Author: C.J. Teahan

Publisher: Xlibris Corporation

Published: 2010-09-03

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 1453548416

In this book, CARON: Awakening, a mother shares her experiences and emotions during her daughter’s struggles to emerge from a coma following a closed head injury. The early chapters reflect the author’s heavy heart, as Caron wrestles to return to consciousness--and confusion. Eventually, Caron realizes the ramifications of an insult to her brain and joins her family ́s nightmare. From this point, focus switches to Caron ́s frustrations as she battles to piece her life back together again. Caron ́s family quickly learns that, especially under such tragic circumstances, laughter is essential. It stabilizes the family, contributes to awakening a comatose patient, and lightens the journey of the patient who emerges into a surreal world of disconnect from the little she remembers about the person she was and wants to think she still is. This family laughed! Come laugh—and cry—with them as Caron’s Mom reflects upon this difficult time in her family’s life, while also offering insights that might help other families and friends who shoulder a similar burden. --------------------------------- REVIEWS FROM AMAZON.COM: INSPIRATIONAL READ FOR ALL, September 30, 2010, by E. Standish Caron: Awakening is an incredible true story of a family ́s love, struggle, and triumph during a time of great hardship. Teahan weaves together the emotional realities of family members when dealing with a loved one who has a traumatic brain injury. She introduces the reader to the struggles and successes of working with the hospital personnel from the time her daughter was flown to the emergency room all the way through her rehabilitation and beyond. This book would be great for people experiencing a similar situation, or for people like me who are intrigued by a heartfelt story of the intense love of a mother for her daughter. This book kept me up night after night because I couldn ́t stop rooting for Caron and her recovery! You will laugh, cry, and celebrate right along with Caron and her family through every step of the journey. UPLIFTING & FUNNY/A HEARTWARMING STORY OF LOVE & FAMILY, November 11, 2010, by Dani Vaughn This book is both an intimate look into a situation nobody would ever hope to find themselves in and a "trust yourself" redemption story that gave me warm fuzzies at the end. I read for escape so I like my books to be brain candy - I want them to take me someplace I would/could not go on my own. This one did that. I cried and I laughed and I felt like I was living this story through the best and the worst.