Disabilities Books

After personally speaking to Mr. Smith, I was convinced of his sincerity and committment to helping those applying for SSDI. I purchased this book, used the forms, and I got it on my first try.

His forms that I filled out(daily activities) and attached to all of my Doctor's forms were extraordinarily helpful and I believe essential in the decision making process for Social Security. It also proved helpful to the doctors who were making their reports. As long as your doctors know you, they still cannot be with you all day to know your moment to moment activities. These forms give them a birds eye view of what one deals with on a daily basis.

I recommend this book very highly.

When a neurological disorder forced me to resign after 32 years of working, I was overwhelmed, depressed and not sure what to do next. Fortunately, I had ordered this book 2 weeks before and had somewhere to turn. I completed the worksheets (LOTS of information that Social Security needs but does not request) and followed Mr. Smith's suggestion to have a personal interview with Social Security. The employee was visibly delighted with the detail provided in the worksheets and I just received approval of my application only 2 1/2 months after applying! (Locally, according to a story in today's paper, only 25% of applications are granted the first time around - and hearings take over 600 days.) I firmly believe that this book made a difference in my life.

You need this book. You need this workbook, even if you think your disability application will be successful, and even if you have an attorney. Most importantly, it keeps you organized while you are stressed from illness, financial insecurity, and uncertainty. It provides a framework to keep you organized, especially if you have many disabling conditions which must be considered in combination, and must be presented together to SSA.

After assembling your information in the format provided by this workbook, you can see if anything is missing, or needs updating, or is conflicting, and requires further explanation. You can also be confident that you are communicating your data completely and consistently to the many interviewers, on the multiple SSA forms and through the numerous levels of review, that you may encounter in your application process.

Another advantage of this book for yourself and for your application, is that it allows your individual medical specialists to get a complete picture of your overall health and of the conditions that disable you. For example, it might help your orthopedist decide whether you can walk on uneven surfaces, if he is aware that your field of vision is restricted. And once the workbook questionaires are filled out, they can serve as the beginning of a health diary, which will help you manage your health and deal with the periodic SSA reviews of your disability once you get it.

Finally, the biggest advantage you get from this workbook, is that it puts the SSA employees on your team by making it easier for them to do their jobs. You are providing them with the information they need on your case in an accessible format which is simple for them to process and evaluate.

Do yourself a favor. Get the Disability Workbook by Douglas M . Smith.

If you are applying for disability, this is the only book you need to guide you through everything. I've highly recommended it to thousands of people with chronic illness through HopeKeepers Magazine.

This workbook consolidates the information needed to prove disability claims and win benefits. It guides applicants through the application process with the goal of getting benefits promptly, without unnecessary appeals. The new edition discusses the "proofs" that the Social Security Administration processors look for, and it tells you how to keep your benefits through periodic disability reviews. The book is important because two-thirds of claims for Social Security disability benefit are denied initially.

Be sure to visit the author's web site too at http://www.disabilityfacts.com . It includes a variety of free articles for personal use, including: Prospects Improve for Winning Disability Quickly, Social Security Disability Outline (What to Expect), and Daily Activities Worksheet (very helpful when filling out the forms). Many frequently asked questions about applying for benefits are also addressed.

Resources available for a small purchase price include helpful items such as "Disability Evaluation in a Nutshell: A Three Minute Guide to Effective Medical Reports," to ensure that your doctor is keeping medical records and being an advocate for your health.

You will feel like you've got an inside scoop on how the system works. .

I wrote the above title and have been in touch with Doug. Little did I know there would be a time when I would need to apply for SSI for someone in my family. Doug's book is indespensible to the SSDI/SSI disability claimant. He lists the information you'll need and plenty of forms are included. He's also got some hints like "get a face-to-face" interview. It's your right. What more can I say, I wrote a book on the subject and for additional help I turned to Doug's book immediately and it comes through with the goods. I think my book "How to Get SSI and Social Security Disability" still has vital and helpful information to add, despite some self-styled "expert" who says my book is a lie. This same expert has the same opinion of Dr. Morton's book by Nolo. I am an expert and I give Doug's book a full 2 thumbs up.
Mike Davis

An absolutely wonderful book even if you aren't interested in pursuing an assistance dog it is a must read. The authors ability to share not only her family's experience but others as well is deeply touching. I found it informative, educational and heartwarming.

THE GOLDEN BRIDGE is a wonderful book about working with dogs with special needs children with a primary focus on children with developmental disorders and particularly children with autism. Patti Dobbs, along with other guest writers, have a child with autism. They generously bring you into their lives to share the pain and the joys of having a child that is "different". They all explain the isolation from other families and the beautiful effects that a dog can have in healing.
There is compelling information about the significant benefits of dogs in the lives of families with special needs and children in classrooms, as well as instructions on training or finding dogs to be a part of families or therapy sessions. Excellent!

