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Nothing is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life

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NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE is a slender book, but its size does not matter. A book doesn't have to be weighty to contain a good story or a powerful idea --- and author Christopher Reeve has both.

The first part of Reeve's story is familiar enough; he experienced a fall from a horse that rendered him suddenly unable to even breathe on his own due to a spinal
cord injury. His physical abilities nothing like the Superman we have come to equate him to. However, Reeve's disability did not overshadow his abilities. He eventually was able to return to work and a productive life directing one movie and starring in another.

The unique part of the story would come later, and that is the story that is chronicled in NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

After undergoing an initial period of rehabilitation for his injuries, Reeve started on an aggressive regimen of physical therapy, involving exercise and electrical stimulation. Unlike many people with spinal cord injuries, Reeve had the financial resources available to continue physical therapy after the period stipulated by his health insurance policy.

Generally, people with spinal cord injuries may experience some improvement shortly after their injuries, but little improvement years after. By using a stationary bicycle and a specially designed table allowing his body to tilt to an upright position, Reeve hoped to regain some level of functionality, and perhaps even walk again.

The results so far have been extraordinary. Reeve recovered to an extent that doctors thought would be impossible so long after his injury; regaining feeling and sensation over a large part of his body, and moving the index finger on his left hand independently. These small steps show large amounts of progress for Reeve, and may result in new thinking about treatments for others with spinal cord injuries. This is a story that, by now, is almost familiar due to the concentrated media coverage the media has devoted to Reeve's progress.

However, this story is only a small part of NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. Only one chapter in the book is devoted to Reeve's recovery, with the rest of the book discussing other issues such as the role of humor in his life, and his experiences parenting his children. As Reeve has spent considerable time and energy in
advocating for stem-cell research and insurance reform, there are long stretches of the book that deal with his efforts to work with members of Congress to reach these goals. And for such a thin book, there is a surprising amount of information about Reeve and his evolving religious beliefs --- including his wry retelling of two visits from purported "faith healers".

There are two very common errors that people make when writing about disability. The first is to treat people with disabilities as objects of pity; passive victims in a world they never made. The second is to treat people with disabilities as heroes; crediting them for immense amounts of courage and valor for doing things that others take for granted. Reeve, as you might expect, falls into neither trap. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE is written completely without either corrosive self-pity or false vanity. In many ways, it is a completely ordinary book --- and that may be its greatest strength. Its greatest weakness, however, is that the book is perhaps too small to tell Christopher Reeve's extraordinary story as it deserves to be told.

--- Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds ....

When it comes to celebrity books I usually avoid them like the plague. But Christopher Reeve and Michael J Fox have been the exception and for a good reason. Because I wanted to read how they came to terms with the medical/physical challenges they have and what lessons they have learned along the way. Because the fact is they are mortal humans like the rest of us with hopes, fears and uncertainties and with a life history that set the foundation for how they would cope when faced with major life changing events.

My husband is disabled with head injuries, from being hit by a drunk driver. My mother in law who was a great woman and a positive example in my life died last year (Sept 01) from Parkinsons. And we have a son who was born with juvenile diabetes.

So reading how Christopher Reeve and his family took each day at a time, and how they dealt with each new lesson and how they took a negative and opted to make it a positive and in doing so get involved with science and how it could and can help those with injuries and neurological issues was so fascinating as well as helpful.

I personally appreciated the total honesty, and how he talks about his weaknesses and failings and not just the upside of his life. And how he evolved in his belief about God. My husband was intrigued with the notation that former Senator Bill Bradley the ex basketball star, had been Christopher Reeve instructor in church as a kid. And how now he and his family attend a Unitarian church (a favorite of ours) which is inclusive of all.

I also like his views on the value of humor in everyday life and especially for those who are caregivers or patients. Humor has gotten us thru some major valleys.

And alas I was so impressed with his remarks on stem cell research and how those he mentioned who are against it, often didn't even know the scientific facts. I don't want to say any more but want you to read the book to see who the hot air elected officials were/are.

And his son Matthew did such a wonderful job with the many images or photographs. Oh and the chapter on Parenting is something that made me cry and then cheer. How he loved being a father and feared immediately after his accident that he would no longer be able to be a real father anymore. Then he discovered that he and his children began to have these wonderful conversations that they had never had before and a whole new world of parenting opened up. One I believe is more important and all the material benefits we can give our children.

In this little book, Christopher Reeve principally seeks to show the value of hope. He talks about the surprising progress he made in recovering as a quadriplegic after a terrible accident. (Long after doctors believed recovery was possible, Reeve began to show improved movement.) He also talks at length about the politicization of stem cell research and how that has likely stymied further progress on relieving many human disabilities. Despite his clear feelings on the issue, Reeve is sympathetic to people with deep religious reasons for opposing stem cell research, just not those who do so as political posturing.

Along the way, Reeve talks about his brush with Scientology (a fascinating glimpse of a religion that's been so much in the news), his other religious searchings, his initial thoughts of ending his life after his accident, how he and his family have dealt with his quadriplegia, and his work as an advocate for health research.

