STERLING HEIGHTS, Ill., March 24, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Things do not always work out according to plan, but sometimes the hardships are what make people see the true gifts of life. Traci L. Trube shows how miracles can come from what some people perceive as tragedy in her new book, Abi's Grace: Journey of a Special Needs Family (now available through AuthorHouse).
The book is an ongoing and intimate look inside a special needs family. Trube's daughter, Abigail Grace, was born with an undiagnosed congenital disorder that renders her severely impaired in many ways. Her muscles never developed; therefore she cannot sit up, roll over or even hold her head up for more than a brief instant. She makes sounds that allude to her mood but is unable to vocalize words. She cannot eat by mouth, so she receives 24-hour nourishment from a feeding tube in her stomach, and she has seizures on a daily basis. Trube has six children, three of whom still live at home, and she devotes herself full time to being Abi's nurse.
Abi's Grace is a chronicle of her daughter's life and the hardships she and her family have endured. It began when Abi was only a month old and confined to the house so that her respiratory system could develop. As a result, Trube began sending updates to family and friends in the form of letters. The letters sparked a wealth of inspiration in a multitude of lives, even generating hope in people Trube had never met. The book is meant to have the same effect; Abi's life is meant as a sign of the good things about living.
"What may seem to be a fairly bleak picture has actually been a magnificent blessing. Abi's 'differences' may define her physical being, but they do not define her spirit," Trube says. "Although she depends on us fully for support and care, there is no doubt in my mind that she is completely comfortable in her own skin. Her purpose is to remind us of the simple blessings in life."
A career mother and wife, Trube always envisioned herself as a nurse. Instead, she married young and started a family. When Abi was born, her dream became a reality, except she never went to college or earned a salary for caring for her daughter. Trube's natural love of writing helped convince her that telling their story in Abi's Grace, her first book, was a necessity. She hopes it helps others realize the preciousness of the true miracles that make life grand.
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