Patty Dobbs Gross presents an inspirational story of her personal struggle and triumphs as she tries to find the best resources for her son with autism, one of which is a service dog. Patty is honest and direct as she explains her feelings of isolation, frustration, and sometimes even anger and embarrassment with friends, the school system and Danny's peer group. Later chapters in the book focus on training and incorporating service dogs into the lives of children with developmental disabilities. These chapters are contributed by experts in their fields and should act as a model for any service dog organization.

This is the definitive text on the use of assistance dogs for autism from an author who has placed more dogs for autism in the United States than anyone else. She speaks with authority and the compassion of a mother who has raised a child with autism through the assistance of a service dog. I highly recommend this book to all those with a family member who is affected by autism.

This was a great book with a great deal of useful information. My only caution is that you need a box of Kleenex when you read some sections...it is very moving. This book gives great insight into how a well trained dog can help with an Autistic child. It also gives useful information on how to train a dog to work with an autistic child but it is not a do it yourself book...professional help is needed.

This book is a piercing read that caused me many times to pause and re-read some of the many insightful, moving and sometimes absolutely poetic observations that Kent makes. It's an excellent mix of narrative and commentary, as Kent offers often startlingly honest interpretations - or sometimes just unanswered questions - about the moving events he writes of. This is really a fabulous book.

This account of the life of a dearly loved first child called Elie, and of the profoundly difficult choices her parents confront so early in her life, is nothing short of luminous. It is one thing to suffer the pain of your child's illness; it is entirely another to put pen to paper and to share this extraordinary story with the world. In doing so, Kent Gilges inspires us to find joy, hope and resilience as we witness his family's struggle. A Grace Given spans a young couple's courtship, the joy of their first child, the tragedy of her declining health, the sense of powerlessness in dealing with an unknown medical landscape, the unwavering love a family shows a little girl living every day against the odds, and the inevitability of her loss. It also sheds light on how individuals cope with tragedy differently, yet still comprise a strong web of support as family, friends, and community. It takes real bravery to open up your family's life in a published book, and the author certainly exposes his heart to us. Beyond that, in grappling with his own deeply philosophical questions about the meaning of life, he prods us gently to do the same. As a "lapsed Catholic" (certainly in terms of organized religion) myself, I approached what seemed like religious inquiry skeptically; I admit I didn't fully appreciate the import of the author's meeting with the Pope. But what I did fully appreciate was the context of Kent's inquiry as a human being and as a father, which inquiry was to my mind perhaps more philosophical than religious: inspired by his daughter and the questions her life and her illness raise for all of us. This book forces us to confront questions about the role of spirituality in our own lives. It helps us to see the valuable role faith can play in others' lives. And it does so with intelligence, warmth, and wit.

Recently I received A Grace Given for review written by Kent Gilges. This book was both a joy to read and hard to read. In it Kent Gilges who is the father of Elizabeth a child born with a brain tumor is told. This is truly a story of faith and profound grace. Often it reminded me of what C.S. Lewis had told to Sheldon Vanauken that the had received a severe mercy.

The book is written quite wonderfully and it is evident that the author is a talented writer able to relate a tragic story that becomes not so tragic through grace. The author came from a pretty much non-religious background and could be best described as a lapsed-agnostic. There was not a denial of God, but neither much acceptance of God in his life. His wife is Catholic and you can see his own journey in faith and his questioning throughout the book. While his trajectory towards the Catholic Church is evident in the book, it does not appear evident that he has yet joined the Church.

It is such a testament to grace that this couple in the struggle of acceptance of the reality of their daughter illness and the subsequent time caring for her that they never went through a period of doubting and blaming God. There is such beauty and acceptance in them and so much love for their daughter that this book is best read with a box of tissues nearby. You come to know and love their daughter yourself through her fathers' eyes. Their praying for a miracle and going to Lourdes and receiving a private audience with Pope John Paul II are part of the story, but it is the miracles of grace that are most evident in this book.

The book is written as both a sequential retelling of the events as they occurred and with various stories and reflections throughout. This book deserves a wide audience as a testament to Elie and her parents love for her along with the effects of grace in their lives.

The life of Elie can heal your faith and transform your life. Read this book and make peace with the world around you. A great theologian and leader of the Catholic Church has once told me that in all our discussions about suffering we must not forget that there are people out there who live the answer. Elie has lived the answer.

My copy of A Grace Given was received on a Monday. I put it aside until a later date when I would have time to look at it. Well, that time came the followng Thursday as I was relaxing after lunch at home. I work a lot at home. I picked up the book and read a few pages and the next thing I knew it was nighttime and I had finished the book. And, I felt all aglow! It was an intriguing journey and one which will stay with me forever. One thing is clear, Kent Gilges knows how to write! He knows how to put his feelings, beliefs, worries, knowledge,compassion, and most of all love on the written page.Perhaps its because I know his wife's family that I took this so personally, but I don't think so. Anyone who has ever known someone who has had illness in their family will appreciate this journey. And who has not? I'm thinking of buying perhaps a half dozen or more so that I might give it as gifts to the young people in my family for birthday, graduation, Confirmation, or any excuse I can dream up -- it is that powerful. Kent not only received a tremendous Grace from God but the fact is he "received" it, he took it and he used it and he loved it as we all should with the graces given to us by God. A high school friend of mine has been bed ridden for thirty years with MS and she had seven children. They took that grace and they loved her and cherished her and took care of her as no other ever would. They would fight over who would take care of her! She spoke not a word for the last ten years of her life and was on life support and feeding tubes for the last two. That family, as Kent's and Liz' has, received this wonderful gift of grace, named Elie, and loved her and let her lead them to a closer relationship with God. This book will enlighten your life as no other ever has. Enjoy it and your future life!

