The Syrup Maze is an inspiring account of the minutes, the hours, and the days that followed the moment when the author was confronted with the fact that her son was severely injured in a tragic car accident. She found comfort in writing, sharing updates about Michael with family and friends through a personalized website. And it is through these posts that she is able to share the ups and downs of near loss, survival, and traumatic brain injury, and then the gradual climb back up towards recovery. Yes, life can change in an instant, but with change comes choice: choice in how we think, choice in how we pray, choice in how we talk, choice in how we act. And at a time when it was all she could do to put one foot in front of the other, she discovered that, next to God, family was their strongest force. As “Team Michael” they leaned on each other, cried together and yes, even found reasons to laugh together.Debbie Simpson, author of Adam’s Gluten Free Surprise: Helping Others Understand Gluten Free, also highlights the need for increased education in hospitals and medical facilities in regards to special diets. As someone with celiac disease, requiring a strict gluten free diet, Debbie found the task of feeding herself safely while living at the hospital with her son to be a much less daunting task than overseeing Michael’s gluten free diet. Having to step in more than once when non-gluten free food was offered to her son was inexcusable. Patients who require a gluten free diet – or any special diet – need to have their needs met and respected, and they deserve to be fed balanced, nutritious meals while in the care of medical professionals. But, as she discovered, this is not always the case.