This is a quick and enjoyable read. Reeve's insights on the nature and role of hope will be strengthening to people who struggle with any of a range of issues from physical to emotional to spiritual. Reeve himself reads the unabridged audio CD version; I recommend it.

+++++

This book, by actor, director, writer, and activist Christopher Reeve, is part autographical, part inspirational, part scientific, and part political. (Other readers may find other parts to this unique book.) For such a slim book (that I finished reading in two sittings), I was amazed at just how much I learned about and from this courageous person.

This book is not only for those with spinal cord injuries. It can be used effectively by those with other physical types of problems as well as those with emotional problems. It can also be read by those who want only to read an inspirational book by someone attempting to overcome large obstacles.

Reeve does not give direct advice but what he does is allow us to read about his learning experiences and then, form our own conclusions.

Why did I decide to read this book? Two major reasons:

(1) I read a quotation (not in this book) by Reeve. He states:

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

(2) Reeve's several accomplishments AFTER his spinal cord injury (again not stated in this book). Some highlights include the following:

(i) a 1997 Emmy
(ii) a 1999 Grammy
(iii) a 1999 Screen Actor Guild Award for best actor
(iv) a 1997 Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
(v) acting in two movies
(vi) directing two movies
(vii) the establishment of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation in 1999
(viii) the establishment of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Centre in 2002 {Note that Dana was his wife since 1992}
(ix) the author of two books (this one and one in 1998).

These are only a few of his many, many accomplishments. Visit his internet site to learn about more accomplishments.

Thus I thought to myself, "This guy is on to something!!"

This book consists of nine chapters. Since there is no indication that you have to read the book in the chapter order indicated in the table of contents, I read these chapters in a slightly different order. These chapters are as follows:

(1) THE FIRST DECISION. Gives in surprising detail the cause, anatomy, and emotional experience of Reeve's spinal cord injury. (The accident occurred at "three o'clock on May 27, 1995.") Reeve tells us at how he arrived at the answer to the question posed by Hamlet: "To be or not to be? That is the question!"

(2) HUMOR. This was a coping mechanism Reeve eventually used to deal with his injury. He tells us that "Inside...I was angry to my very core" right after his accident. Humor helped quell this anger. Look for the antics of his friend Robin Williams (who shared an apartment with Reeve when they were both starting out).

(3) MIND/BODY. This was another coping mechanism. Reeve's theme for this inspirational chapter is his belief that "there is a relationship between the mind and the body that can both create a physical condition and enable us to recover from it."

(4) RELIGION (presented in the book as chapter 5). Reeve tells us, "The truth is that I only found a religion very recently that I can reconcile with a lifelong quest for the meaning of spiritually." This is a very frank and honest chapter that some readers may not appreciate. I, however, found it refreshing that he spoke so candidly about a subject that, for some reason, you're not supposed to speak candidly about. This chapter is continued in the next chapter.

(5) FAITH (presented as chapter 8). Continues the search begun in chapter 4 "to discover the relevance of spirituality." Reeve finally finds a religion and uses this as another coping mechanism. Again, as with the chapter on religion, this is an honest and candid chapter that I found refreshing to read.

(6) HOPE (presented as the last chapter, chapter 9). Hope can only be realized through effort. Thus Reeve tells us that "Since 1997 I have worked closely with [politicians] on health care reform, rights of the disabled, and increased funding for biomedical research." This chapter concludes with an essay written by Reeve about hope entitled "The Lighthouse." Hope is another coping mechanism he used.

(7) ADVOCACY (presented as chapter 6). It tells us how Reeve began "defining [his] role as an advocate for research [especially stem cell research] and [improving] the quality of life for people with disabilities [by, for example, advocating increased health and disability insurance]." Here we learn more about science and politics.

(8) RECOVERY (presented as chapter 7). By late 2000, Reeve had some surprises regarding his condition. He states, "[There have been] three...significant milestones in my history as a spinal cord patient. The first was discovering that my injury was not complete; the second was finding out that I could breath on my own, if only for short periods of time, [and third] the ability to initiate movement." As a consequence, his hope increased and his advocacy work increased.

(9) PARENTING (presented as chapter 4). Reeve had three children, two sons and one daughter. We discover through him how it is possible to be a good parent despite having a severe disability.

The only minor weakness with this book is the chapter order. However, I easily overcame this problem and established a pattern that works for me. Thus, to recap the above, I read this nine chapter book in the following chapter order:

{1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 6, 7, 4}

Finally and sadly, Reeve died recently (from causes not directly related to his injury). He is survived by his parents, one brother, two half brothers, one half sister, his wife, and his three children.

In conclusion, Reeve portrayed the "Man of Steel" in the 1978 movie "Superman, The Movie" (his first movie that won him a Most Promising Newcomer award). In the years after his injury, he transcended this title to become the "Man of Courage and Action." Be sure to read this book to learn the final inspirational thoughts of Christopher Reeve (September 1952 to October 2004)!!