This book is a how-to guide and daily encouragement for the dispaired parents and family members. It shows a path and opens you up for creativity and inventiveness needed to get your AS children through the daily life and lead them to normal life they would never achieve on their own. It is also a very good literature, wize, humorous and inspiring. I wish I knew of it when my son was little. Even now, when he is 18, I find the book very helpful and practical. Lise is one of those heroes who make a difference in other people's lives.

Asperger's Syndrome, which is on the autism spectrum is a sensory and neurobiological condition that affects communication, sensory integration and processing. People on the spectrum are affected in varying degrees.

Despite the few typos and errors in names, this is an excellent book. Lise Pyles takes readers on a Magical Mystery Tour of Asperger's as experienced by her older son, John. Born in 1984 when a dearth of literature on Asperger's existed, John showed signs of it from infancy. He loved visual stimulation and playing with lights; insisted on having his legs covered; insisted on wearing only soft clothing and hated loud noises. One delightful anecdote was when John, then a pre-schooler looked at an iron with fear asking if it would make a noise. It seemed perfectly natural to find loud noises aversive stimuli.

John found school overwhelming due to his sensory sensitivies. He was forced to leave 4 preschools and found kindergarten and the early grades nightmarish. Since he had trouble navigating the social territory with peers, he was an easy mark for bullies. His rich experiences in living in 3 continents (U.S., Europe [England] and Australia) provided him with enrichments that many people have never known.

March 4, 1992 was a banner day for John. That was the day he began his homeschool program which continued until the 1994-95 school year. John was also taken off Ritalin, which he hated. From 1988-1992 John was on the drug which made him easier for his teachers. The downsides to the drug was that it caused sleep wetting and migraines as well as added stigma. Once off and once homeschooled and provided with helpful cues from his younger brother, Jay, John was well on his way.

John had special interests which is part of Asperger's Syndrome. Luckily he was allowed to pursue his special interests which segued into real talents and developed skills. He had a myriad of interests over time and became a good source of interesting information.

I like the way this book includes practical suggestions; each chapter contains a list of approaches to take with a child who is on the spectrum. There is also a list of organizations which is provided at the end of the book which will undoubtedly prove invaluable to many people seeking guidance.

This book makes me think of the 1967 Beatles' classic, "Magical Mystery Tour" because readers take that magical mystery tour through Asperger's with two very proficient guides - John and John's mother, the author of this book. "Roll up for the mystery tour! Step right this way!"

If I could only recommend one book on Asperger Syndrome, this would be it.

This is the most helpful book I have read so far on Asperger's. My son was recently diagnosed and tested and we have so many questions and concerns and this book has helped answer many of them.

She covers about every possible aspect of daily life of a family dealing with this disorder.

I HIGHLY recommend this book. Thank you, Lise Pyles, for writing such a helpful guide for parents.

I'll keep it brief. My husband is 70 and we have only just recently found a name for what has troubled him for 70 years. The "why don't I fit - the anger, frustration and anxiety". I knew something wasn't quite right for some time. We discovered that Food Combining helped. I wrote a small article but never got it published. Like Lisa I believe our family may have had slight Asperegers Syndrome - some symptoms were there and some not. But my husband is a classic and yet none of the doctors or pschologists ever came up with any suggestion that this has been his problem. I wonder how many other adults are battling through their illness and psychological problems today that could be helped if only THEY ( the medical profession)would wake up. It seems that the biggest problem is that even they can't agree. A recent documentary on ABC Television hosted by George Negus pointed this out. OK - it's a problem for kids - does anyone have any idea what it's like being 70 and trying to get some help? (I'm told it's too late). A recent interview with yet another psychiatrist received the comment - "Oh, he couldn't have it now - there would have been signs and he would have come in contact with someone for help. He couldn't have had a life without help". Somewhat stuneed I remined him that when my husband was a child the only help he got was canings especially for bad handwriting and frequent hidings from his parents (probably for not listening). When he tried hypnosis the psychologist said that he couln't get him past a block because he had been traumatised. It wasn't until we watched the movie "Shine" that my husband revealed that his parents had treated him like that.Yeah - some help. Can you imagine his hang-ups? How many more adults are there who received this kind of help? I wish that someone would research what happens to older Asperegers Syndrome sufferes.

