In Spinning Straw, the human spirit shows itself in it's mightiest face...that of unconditional love. Beautifully written, eloquent in it's reality, the author takes us right there. We are in the Apple's home & lives...we smell the bacon on that first day...& then we feel the first suspicions along with Jeff's mother. Ultimately, we feel the love, the hope, the frustration, the fear & sadly, the grief. We are there in the silent moments, the sunny moments, the despairing moments & the final moments. Our hearts go out to the Apples, their courage, fortitude & dignity...but most of all for their love. No parent should let this book pass them by, no parent who picks this book up will put it down, particularly any parents of children who face special challenges." [From a review by a Canadian reader. Full text available at Amazon.]
Jeff Apple was diagnosed with autism at age 2 l/2. That wasn't the problem! His parents, Pat and George Apple, could have handled it! But Jeff had started hurting himself. And it was getting worse. . .and worse. . .and worse. Over the years he broke limbs and severely damaged his brain. His body turned into one big scar. His parents and siblings bore their own...but all have wonderful memories. Afterword author Stephen R. Schroeder, Ph.D., is the leading authority on Self-Injurious Behavior. He worked closely with Jeff [sadly, he died of self-inflicted injuries at the age of 29] and says he never saw anyone hurt himself as badly as Jeff did. Yet Jeff's personality shone through to the extent that Dr. Schroeder's latest book is dedicated to him {over a decade later}. Two funeral services were held and they were mobbed. People traveled several counties to attend a second one. Jeff adored & was adored by countless people, giving the lie to the totally self-involved & colorless figure that is often portrayed when talking about autism. It is possible that he suffered from what is now known as Asberger's. So little information was available when Jeff was diagnosed. Spinning Straw is a triumphant story, sad and horrendous as the events it portrays are, because the family -- including Jeff -- met challenge after challenge with courage and persistence. So did a number of health & education professions {many of whom appear in the book}. The reader reviews and comments at BookBrowse & Amazon are highly illuminating. Check them out.
Excerpt
Stop! You're hurting your sister!" someone managed to scream. Suddenly
Jeff seemed to realize what he was doing. He dropped
his hands, staring expressionlessly. Jane was almost in too much
pain to notice.
Within a few seconds, Jeff "went out" again. But this
time Jane was able, woozy as she was, to work
free. Before another explosion could erupt, she raced to the
house to phone Mama. Then she raced back to the
RV as I flew for the driveway, carkeys clutched in
my sweating palm.
Jeff had calmed down and was now in the house
with his grandmother. . .But the scenes I had conjured
to the tune of blaring horns and screeching tires were
nothing to what I found in that RV. Poor Jane,
bloody and half-bald, sobbed in my arms as I surveyed
a soggy mishmash of cracked fixtures, mutilated appliances and unrecognizable
flotsam. . Water had spewed from the humidifier. . .
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