Published in 2014, this touching memoir remains fresh and relate-able to anyone who’s suffered loss. It chronicles the first year after a terminal diagnosis in all its raw emotion without having everything figured out, although it ends with a positive message of hope.
“There is pain and suffering in this world, but there is also joy, and not just suffering here and joy there, but suffering and joy in the very same place.”
Has your world gotten heavy? Are you or someone you love facing an unimaginable loss? Is time divided between “before” and “after?”
When Todd Neva saw a neurologist after experiencing weakness in his left arm, he and his wife, Kristin, were blindsided by devastating news: an ALS diagnosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neuromuscular disorder that results in total paralysis and eventual death, usually in three to five years.
In Heavy you’ll find companions in pain and also companions in joy. An ordinary couple with two young children, once looking ahead to a lifetime of dreams together, Todd and Kristin know how heavy life can get. Their honest story, journeying through the first year after Todd’s diagnosis, shares the perspective of both a person with a terminal diagnosis and a spouse. You will take heart for your own journey as this spirited family perseveres to find meaning, hold on to faith, and discover joy in the midst of pain.
If you find yourself in the midst of suffering, you know that the weightiest words of encouragement and hope come from those who have suffered as well. Todd and Kristin have experienced pain on the deepest level, and offer a candid account of where they see God in the midst of it.
– J.J. Heller, Singer/songwriter
As I read Todd’s book, it was as if it were my own journey. One of the most difficult things in the journey is watching your wife and family react. One of the advantages of this book is that Todd’s wife contributes from her journal, so you get not only the patient perspective but the primary caregiver.
– Ed Dobson, Author/PALS (Person with ALS)
High Praise for this Touching Memoir:
Five Stars Smiling in Sorrow
“This book is truly the voice of real life and real people….suffering and grief juxtaposed with laughter and joy. Todd mentions in the book that suffering and joy exist in the very same place, isn’t it so true? I cried, but laughed a lot too enjoying the people and imagery that this book introduced me to. Life is heavy for all of us in different ways, but thankfully, because of Christ, our burdens become lighter.”
~ Andrea R.
Five Stars Personal look into ALS
“This was a personal, touching way to learn more about ALS. I loved hearing the dual voice of Todd and Kristin. It also makes you reflect on how you struggle with any of life’s big difficulties, not just ALS.”
~ Susan K.
Five Stars Beautifully written
“I love how this book is laid out with Todd and Kristin each telling their own perspective as they endured, adapted, and grew through the first year with ALS. This book would be a help to anyone touched by serious illness, suffering, or grief.”
~ Erika G.
Would like to purchase books. Where can I
Heavy is available on Amazon. The image of the book on the right side of the page is a link that will take you right there.