The Ghost Behind the Wheelchair [Paperback]

Lila Ridings Darnell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 19, 2002

Sudden paralysis is a circumstance no one wishes to get intimatelyfamiliar with, but such tragedies do unfortunately occur.¿ In my own experience, I've learned that amother will search desperately for the tools of education whenever they'rerequired, but when my son was involved in a life-changing accident, I couldfind no shared experiences written of by another parent.¿ After living through the experience of theaccident's aftermath and the many months of rehabilitation, I was eventuallyable to sit down and put words onto paper in the hope that another mother wouldone day find my experience helpful during their own times of learning andsearching.That immediate past so suddenly lost, without preparation of any kind,brought my old son into focus at the same time as my mind was trying to meetthe new one-who was in many ways a stranger based on the physical limitationsand changes now present in his life. During this time is when I met the ghost--and the handsome man in the wheelchair.¿I was determined to do so positively, but had no instruction book on thenew parenting needs.¿ We learnedtogether, all of us who loved my son, and I can now see that part of the lessonis that the ghost leaves us in his own time as we learn to let him go.There is no one-means or one-method lesson book.¿ I have tried as honestly as I can to sharemy experience as a mother.¿ My attemptis supported by my courageously inspiring son who was the motivator and teacherin many ways and by his younger brother who shared commitment and devotion withme.¿ At the end of our story-which istruly a beginning of another-our lives are full and blessings continue toenrich our times together.The goal of this book is that the reader will findsomething that will take them through Hell Week to the start of their lovedone's new life with more hope and confidence.¿Many have contributed to our progress; I hope I may contribute to thehopefulness of others in similar circumstances.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lila Leona Ridings Darnell was born and raised in the rolling, wooded hills of Terrapin Ridge, a rural area outside of Greenville, Illinois. The youngest of eight children, she grew up just down the hill from the church she, her family and all the families of the other area homesteaders attended. At their late ages, her strict father and mother were a little softer on their baby girl than they'd been with her older siblings. Her father Urban Lee was a millwright in the steel mills of Granite City who loved reading and discussing the Bible and was a gifted writer, and her mother Beatrice cooked, sewed and quilted a wonderful if simple life for her family. 'Lila Lee' was married in February, 1961, before graduating high-school in the spring of 1962. Her first son, Scott Alan, became the pride and joy of both of his parents and a large, loving family on September 23, 1963. The young Darnell family traveled much in pursuit of work, settling briefly in Iowa and Florida in between return moves to Greenville. Along the way another son, Roger Kent, was born, on May 5, 1966. Having received the writing gift from her father, Lila learned to tap the well often as a means for dealing with life's joys, challenges and hardships. In 1974, she became a single-mother, raising two very active boys while navigating a career as an administrator and while learning of the unprotected world beyond marriage.During the years when her boys were growing into men, her blood, sweat and tears were all set down in volumes of verses, many of which have been destroyed and buried along with the more difficult memories. What remains is a strong mother and an independent woman, who enjoys a special solace and strength every day from her knowledge of the two sons she helped to raise and the lives they've built from their bonds of love and experience.Still compelled to write both fiction and verse, the writing of this book was yet another example of the way Ms. Ridings Darnell has used writing as a ther

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (October 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403315892
• ISBN-13: 978-1403315892
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,974,064 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Account of Difficult Situation, April 1, 2003

By 

BT (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ghost Behind the Wheelchair (Paperback)

I have been a close friend of this Author for many years. I would like you to know that she has reared these two boys basically by herself and they have both turned out to be two of the finest young men I know. One of the reasons for their success in life is because Lila taught them to be independent young men who could make good decisions for themselves, but knowing she was there for them when they needed her guidance. I feel, in this difficult situation, she did what she needed to do for her son as well as herself. Some of your reviews seemed to portray her as a cold hearted mother who thinks only of herself. This is far from the truth! Sure, she could have quit her job and her life and moved to take care of her son. This is probably what most of us would have done. But, this probably would have made an invalid out of him. She knew, no matter how it hurt, that she had to help him recover by helping him to be independent and make his own decisions. This is how she participated in his rehab as I see it. I feel this book gives a mother the strength to help a child recover by helping them be independent and able to make their own decisions concerning their recovery. Knowing Lila and her sons, I know without a doubt that she made the right decision; and I feel that this might help other families to make independent decisions without feeling guilty or helpless. I would like to see this book available in every hospital and library.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book..., March 19, 2003

By 

Blue Streak (ILLINOIS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ghost Behind the Wheelchair (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for those who are trying to cope with the sudden onset of new circumstances & feelings involved in, & or understand what a close friend/family member may be going through in dealing with this type of injury... And the title is very appropriate for a Mother writing about her son's accident --a Mother seeing the ghost of what was...her strong, healthy son. I applaud the Authors efforts in writing this in order to help others cope with such a tragedy...knowing what a painful experience it must have been to relive on paper.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Making lemonade from the lemons of life, March 16, 2003

By 

Gerald Jenner (Greenville, IL 62246) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ghost Behind the Wheelchair (Paperback)

I married a friend of the author's family. I saw life throw a lemon at her son when he dived into shallow water and broke his neck. He was paralyzed from the waist down. He has recovered enough to help others with their handicaps. He helped me face the challenges of life when my wife almost died. I watched his family pull together to help him become a winner. I enjoyed the report of his mother in helping him recover. It is a factual report and one worthy of telling the world that you do not have to be a Richard Gere to make the most of your handicaps. He made lemonade out of the lemon of his life. His mother did an accurate, straightforward report of his adjustment. I believe the book offers hope to those who need help to face life's challenges when a loved one needs help.