CELTICLADY'S REVIEWS: Listen To Me: How My Down Syndrome Brother Saved My Life by Lynne Podrat Book Tour and Giveaway!

Listen To Me: How My Down Syndrome Brother Saved My Life by Lynne Podrat

Publisher: LP Press (August 19, 2021)
Category: Non Fiction, Memoir, Special Needs, Disabilities, Down Syndrome, Siblings
Tour dates: March 14-April 14, 2022
ISBN: 978-1737666806
Available in Print and ebook, 128 pages

Description Listen To Me by Lynne Podrat

This memoir was written to honor my youngest brother’s influence over my life, the good, the bad, and the ugly of living with a Down Syndrome sibling. It tells the story of the children in my family, despite our parents’ frailties, remaining committed to each other through life’s many changes and separations. Who I am today is directly related to the who I needed to become.

Review Listen To Me by Lynne Podrat

Guest Review by Laura Lee

Lynne Podrat was 13 when her youngest brother was born. Already a teenager, you might think that she would have been too old to care much about having a new baby in the house, but, on the contrary, Lynne actually cared very deeply.

You see, the year was 1967, and Lynne's little brother, Bruce was born with down syndrome. Unsure if they would be able to care for him at home, Lynne's parents immediately decided to have Bruce put into a state institution. However, even as a young child herself, Lynne was horrified by the idea of sending Bruce to a place that she felt she would not even send a dog.

Lynne begged her parents to reconsider, and after bringing in her grandparents to convince them, she was eventually victorious and Bruce was brought home, a newborn who'd already had quite a fraught entrance into the world.

For the rest of Bruce's life, Lynne and their other brother, David, took it upon themselves to advocate for Bruce and ensure that he got the same quality of life as someone without disabilities. It was because of this that Bruce was able to do things like have a Bar Mitzvah and graduate from high school and, more importantly, it was because of this that Lynne and her family got to have Bruce in their lives everyday. Lynne clearly loved her brother, and eventually, when she had children and then grandchildren, they loved Bruce as well.

Although Bruce passed in 2020, Lynne and her family got to have many wonderful years with their brother and uncle that, I'm sure they would not trade for anything.

'Listen To Me: How My Down Syndrome Brother Saved My Life,' is a moving memoir about caring for a family member with a developmental disability and taking every day as it comes. Beautifully written by the big sister who loved him so very much.

Guest Post by Lynne Podrat

10 THINGS I LOVED TO DO WITH MY BROTHER

What an easy list to create as my brother and I loved spending time doing things with each other. I’ve listed the top 10 in order of enjoyment.

#1- Listening to music on Bruce’s computer (my old laptop), singing to his favorite songs, writing album cover titles and drawing the front covers in his journal

#2 Taking selfies of the two of us on my cell phone

#3 Laundry, putting in the detergent, moving the wet clothes into the dryer, playing with the knobs, especially when we were renting temporarily before our final move to Florida

#4 Coffee and reading at Barnes and Noble. Bruce was spoiled by the staff, allowing him to order, giving us go-cups to avoid spills, making him feel in charge

#5 Cooking with his favorite apron, especially the large family meals of Thanksgiving and Passover

#6 Going for neighborhood walks by the lake, sitting on “our” bench talking and feeding the ducks. We also included the dog on many walks.

#7 Cleaning out the closets for “Spring or Winter Cleaning” and then for our move to Florida, while he shopped for clothes he thought he needed.

#8 Cleaning the house, while I sang Whistle While You Work and then he sang What’s New Pussycat, his favorite Tom Jones song.

#9 Gardening in our landscaping and then planting flowers in the summer, Mums in the fall, and cuttings in pots around the house. He was the interior designer.

#10 Counting coins, making piles by denomination and filling coin wrappers while we snacked on pretzels and Ginger Ale, his favorite soda.

About Lynne Podrat

Lynne Podrat graduated from the Pennsylvania State University and then spent fifteen years in the Fashion Industry as an Assistant Buyer and Department Manager with Bloomingdales Department Store before returning to school to receive her educational degrees from Arcadia University and Gynedd Mercy.

A retired educator and Administrator from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania School District, she taught English, literature, composition and history in elementary and secondary schools.

She has secretly been a writer and poet her whole life, but has only recently chosen to share those talents with the world. Lynne now lives with her husband in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, spending winters dragon boating where her heart races and summers hiking the Rockies in Vail, Colorado where her heart sings.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynne.podrat
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynnepodratwrites/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lynne_podrat

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Giveaway Listen To Me by Lynne Podrat

This giveaway is for 3 print copies, one for each of 3 winners and is open to the U.S. only. This giveaway ends on April 15, 2022 midnight, pacific time. Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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