If you appreciate an 'old fashioned' tale free of graphic intimacy and violence, if you appreciate vivid description, romance and intrigue this is for you. I read all but one of Mary Stewart's books in my early twenty's through late thirties. Now, nearing seventy, I am rereading them and cherishing the stories I read in my young years. I have divested myself of hundreds of books. Mary Stewart's remain a constant. Though I prefer some over others "Madam Will You Talk" is one of my favorites. It tells of a young widow vacationing in Southern France who accidentially stumbles on murder, betrayal and intrique. Of course there is a romantic touch, but who is the object of the heroine's affection? Good read...

Yes, yes, yes to all the earlier reviewers! That's why I put Madam, Will You Talk? on my listmania list of favorite romances - along with my alltime Stewart favorite: Nine Coaches Waiting. They both hold all the essential ingredients for a good read - not the least being excellent writing. It's all too true that most contemporary love stories, suspense thrown in or not, are written at an elementary school literary level. I've submitted 3 manuscripts to Avalon, all of which were returned with comments that my writing was excellent and my characters engaging but I spent too much time on plotlines and peripheral characters outside of the central love story - which is exactly what I prefer in a story! Thank goodness Stewart never followed Avalon's "Rules for Writing"! Unlike some other reviewers, I lost interest in Stewart with her Merlin series. It's her early first-person narratives that enthralled. Her sense of place, plot, and people cannot be beat in this genre! Sad to say, my local library does not carry a single one of her early romantic suspense novels, so I'm on a quest to build my own Stewart library. I don't reread many authors - but Stewart just gets better with time. Madam, Will You Talk? holds a line I've never forgotten over 30 years: "Who's Johnny?" Not what I expected the hero to ask in that scene but what an impact! Read the book and see if you agree. Lily's Sister

First Sentence: The whole affair began so quietly.

WWII war widow Charity Shelbourne whose holiday in France becomes life changing. It starts with a large dog and a young, clearly troubled, boy in Avignon and progresses with a suspicious step-mother, an Englishman who reads poetry and a way-too-handsome Frenchman via a thrilling car chase to a man who had been accused, but acquitted, of murder and is desperate to connect with his son in spite of others desperate attempts to prevent it.

I love Mary Stewart's pre-Merlin books. The story starts off placidly but you are told things are going to quickly change as all the players are in place. Stewart's writing is incredibly visual. Her sense of place is vivid to the point that you feel the heat and smell the flowers. Her use of analogy is wonderful. With only a few words, you know who these characters are. Her protagonist is strong, smart and very capable. Her friend, Louise, plays a minor role but is memorable in her own right. I don't always like the way children are portrayed but, again, Stewart has drawn a lovely character in the boy, David. Stewart creates and builds the suspense, but adds just a subtle, mostly off-scene, dash of romance to make a wholly satisfying read. Even the chapter headings add to the story. My only personal nit-pick is the use of portents, which is just a personal irritant for me, but so minor when compared with the rest of the story. This book was an absolute pleasure to read.

I first read this nearly 30 years ago (yikes), and it left such an indelible impression that when I recently started visiting this genre again, I had to have another taste of this story. There are a couple points where it's obvious this is an early work, but they are few and do not detract from the vivid descriptions and characterizations. By the end of the novel, I have been to Avignon and Marseilles, and I'm quite fond of Charity and her friends. Even Louise, a minor character, is well drawn and you feel you know her.

Time to revisit all of Mary Stewart's books, I think. I remember the Merlin series fondly as well. If you like this genre, you may also like the works of Victoria Holt, Susan Howatch, and Phyllis Whitney. And if you liked the Merlin series, I highly recommend The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Mary Stewart writes great romantic suspense. This novel has the beautiful settings, fast-paced mystery and charming protagonist of all her suspense novels, plus an edge-of-your-seat climatic car chase that will leave you wanting to rush out and get her other books.

Rex is an inspiring story of a mother's dedication and intense love for her blind, autistic son. Her dreams are shattered when Rex was born with a brain tumor, and at 4 months old, doctors discovered he was blind. As he grew, he displayed autistic tendencies and was later diagnosed with Autism. Rex discovered the gift of music when he was just two years old, after receiving a keyboard for his birthday. Music became the tool that allowed him to begin to communicate with the outside world. Rex went from being a blind little boy who couldn't walk, talk, or tolerate tactile stimulation to perfectly playing an entire Bach aria after hearing the piece only once. His "spaghetti legs" and speechless lips became alive after playing the piano. Rex is called a musical genius and now travels the world playing the piano.
This "love story" as Catheleen, Rex's mother, calls it, will touch your heart. You can't help but let Rex into your heart as you read about his journey. You will cry, pray and rejoice with Rex. You wonder how Cathleen had the strength to go on another day. You hear how her faith in God and His love carried her though and gave her life when she felt she could not go on.

When Cathleen Lewis got the call from her doctor in the last trimester of her pregnancy that there was a mysterious mass in her child's brain, she never imagined the events that would unfold from that day. Upon his arrival into the world, Rex showed great determination to live and excel in the gift that God had bestowed upon him. After being told her son was blind at the age of 6 months, and then at the age of 4 being diagnosed with autism, Cathleen decided to devote all of her time to raising this exceptional child.

