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ABOUT
THE BOOK -
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Busnell
on Books — Georgeanne Davis — Suzanne Spruce —
Maine-ly Women
Wordsmiths, March 2003 Vol. 2 Issue 6 While I want to say that An Autumn Called Evan, by Deborah Klane is a heartbreaking story, I cannot. Klane does such a beautiful job of showing us the human side of her severely ill child Evan, the ultimately, what I see is a family consumed in love, inspired and fostered by a beautiful boy. Klane tells the story of
Evan through recollections begun at about the time of Evan's tenth
birthday—a
miracle birthday if ever there was one. She records their life
in and out of hospitals, doctor's offices, life-threatening emergencies,
treatments, home healthcare, school, all from the moment of Evan's
birth. We To help illustrate the life of this
family, their experiences, and emotions, Klane Too, this is as much a how-to
book as it is the story of one family. There are chapters included
on being
an effective team player, taking care of yourself as a parent,
learning to trust your own instincts, and how to stand up for yourself
and your child when you in disagreement with the professionals.
A glossary is Klane recommends that medical professionals
be given training on how to deal effectively with parents of exceptional
children, and to include ongoing training I marvel at the ferocity of protecting
her child's rights and humanity Klane brings When all is said and done,
however, the most powerful moment in the reading of this book came
toward
the end. Klane had decided to have Evan speak for himself rather
than guess at his answers to her wonderings. Among other question,
she
asked
Evan if he was frustrated with the life he has been given having
done Stunning child—stunning family.
Poignant memoir of Evan's struggle, As the mother of an exceptional child, Deborah Klane has learned a few hard lessons about life. Her son Evan, suffers from acute cerebral palsy and sever epilepsy, and he requires constant care and attention. An Autumn Called Evan is Klane's poignant memoir of Evan's life and how his struggle has influenced herself, her husband, and Evan's little brother. Klane and her family live in Fairfield and this is her first book. This is a first-person story, as Klane candidly tells of the challenges of caring for such an exceptional child. Evan is almost 12 years old now, and Klane relates the full range of emotions and challenges from birth to stunning discovery of his medical problems, and through the years of coping, learning, and cherishing the life of an ailing little boy. Through all of Evan's bouts
with pneumonia, the operation, infections, and eye problems, Klane
and her husband have endured incredible
stress, uncertainly, and frustration. However, they have also
enjoyed the love of a little boy, and This would be merely a sad story if not for Klane's upbeat approach, unvarnished honesty, and positive attitude. She turns this into an inspirational story of hope, faith, and appreciation for life itself, even when faced with Evan's uncertain future and a child's mortality. Her chapters on her husband and her youngest son are particularly revealing. Klane has no illusions about
Evan's future. saying, "I think
of Evan as a little boy, sage beyond his years; someone who has
been given the gift of knowing of what |
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