil for being so honest and open and for sharing her heart. I feel like I know her just by reading her story. The book is a "must read" for anyone with a young special needs child, especially if they haven't had much contact with other parents or support groups.

Journal Of Financial Service Professionals May 2000 Issue

Bookshelf

Selected Summaries

Life Insurance Boot Camp Buyer's Guide - Second Edition 2000

Designed as a buyer's guide, this volume provides basic financial information to combat the uncertainties of dying too soon, living too long, and becoming sick or injured. The volume is divided into eight parts: life insurance basics, life insurance considerations, life insurance term types, life insurance non-term types, life insurance accessories, life insurance ledger statement terminology, and the need for present-value living money.

Topics discussed include life, disability, and long-term care health insurance; income and estate taxes; retirement planning; investment principles; and the time value of money basics.

This volume should be of interest to anyone interested in making reasonable, comprehensive financial planning decisions for all the stages of life.

Your Money - A Consumer Digest Inc. Publication April/May 2000 Issue

Who Really Needs Life Insurance?

"It's a very emotional issue and a very subjective one," says William Brownlie, a retired chartered life-insurance underwriter who now advises consumers and author of Life Insurance Boot Camp Buyer's Guide.

Life Insurance Boot Camp is basic training for the life insurance industry. Aimed at consumers of life insurance, this 330 page paperback (also in a diskette Word 97 version) will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about life insurance, and then some. From what to look for in a company or agent to the calculations for the internal rate of return of a whole life policy, this manual covers all.

William Brownlie is a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War and a career life insurance agent now retired from actively selling life insurance. He holds the CLU, ChFC, CIP, LIA designations. His other works include "Life Insurance: Its Rate of Return", and "The Life Insurance Buyer's Guide". He is also a former member of the Million Dollar Round Table, a group of life insurance sales achievers.

The book is divided into nine parts: Life Insurance Basics, Life Insurance Considerations, Term, Non-Term, Riders, Who Should Pay the Premium, Ledger Statements, Claim Procedure, and a Life Insurance IQ Test.

The material in the book is suitable for beginners to life insurance experts, although the internal rate of return discussion do get a bit complicated. The author is obviously an expert in this area.

Each chapter ends with the author's subjective opinion on the topic at hand, and leaves the reader with the impression of being gently guided along the education process.

If you could purchase one book on the topic of life insurance, this one should be near the top of your list.

An excellent primer for the middle income market long forgotten by the life insurance industry - because they have taken Plato's advice by developing "philosopher kings" as agents to serve those earning high six figure incomes.

This guidebook excels in describing the "return" of a whole life policy. The author is an expert in evaluating the internal rates of return (what buyers are getting for their money measured in terms of compound interest) for term and non-term life insurance.