This gripping tale, of a child who was deemed a musical savant by many people; and his mother, who shared her life and love with him, is a story of love like no other. Cathleen fought the public school system to get for her son what she knew he needed. She tells their story of overcoming tremendous odds to reach her son when others couldn't; and to help him overcome so many of his hardships through his gift of music.

When times came that Cathleen just thought of giving up the fight and worried that Rex would never be able to function in the "real world", God put circumstances in their path that allowed her to see what a truly exceptional child her son was, and how He wanted her to walk by faith, and not by sight. As Rex developed his piano skills, God developed how his mother viewed the world...from Rex's point of view.

This is a powerful story of love and determination; and it ended up being an inspiration to me. It is my belief that it will also be an inspiration as well as to anyone who reads it. It is well-written by Cathleen, Rex's mother; and I remained glued to each and ever word on the pages until I finished the book. It left me asking for more when the end pages were blank.

The phone fell from her hand and crashed to the floor with a thud ... so did her heart. The phone wasn't hurt, but her heart? That was a different story. It was her first pregnancy, and the ultrasound had shown the presence of a suspicious mass in the brain of her unborn child; a gigantic, fluid-filled cyst. The fact that the cyst was benign and repairable was a temporary comfort to her, but shortly after the birth of her son and his first surgery, she received the second blow to her heart ... he was blind. Her heart sank, and her hopes for her son's future were crushed. The third blow was delivered only a short time later ... he was autistic. How could it be that her innocent son should have to live with such horrible limitations in his life? He had done nothing to deserve this.

In the newly released book, REX: A Mother, Her Autistic Child, And The Music That Transformed Their Lives, Cathleen Lewis writes of the struggles and fears she and her son face while trying to accomplish even the most basic tasks of life. Suddenly, from the depths of his multiple challenges, there emerges a peculiar strength, an extraordinary gift ... Rex has been given a rare and wonderful musical ability!

In reading Cathleen's story of her great need and God's great provisions, I saw faith and trust beautifully expressed. She summed it up well in this quote near the end of the book:

"He [God] was telling me to look past my own mind, and just trust. Hear my voice in the music. Hear each note. Don't worry about where it's going. Just hear the sound and know that it's beautiful ... and know that I am God. Trust."

I've been encouraged by this true account told from a mother's heart. If you're interested in learning more about Rex's story and his music, click the link and watch the 7.5 min video interview with Cathleen, the mother of this astounding child.

Rex is the story written by Cathlene Lewis about her struggles with having a son that has special needs. Right from the beginning he had to have an operation to remove a cyst from his brain. She was told that he was blind. And the hits just kept coming. The beginning of her sons life seemed to be one trial after another. She was told that he was also autistic just a few short months later. How was he to have a normal life. There were many obstacles to overcome. His increasing sensitivity to sound and touch. Being blind and having autism. Refusal to walk and talk. There seemed to be no way that he was going to be able to a normal life.

Rex's dad brought him a piano for his second birthday. From that point on things changed. He started to come out of his shell. When Cathlene all but gave up, God gradually began to show his glory and power through Rex as he begins to interact more and more with the world around him. He learned to walk, talk and laugh. The piano was the key to unlocking who Rex is. Cathlene began to see how God was working through her son to get to her. To tell her to walk by faith and not by sight.

This story will bring tears to your eyes and joy to your heart as his mother relates how she felt as she received each new puzzle about Rex. His struggles and his triumphs. To see how no matter what God is there in the midst of their lives and that He is bigger than the limitations Rex has had to deal with.

Rex is the inspiring story of an blind autistic musical savant and the mother who poured her life into making sure he had one. Cathleen Lewis spent her young adult days as a student at Sanford and as a worker in the financial markets in Paris. In her late thirties she moved to California, met Mr. Wonderful, married him and got pregnant. Near the end of her pregnancy, a cyst was found on the baby's brain. Luckily it could be drained through surgery. Unluckily, it turned out to be only the beginning of her baby Rex's problems. First, they noticed that he could not see. Ophthalmologists confirmed that the retinal nerve was underdeveloped and that in all likelihood, he'd be blind all his life. His parents enrolled him in a preschool program for the blind and his mother quit her job to maximize her time with him. As he failed to develop normally, even for a blind child, further tests revealed further problems. Life was one long series of discoveries of things Rex could not do--until his father, who had separated from his mother, bought him a keyboard for his second birthday. Rex proved to be a musical savant. He played by ear and was able to reproduce complex melodies after hearing them only one time. At the piano he was able to physically do things he was unable to do away from it.

Rex was written by his mother and is told from her point of view. As the mother of a special needs child, I can identify with seeing hopes for normalcy dropped one by one as the extent of the disability becomes more clear. I've been at the IEP meetings she describes so well. I've met the teachers who were willing to go out of their way to help my child, and those who resented my requests that they handle my son differently. Cathleen Lewis also writes of the spiritual journey for which her son was a catalyst. I've read that great trials in life often either make people reach out for God or cause them to lose whatever faith they might once have had. Lewis found God and can see how her son has drawn her closer to Him.

