A Life Beyond Reason
Page 21
I also want to thank those who helped Ilene and me during our journey with August: Cindy Baccash-Pickett, Karen Barakat, Monica Beltrami, Cindy Berry, Jamie Bérubé, Judi Bloom and Stanley Bloom, Zim Boulos and the people at OE&S, Pete Brewer, Amy Buggle and the people of DLC Nurse & Learn, Cristina and Jesse Case, Mark Cashen and the people of the Mt. Herman Exceptional Student Center, Bobby Cherry, Crawford and Helen Cole, Eric Conger, Tomi and Jack Corbett, Bradin Cormack, Angie Cosper, Eileen Davis, Scott B. Dowman, Lanier Drew, Greg and Marybeth Dyer, Susan Estilaei, Lisa Federico, Donna Ferriero, Hazel and Cathy Fong, Carlos and Nancy Frias, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Brian and Karen Giddens, Shannon Goossen and Arnold Graham-Smith, Mims and Dan Grifo, Pam Hansen, Kim Harris, Carolyn Hawthorne, Joe and Suzanne Honeycutt, Adrien and Patricia Jones, Annette Keogh, Barbara Lanahan, Julie Larsen, Stephen Lazoff, Betty Lituanio, Maryjane Malone, Lisa McKenzie, Sean and Lisa McNeil, Kathy Michael, Alan Mishael, Mary Fisher Orzoff, Lynn Peterson, Carlos Perera, Susan Prattos, Mark Pyatt, Carol Reaves, Kim Rickey, Linda and Wes Rieger, Chip Riegler, Ashton Taylor Roberts, Diane Silk, Piper and Cliff Spohr, Ian Stake, Niki Stokes and the Studio K moms, David Strauss, Matt Take, Jeannie Theriault, Jennifer Walsh Thomason, Chris and Lauren Trad, Steve Woodhams, and Pattye Tobase Zimmerman. I have not named everyone who helped us—that would be impossible. All of you are in our hearts.
Special thanks to all of August’s caregivers throughout his fourteen years: Jamie Bérubé, Amber Boetel, Sarah Cortez, Meredith (Stoker) Frichtenicht, Kathryn “Kat” Grifo, Amanda (Vinson) Grubbs, Katrina Johnson, Christina Niccolaides, Rory Niccolaides, Jenna (Lee) Price, Jobeth (Lee) Rodrigues, Ashley (Koerick) Sauer, Skylar, Tara (Montavani) Stamm, Stevie Coburn Thomas, and Jenna (Strongin) Troops. I am sorry if I have left anyone out. You made what seemed impossible possible.
I wish to thank my literary agent, Gillian MacKenzie, who suggested back in 2010 that I write this book, and my editor at Beacon Press, Joanna Green, who spotted possibilities in the manuscript that I didn’t see. Her thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and commitment to the project brought it to fruition. Lastly, the copyeditors Chris Dodge and Susan Lumenello did a wonderful job with the manuscript.
Clio should be recognized here. She didn’t ask to be the sibling of a catastrophically impaired brother, but she accepted her role with grace and flair. She was a good sister. And the love of my life Ilene should be acknowledged here too. When people marry, they rarely know what they are going to get in their partner until the chips are down. I found in Ilene the best partner there could be. She demonstrated degrees of good cheer, perseverance, fortitude, resourcefulness, and affection far beyond my ability to imagine.
Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my parents, both deceased. I miss them dearly: Frances Silvey and Arvil William Gabbard.
BEACON PRESS
Boston, Massachusetts
www.beacon.org
Beacon Press books
are published under the auspices
of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.
© 2019 by Chris Gabbard
All rights reserved
Text design and composition by Kim Arney
Cover design by Carol Chu
Cover image © amtitus
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Gabbard, Chris, author.
Title: A life beyond reason: a father’s memoir / Chris Gabbard.
Description: Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, [2019]
Identifiers: LCCN 2018043304 (print) | LCCN 2018047745 (ebook) |
eISBN 9780807060582 (ebook) | ISBN 9780807060575 (hardback)
Subjects: LCSH: Gabbard, Chris—Health. | Fetal
brain—Abnormalities—Complications. | Children with
disabilities—Biography. | Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. | Father and
child—Biography. | Parents of children with disabilities—Biography. |
Medical errors. | BISAC: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Medical. | FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Death, Grief, Bereavement.
Classification: LCC RG629.B73 (ebook) | LCC RG629.B73 G33 2019 (print) |
DDC 618.3/2680092 [B] —dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018043304