Attics of the Mind: The Story of a Mother and Her Special Son

Spanning twenty years in the lives of a special young man and his mother, Attics of the Mind is a compelling account of Laura Lustig’s journey in raising her son, Jesse, who has mental and physical challenges. Jesse seems just like any other child for the first few months of life. But as the ages pass when he should be achieving developmental milestones—crawling, walking, and talking—Laura knows something is not right. Jesse is soon diagnosed with cerebral palsy and its complications, changing the lives of everyone in the Lustig family. In Attics of the Mind, Laura expresses her innermost doubts, emotional pain, coping strategies, and the strengths she developed in dealing with her child’s needs within his home, social, and educational environments. She also introduces us to other families and to the hidden qualities of the children with whom she worked. For current and future parents as well as professionals, Laura’s experiences provide an inside look at the courage and fortitude needed by parents and gives new insights to light the way. Dramatic, poignant, and tender, Attics of the Mind is a testimony to the truly heroic efforts of parents who cope with adversity, and the special bonds forged in caring for a child with special needs.