I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Hello avid readers of true stories. I appreciated The State Boy's Rebellion, as I too was a victim of the mental health system when I was 8 years old. I remained institutionalized for 10 years; even though authorities were informed I was not retarded. Like the kids in The State Boys Rebellion, I was deprived of my civil liberties, denied an education, and horribly abused. If you want to read a remarkable story of the human spirit to survive horrific odds, read my true story. You'll be glad you did.
Charles A. Carroll, Author, Victim/Victim's Advocate
HARD CANDY: Nobody Ever Flies Over the Cuckoo's Nest

A must read for anybody. I am currently employed at one of the said institutions in MA and heard of this book through a co-worker. I have worked here for over 20 years, long after they stopped admitting people. The residents that currently reside there get the best of care available and the staffing ratios way outnumber the amount of clients residing here. I am in no way condoning what happened to Freddie and all the other state children, I just wonder how some of the residents would have turned out if not institutionalized. My supervisor and I have roamed through the old dormitories and found a wealth of info and pictures. Some of the pics show young children about Freddies admission age that looked scared to death, it brought tears to my eyes to think of what these poor kids went through and reading Freddie's story helped me better understand just exactly why these children were admitted. When I started working here, over 1,000 residents lived here, now we have under 300 and the remaining people really do benefit from the care they receive. I just could not comprehend why some of the residents were there 20 years ago, now I know. My family has welcomed in a former resident in the shared living program and it has been benificial to both him and my family. After reading the "State Boys Rebellion", my only regret is that I never got to meet Freddie Boyce. In my eyes, he and all the other state children are true heroes for surviving the great injustice done to them. In closing, I have to truly say that I have been humbled.

Michael D'Antonio has provided us with a very interesting book that he has subtitled "The Inspiring True Story of American Eugenics and the Men Who Overcame It". There is no doubt that he cares tremendously for his subject, but this is not a comprehensive history of the Eugenics movement or even of the the State Boys Rebellion at the Fernald School for the Feebleminded.

From a journalistic perspective, this is a tremendous piece of writing & investigation. Evaluating the events primarily through the eyes of Fred Boyce, the author skillfully weaves in the stories of fellow inmates at the Fernald school and the events leading up to the rebellion. Unfortunately, the key point that I see as the "rebellion" only gets about 4 pages of treatment, with regular references to the people involved in the riot throughout the rest of the book. Boyce's life is traced up through the time when the book was written, and is a compelling story.

From a historical standpoint, although there is no clear thesis, the book obviously was written to educate the reader about the Fernald school and a few key residents that were able to make great strides in their lives and lead a relatively "normal" life after being released from the institution. The most interesting argument the author presents is that some of the medical experiments conducted within the confines of the Fernald school were reflective of Cold War America, where government aims included furthering science in an effort to find a way to defeat the Communists.

Overall, this is a very interesting book and an easy read. The story is enthralling, and keeps the reader entertained throughout. If the reader is looking for a comprehensive story of the American Eugenic movement, this is not the book; I believe there are probably better scholarly works out there that address eugenics in America. I would recommend this as a book to start one's understanding of eugenics and how this one school in the Boston area plays into the bigger picture.

I never gave the imposing Fernald School campus much thought, even though the house I shared with my friends was literally across the street from the large brick buildings. It was not until I researched the effects of radiation on soldiers during the Cold War that I learned Fernald's dirty secrets. I immediately bought this book, and it filled me with rage and despair. D'Antonio's style is not preachy, nor does he editorialize. He allows the recollections of those who were there to speak for him. Wherever he can, he uses several sources to shade each event, from conversations with the boys, to the memories of the staff members, to the cold, un-enlightening medical records from the school. As others have said, the story ends not in misery but in triumph. It is a cautionary tale about society's complacency and willingness to let the horrors of our past remain behind the locked doors of our crumbling institutions.

The State Boys Rebellion tells the story of the Fernald State School in Massachusetts. Michael D'Antonio does a great job of telling the story through the eyes of Freddie Boyce, a child that grew up in Fernald. The story is quite chilling, specially to those of us who did not live through that time period. It is disgraceful that we, the United States actually started Eugenics, although I was taught in school that Nazi Germany was the creator. This book should remind us that as a society, we sometimes leave out the bad stuff our forefathers did, even if they meant no harm. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone, but it will touch the heart of anyone with a child who is considered "special".

This book needs to be distributed to every parent upon receiving a diagnosis for their child. Each chapter starts with a success story, giving parents a hopeful look at what can be accomplished, and ends with helpful tips and resources. It takes the reader through every aspect of living with a disability and encourages parents to "raise the bar". Thank you Judy, for your inspiration!

This is a wonderful book! Like having a good friend walk you through having a child with special needs. It is a very positive book and makes you feel better about your life, your child, and your future.

Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs truly helps parents to see their son or daughter in a unique light. Many practical helps and hints, if followed, will help any child reach his or her potential and, quite possibly, surpass the expectations of professionals. Believing in your child is worth more than any test or diagnosis. This book shows parents how to love in practical and proven ways.

This book is exactly what we all need. Straightforward easy to understand information about taking loving care of your special needs child. Resource full. A great tool for us all.

I am so happy I have this book, it brought tears to my eyes as I have been reading it. I have a daughter who is now almost 7 years of age, who has special needs. I have been through so much with Doctor's and testing, and sometimes forget about what else is going on in life. I think anyone who's going through a challenge with their child being a little different from the rest, should own a copy of this book. It's sense that should be common, for both parents and doctor's.

Being the mother of 4, with 3 who are absolutely normal, I feel even more blessed with having 1 child who is different, and this book really confirms I'm not alone in thinking that way. Thank you Judy, for taking the time to write this book. I hope every parent going through these sorts of challenges, is able to read this book!

Changed by a Child is a book of companion notes for parents of children with disabilities. It is a book that covers a wide array of subjects that parent's of disabled children deal with, depression, other children, grandparents, patience, courage, acceptance, etc. Each subject is given a small write up that is easily read. One could read the whole book or use the book as a reference when they are feeling a certain way. It has stories from parents who have gone through the process of raising a disabled child and it honestly depicts life for a parent with a disabled child. Changed by a Child is a book that gives parents the opportunity to see they are not alone in a world they did not expect to visit.

"We don't feel heroic. Our kids are called special, but we don't really think we are. And we don't want to be. We just want to be ordinary people like everyone else. Normal." (198). This quote is found in the passage on heroism. It is one of my favorites, because I think it portrays how many parents of disabled children feel. They do not want everyone to think they are special heroes for raising disabled children, because they are just raising children. However, Gill says that getting up and doing it everyday, no matter what, not giving up, that is what makes the parents heroes.

Changed by a Child is a wonderful book of essays. It touches on every aspect of having a child with a disability, even ones most people do not want to think about. The essay called "Funky", about how a child is somewhat funky is not something most people want to look at or say, but sometimes it is true, and a parent needs to know its okay to feel this way. They are not alone in their feelings or raising a child with a disability. I like this book because it is so honest for parents and caregivers. It is full of the things they need to hear and they need to have to relate to.

I would highly recommend this book to parents, and to professionals that are planning on working with children who have disabilities. It is a book that will help parents with their feelings, and will allow them to accept their feelings about their child. Changed by a Child allows professionals an insight into the feelings and emotions of families they may be working with, which will help them, work more effectively with the families.

Like most of the Moms I know, my courage can sometimes fail me. Or worse, my humor can fail me. I have wholeheartedly recommended Changed by a Child to hundreds of parents, and I have seen a reading of one page bring a roomful of people to tearful silence -- or to animated discussion. This is a useful book, a quiet and wise book. I need to buy another for myself -- the only book besides a cookbook that I ever wore out. And I need to buy more to give away -- because how often can you purchase a little package of genuine kindness to share with others who could really use it?

This little book has been my constant companion for many years, since my own daughter was diagnosed with autism. There is an inspirational quotation on every page, coupled with a very brief story from a parent of a child with a disability. The little stories range from comical to heart-breaking - but never sentimental or sappy. All the entries resonate with honest words from other parents who have "been there" through it all. I return to this little book in every possible mood, and it has never failed to help me find comfort and inspiration. I have given away many, many copies over the years. Highly recommended.

Barbara Gill is a writer, attorney, and disability advocate as well as the mother of a child with Down syndrome. In this book she shares short one or two page vignettes that honestly tell what she has experienced. With titles such as "Awareness", "Sorrow", "Magical Thinking", "Forgiveness", "Pain", she captures the emotions that parents of children with disabilities share. Each reading stands by itself and can be read over and over again. It is a book that you will always keep nearby and will want to read from for years to come.

This collection of short vignettes might be good for those struggling with grief about their child with a disability,
those that want to know that there are others who feel that way too.
I found the book annoying and upsetting, as I am grateful for my daughter with DS and enjoy her a lot.
I was also disappointed that the author chose to try to write almost entirely about disabilities other than DS(Down Syndrome). Her child had DS so she could have shared more of her own experiences and perhaps given the book a little more warmth.

An award winning anthology of poetry, "Dark Card", is Rebecca Foust's reflections on dealing with her Asperger's Syndrome afflicted Autistic son. The poetry within explains why the chap book is award winning, and why the titular poem was nominated for 2007 Pushcart prize. "Dark Card" is an excellent collection, to be considered by poetry fans everywhere. "Underneath": His face is blank as a kettle pond/dawn, but he feels everything/there is underneath-- //tadpoles, minnows, sunfish, perch/fish-hooks, tangled lines,/frays of fat yarn algae strands,//filaments tethering lily stars/that from above seem free to skim,/milky writhe of swimmers' legs//mossed undersides of floats,/surprising truth of sailboat keels,/their iceberg depth.

