About the Book:

A college professor and his wife look forward to retiring to their century-old farmhouse in rural upstate New York. They have strong ties to their academic associates. She raises prize-winning flowers and champion Lhasa Apsos.

At a holiday party, she suffers a major stroke. 

Their four adult children, one a physician, another an RN, a third a licensed counselor, and the fourth a ceramic artist come in to support and help. The husband begins his role as caregiver and ombudsman, learning what community resources are available, how to relate to hospitals, physicians and therapists, and how to care for himself.

Physicians and therapists disagree with each other about prospects for recovery. During the first post-stroke year, Betsy moves from acute care in a major hospital, to a rehabilitation facility, and then to nursing facility where she struggles to regain speech, mobility and continence.  

During the next twelve years, the couple moves to Florida, then to the West Coast, always seeking therapy. There in the last years of her life, Betsy builds her dream house on the shores of Puget Sound.  

Join a family as they endure and heal.

About the Author:

Robert Bruce Simpson is Professor Emeritus from the State University of New York. A former member of Columbia University's team in Afghanistan, he has served as a consultant to the U.S. State Department, Peace Corps and other federally-funded agencies in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Orient. These experiences inspired Tales from the Khyber and Beyond.  He lives in Southern California.