A Song In This World

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable. If we can conquer outer space, we should be able to conquer inner space too–the frontier of the brain, the central nervous system, and all the afflictions of the body that destroy so many lives and rob our country of so much potential.”

While Christopher Reeve did not suffer from a degenerative disease his catastrophic accident which left him a quadriplegic and vent dependent changed his life forever. Christopher Reeve’s insight into living with paralyzes and how it effects your life is profound. Christopher wrote 2 books and I strongly suggest everyone read them as they give great information on family dynamics, hope, and the books are heavily weighted on advocacy. Without Chistopher Reeve stem cell research wouldn’t be where it is today as he really increased funding for stem cell research as well as political will to a whole new level while he was alive creating the environment or stepping stone for scientists today.

Christopher Reeve “Still Me”: This book deals with Christopher before and after his accident. This is his first book and obviously an inspirational story of his entire life. You get an eyeful of his child hood through adult hood, his injury, emotional and physical trauma and how he rebounded into one of the most effective advocates for the disabled in the United States ever!!

Christopher Reeve “Nothing Is Impossible”: This is a must read for us advocates!!! The book is not deep but it goes into Christopher’s thought process’s one goes through after a catastrophic diagnosis or injury:
1) The First Decision
2) Humor
3) Mind/Body
4) Parenting
5) Religion
6) Advocacy
7) Faith
8) Hope
Christopher Reeve was an avid sailor and the lighthouse does not have religious meaning here. Here is an excerpt from his book:

“When the unthinkable happens the lighthouse is hope. ONce we find it, we must cling to it with absolute determination, much as our crew did when we saw the light of Gibb’s Hill that October afternoon. Hope must be as real, and built on the same solid foundation, as a lighthouse; in that way it is different from optimism or wishful thinking. When we have hope, we discover powers within ourselves we may have never known—- the power to make sacrifices, to endure, to heal, everything is possible. We are all on this sea together. But the lighthouse is always there, ready to show us the way home.”