The twenty seven linked poems of Dark Card, winner of the 2007 Robert Phillips Poetry Chapbook award, turn on the poet's experience of raising her son, born with Asperger's syndrome. The narrative arc travels from grief and white-hot anger, to Foust's difficulty in accepting all aspects of her child's disability, opening finally onto transformative acceptance-- a state of grace, perhaps. The resonance of recurring themes and images help mould this collection into an almost novelistic whole.

Foust shows us her gifted, afflicted child as he is. We learn about the syndrome's manifestations, the child's neurological deficits, the wrong-headed practices of institutions responsible for him. When, in the title poem, the boy creates a scene at school, we are shown the coping mechanisms of his mother, as well: she plays the "dark card of the idiot savant ... /...It's my ploy to exorcise their pitchforks and torches/... But it's a swindle, a flimflam, a lie/ a not-celebration of what he sees/with his inward-turned eye:/the patterns in everything---"
The poet's emotions overflow the page. She rages against the possible sources of her son's syndrome. Like a tongue to a tooth, the author worries "...that Gordian- knot neck-throttled curse, /that gene-encrypted, linked-chain curse,//that DES-taken-by-his grandmother curse,/that fumble-fingered-fool-doctor-shaped curse..." . She spits out her indictments in diatribes worthy of the name. Her anger hits its target in "Palace Eunuch":

Don't say you were trying to be kind,
you ball-less prick soft dick eunuch
cowardly coin-counting conservator.
You were practically pissing yourself
in your fear of malpractice,
you were shaking in your green paper booties.

These poems show the many ways in which the quality of life argument is entirely subjective. We see how the boy's behaviors set him apart and make him singular, but we get a rounder view here than in disability poetry purely from the patient's POV (The Hospital Poems by Jim Ferris comes to mind). In one of the best poems, "Asperger Ecstasy," Foust observes the activities that make her son "vibrate with joy." "It can be tying flies under a microscope, knot patterns / the size of this period. It can be cataloging washing / machine brands or the note variations in a symphony, / or committing to memory for joyous recounting / the entire year's schedule for the El-train." As she makes peace with his differences, she begins to celebrate them: "He makes/ meaning from acorns,/ the sky,/knotted bits/ of string." (The Visitation) We watch her empathy swell. She makes us believe her when she says that her son "loves who he is."

Foust's use of poetic devices is as expert as her emotional spectrum is varied. Her line breaks reveal meaning in fresh ways, and her use of sound is a mark of her craft---the sustained vowels throughout "Instrument," the single word lines in the final strophe of "Firstborn," echoing the child's first thin breath; the compound words that heighten the passion in her teeth-gnashing rants. There are allusions to Emily Dickinson's feathered hope and Temple Grandin's empathy, and Foust raises the hair on the reader's arm when she says about her baby, "You freeze my heart to stone/when I measure your foot with my thumb."(No Longer Medusa).

The author reconciles the grim with the hopeful in Dark Card, and her voice never wavers in its fierce emotional honesty. And when, in the extraordinary final poem, the recurring image of her son's Gordian knot "unravels with his years, unwinds, unfolds,/lets loop out in vast uncoiling spirals/whole archives of text,/found worlds," we are moved. The poet has succeeded in making the personal universal. We close the covers, uplifted by Rebecca Foust's courage and her compassionate song.

Life as art ... there is a special gift in the ability to share one's life as art, to issue a challenge to each beholder, to trigger a deeper reaching within and without, to one's coming away changed. The amazingly insightful cover and the signpost of a title dare us to pass through this doorway, to accept the challenge to go beyond and experience what these travelers before us offer to share. Will any two come away with the same experience? I don't think so. For me this journey was worth the beauty, love, and mystery revealed along side the pain of Dark Card. Without the presence of light, we would not even see this silhouette. I am thankful that there are artists and poets who can transcend the dark to share their lives by shining light.

In Dark Card, Rebecca Foust gives the reader a lesson in courage -- the courage of a mother raising a child with a disability, the courage to face the reality this forces upon her, the courage to probe the feelings deep within, and the courage to put those feelings into unforgettable words. This is the open heart of a mother, with all the pain and joy exposed. Read it with respect. It will move you.

I read Dark Card on my vacation. I reacted most deeply to Perfect Target, Sweet Heart, Begin Again - all three made me pause and just feel sick about how cruel people can be to each other and the impacts of seemingly small events on a precious life. It makes me wonder how easily we as individuals and a culture are afraid of vulnerability and the need for eliminating the weak to make ourselves feel strong rather than embracing them. These three poems are marked with tears. There were a few others that really hit me in the gut for how much the emotional content of the poem became my own: Apologies to My OB-GYN, No Longer Medusa, Unreachable Child, He Never Lies, Eighteen (he made it!), Refrigorator Mom. These poems are marked with a check to reread. Thank you for sharing yourself and your son's journey through poetry.