The Blessing of Movement is the story of the drama in one family’s life, a story of how to live without fear, a story of how to find gratitude in tragic circumstances, and a story of love. It shows just how the actions of one member of a family can affect the rest of the family.
As I read the book, I was caught up in the drama of the Konrad family. Life isn’t guaranteed to be easy, and this family saw more than its share of illness and tragedy, but they also experienced a lot of love and happiness.
Sandra learned the hard way that her rebellious actions had unpleasant consequences. Being paralyzed is not something that anyone plans for. Still, she managed to keep her joy. When you think about what she was going through, you can see why her joy was an inspiration to others.
Even though Sandra was basically a prisoner in her own body, her gratitude for being alive was abundant, and she wanted to live as normal a life as possible. Refusing to feel sorry for herself, she went back to college. She fell in love and got married. And she still argued with members of her family.
Deborah and Sandra had their disagreements and times of not talking, but when Sandra needed her, Deborah was there.
I respect Deborah for what she did for her sister. Caring for her was involved and took a lot of time. Writing about all that happened could not have been easy, but it gives the rest of us a great story to read.
A copy of The Blessing of Movement was sent to me in exchange for an honest review. If you would like to purchase your own copy of this inspiring book, I have provided an Amazon link below.
Amazon Link: The Blessing of Movement
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Favorite Sentences:
Just as there are moments of war, peace and enlightenment in the development of a civilization, so it is with a family.
Moving as fast as he could, he ran, rocking back and forth on the orthopedic shoe with bullets flying above his head.
Just as the universe can present us with situations that go far beyond our expectation of how good things can be, it can also present us with circumstances that exceed what we envision as the worst things that can happen.
What does it take to be able to hold the gift of gratitude within a body that many viewed as a prison?
New Words Learned:
comorbidity – the simultaneous presence of two chronic diseases or conditions in a patient
opulent – ostentatiously rich and luxurious or lavish
peplum – a short flared, gathered, or pleated strip of fabric attached at the waist of a woman’s jacket, dress, or blouse to create a hanging frill of flounce
red-eye flight – an overnight or late-night flight on a commercial airline.
Stryker frame – an apparatus specially designed for care of patients with injuries of the spinal column or cord. It is constructed of pipe and canvas and is designed so that the patient can be turned without difficulty. The frame on which the patient lies while in the supine position is called the posterior frame; the anterior frame is used when the patient is turned on the abdomen. There are perineal openings in both frames for use of a bedpan.
About the Author:
Deborah Konrad was born in Houston, Texas during the latter part of the Jim Crow era. At the young age of fifteen, she was faced with assisting her parents with the care of her paralyzed sister, Sandra. This experience, and the events that led up to it, serve as the backdrop for her first book, The Blessing of Movement. Deborah has had a varied professional life, running the gamut from stockbroker to quality assurance manager. The one consistent thread that runs throughout her life is writing. She holds a BA in Biochemistry and an MA in Healthcare Administration. Deborah lives in Cypress, Texas with her husband Nelson.
