Losing Susan Brain Disease, the Priest′s Wife, and the God Who Gives and Takes Away

Victor Lee Austin (PhD, Fordham University), an Episcopal priest, is canon theologian and theologian-in-residence for the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas and Church of the Incarnation in uptown Dallas. He has taught in various academic settings and is the author of several books, including Christian Ethics: A Guide for the Perplexed and Up with Authority. He previously served as theologian-in-residence at the historic St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Contents

1. The Beginning
How We Met--How We Went to Church--That Summer--The Previous Christmas--Her Brilliant Childhood--A Hug--The Second-Best Book in the Bible--Rejection and Reversal--Heart's Desire--The Advent Calendar--The Tree of Life--Christmas Day--A Letter to Mr. Buckley--Susan Is Published on Abortion--Children--More Children
2. The Middle
Lights--To Do What Needs to Be Done--Prayer No Longer Makes Sense--Seizure Control--Where Was God?--He Taketh Away--On the Other Hand--God Intends to Kill Us--The Executive Function--How
That Worked Out--Evil: Take One--Evil: Take Two--Evil: Take Three--The Hip--My Church Friends--
Hydrocephalus--Graduations--Prevenient Grace--We Never Doubted God's Reality--Back to College--Back to Church--Susan Walking--Those Earlier Falls
3. The End
The Return of the Seizure--And Another--This Time in Hospital--Why I Witness to These Details--The Pebble Dare--The Year That Would Be the Last--At the Epilepsy
Unit--The Dark Night--Being Heard--Recovery--Anxiety--What the Body Knows--Blessed Speech
Therapists--The Happy Return to October; Its Tragic End--The Best Book in the Bible--Sandy--What Is It?--The Kidneys Have Their Say--Crossing Another Line--Tears and Hope--December 17, 2012--May She Rest--A Christian Service--Little Lady--Why Have You Forsaken Me?--Divergence and a Dream
Epilogue: To Plumb the Depths of God's Love by Susan Austin