(first published 2002; 180 pages; acknowledgements; 9 chapters; photos throughout; about the author; about the photographer who is his son Matt Reeve)

+++++

Being a huge fan of Christopher Reeve since he literally flew onto the big screen in 1978, I was truely horrified after his life-altering accident in 1995. As I grew from young child to teenager to young adulthood, I found myself marveling at the man and not so much on the character he played so so magnificently in the four chapters of the Superman films. He truely exemplifies "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" and it is funny that he told Richard Donner that he was afraid that he would not be able to live up to the creedo. He did and still continues to do so. The most remarkable thing about this book is the fact that he can draw so much humor from such a tragic occurance (of course having Robin Williams at your bedside probably did not hurt). The progress Chris has made both physically and mentally is nothing short of miraculous and although he did not meet his challenge of walking by age 50, he will one day walk again. As the tag-line for Superman proclamed "You Will Believe a Man Can Fly (walk)."

I will be reading and re-reading this book for years to come. It is a look at Christopher's life thru his eyes since his tragic horseriding accident. It discusses such things as his view on religion, his family and how they react to him since the accident, his sense of humor and politics. He makes great arguements for the stem cell research ban to be overturned. I found this to be a wonderful book and I'm giving them as early Christmas gifts to my friends & family. He is a super man!

The title speaks for itself Nothing Is Impossible. Christopher Reeve is just the person that can prove this point. After a tragic accident he became paralyzed. This book talks about how he has dealt with his new life and how he helps others with the same disability he has.
Chris wrote this book to make people aware of paralysis. He wanted the public to understand what it was and for people to want to find a cure. As you read this, stem cell research (something that could help save people who have been paralyzed) is a big controversy. Should it be legalized? Should it be illegal? Bush gave scientists a few stem cells to work with to try and help progress the technology of stem cell research. But scientists needs more, and that is a point Chris tries to get across.
Superman. We all know him as the hero who fights for "Truth, Justice and the American way." Many of us may know Christopher Reeve who once played Superman on screen. In the first chapter of this book we are introduced to Chris and the decisions he had to make when he became paralyzed. When he was first paralyzed he considered suicide was the way to go. He didn't want to be a burden for the ones he loves. He thought the only way he could make it easier on the people he lived with, and on himself, was suicide. However, his wife convinced him otherwise. His kids are one of the reasons his wife asked him to think twice. How would their life be with no father? Would anyone want to go through life with no Dad? Probably not. Chris realized this and it made him think that being there for his kids would be better then not being there.
As he adapted to being paralyzed, his kids did too. He helped them get through things when they were having trouble. His son Matthew was going through some stressful times during his first year in College, so Chris decided to invite him to come back home and spend a weekend there. He told Matt they were going to see a Rangers game but the real thing he wanted to do was talk. He was there for Matt when he needed someone to talk to which is very important in a someone's life. Chris was always there for his kids whether they wanted him to be or not. Often it is tough for people to deal with it when someone they know is hurt badly. If someone you knew and loved was paralyzed it would be not only a burden on them but you as well because you would have to help them through their lives. Everyone in Chris's life deals with his accident; well they are all willing to help and none of them make him feel bad about what happened to him.
In my opinion this book was great. It made me think about many things in life. One of them being how lucky I am to not be paralyzed. Everyday that I realize this, I'm grateful for people like Christopher Reeve who are paralyzed and who deal with it and try to help others. So someday if this happens to me or someone I know there will be better technology that can help them through it. Chris also makes some really good points about life and why people shouldn't take it for granted. His words truly inspired me to think about life itself and the fact that `Nothing is Impossible'. No book is flawless, and this book can't break that rule. I believe almost every aspect of this book is good. The one thing I don't like about it however is that since he is a celebrity he gets better treatment then everyone else who is paralyzed he can do things that people who aren't famous can't do, and that isn't how it should be.
If someone is looking for an inspiring book, or a book that really shows you how lucky we all are, then this is a great book for you. If you find reading about other people boring and dull, this is still a great book. I don't like reading, and I don't like autobiographies but I like this book and recommend it to anyone who is willing to give some time to read it.

I just reread this book, and it brought back how much I admired Mr. Reeve and his bride. I really think this should be required reading to anyone that has had a spinal injury, or an amputation, just to show them that they are NOT the first to feel all these negitive feelings.

A wonderful tribute to the Reeves in general.

I picked up this book at my school's library and started glancing through it. It's possibly one of the most motivational and inspirational books I've seen! Reeve recounts all of his trials and how he learned to function again. Throughout it all, he stayed strong with his wife Dana, who supported him through everything. A must read!

I thought, "Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life" was a remarkable book. The depression that accompanies such a tragic injury is so real. So many people want to give up. It takes alot of energy and inspiration to not "throw the towel in." I know because My dad is in a wheelchair after a sudden stroke. Mr. Reeve's determination has served a s a role model for my dad. There is alot of things that he will never do, as he discusses in the book and many interviews: however, it is the attitude that it wouldn't stop him from dreaming and going for his goals that made him succeed with zest. A remarkable man that has not only changed his life with his books, spinal cord research sponsership, and leadership, but also our own.