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Rex: A Mother, Her Autistic Child, and the Music that Transformed Their Lives | 
| Author: Cathleen Lewis
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $14.90
You Save: $10.09 (40%)
New (25) Used (7) from $14.15
Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 83789
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.3
ISBN: 1595551506
Dewey Decimal Number: 616.85270092
EAN: 9781595551504
ASIN: 1595551506
Publication Date: October 28, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The inspiring story of Rex, a boy who is not only blind and autistic, but who also happens to be a musical savant. How can an 11-year old boy hear a Mozart fantasy for the first time and play it back note-for-note perfectly-but struggle to navigate the familiar surroundings of his own home? Cathleen Lewis says her son Rex's laugh of total abandon is the single most joyous sound anyone could hear, but his tortured aversion to touch and sound breaks her heart and makes her wonder what God could have had in mind. In this book she shares the mystery of Rex and the highs, lows, hopes, dreams, joy, sorrows, and faith she has journeyed through with him.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
Easy Read January 9, 2009
This book keeps you wanting to know more. It has a readability factor not found in all books. You learn the journey we take as mother's hurt for their children. The spiritual journey as well as the acceptance of a wonderful child.
Rex- Inspiring! January 8, 2009
Rex is an inspiring story of a mother's dedication and intense love for her blind, autistic son. Her dreams are shattered when Rex was born with a brain tumor, and at 4 months old, doctors discovered he was blind. As he grew, he displayed autistic tendencies and was later diagnosed with Autism. Rex discovered the gift of music when he was just two years old, after receiving a keyboard for his birthday. Music became the tool that allowed him to begin to communicate with the outside world. Rex went from being a blind little boy who couldn't walk, talk, or tolerate tactile stimulation to perfectly playing an entire Bach aria after hearing the piece only once. His "spaghetti legs" and speechless lips became alive after playing the piano. Rex is called a musical genius and now travels the world playing the piano.
This "love story" as Catheleen, Rex's mother, calls it, will touch your heart. You can't help but let Rex into your heart as you read about his journey. You will cry, pray and rejoice with Rex. You wonder how Cathleen had the strength to go on another day. You hear how her faith in God and His love carried her though and gave her life when she felt she could not go on.
Rex January 7, 2009
When Cathleen Lewis got the call from her doctor in the last trimester of her pregnancy that there was a mysterious mass in her child's brain, she never imagined the events that would unfold from that day. Upon his arrival into the world, Rex showed great determination to live and excel in the gift that God had bestowed upon him. After being told her son was blind at the age of 6 months, and then at the age of 4 being diagnosed with autism, Cathleen decided to devote all of her time to raising this exceptional child.
This gripping tale, of a child who was deemed a musical savant by many people; and his mother, who shared her life and love with him, is a story of love like no other. Cathleen fought the public school system to get for her son what she knew he needed. She tells their story of overcoming tremendous odds to reach her son when others couldn't; and to help him overcome so many of his hardships through his gift of music.
When times came that Cathleen just thought of giving up the fight and worried that Rex would never be able to function in the "real world", God put circumstances in their path that allowed her to see what a truly exceptional child her son was, and how He wanted her to walk by faith, and not by sight. As Rex developed his piano skills, God developed how his mother viewed the world...from Rex's point of view.
This is a powerful story of love and determination; and it ended up being an inspiration to me. It is my belief that it will also be an inspiration as well as to anyone who reads it. It is well-written by Cathleen, Rex's mother; and I remained glued to each and ever word on the pages until I finished the book. It left me asking for more when the end pages were blank.
Faith and Trust Beautifully Expressed January 7, 2009
The phone fell from her hand and crashed to the floor with a thud ... so did her heart. The phone wasn't hurt, but her heart? That was a different story. It was her first pregnancy, and the ultrasound had shown the presence of a suspicious mass in the brain of her unborn child; a gigantic, fluid-filled cyst. The fact that the cyst was benign and repairable was a temporary comfort to her, but shortly after the birth of her son and his first surgery, she received the second blow to her heart ... he was blind. Her heart sank, and her hopes for her son's future were crushed. The third blow was delivered only a short time later ... he was autistic. How could it be that her innocent son should have to live with such horrible limitations in his life? He had done nothing to deserve this.
In the newly released book, REX: A Mother, Her Autistic Child, And The Music That Transformed Their Lives, Cathleen Lewis writes of the struggles and fears she and her son face while trying to accomplish even the most basic tasks of life. Suddenly, from the depths of his multiple challenges, there emerges a peculiar strength, an extraordinary gift ... Rex has been given a rare and wonderful musical ability!
In reading Cathleen's story of her great need and God's great provisions, I saw faith and trust beautifully expressed. She summed it up well in this quote near the end of the book:
"He [God] was telling me to look past my own mind, and just trust. Hear my voice in the music. Hear each note. Don't worry about where it's going. Just hear the sound and know that it's beautiful ... and know that I am God. Trust."
I've been encouraged by this true account told from a mother's heart. If you're interested in learning more about Rex's story and his music, click the link and watch the 7.5 min video interview with Cathleen, the mother of this astounding child.
Rex January 3, 2009
Rex is the story written by Cathlene Lewis about her struggles with having a son that has special needs. Right from the beginning he had to have an operation to remove a cyst from his brain. She was told that he was blind. And the hits just kept coming. The beginning of her sons life seemed to be one trial after another. She was told that he was also autistic just a few short months later. How was he to have a normal life. There were many obstacles to overcome. His increasing sensitivity to sound and touch. Being blind and having autism. Refusal to walk and talk. There seemed to be no way that he was going to be able to a normal life.
Rex's dad brought him a piano for his second birthday. From that point on things changed. He started to come out of his shell. When Cathlene all but gave up, God gradually began to show his glory and power through Rex as he begins to interact more and more with the world around him. He learned to walk, talk and laugh. The piano was the key to unlocking who Rex is. Cathlene began to see how God was working through her son to get to her. To tell her to walk by faith and not by sight.
This story will bring tears to your eyes and joy to your heart as his mother relates how she felt as she received each new puzzle about Rex. His struggles and his triumphs. To see how no matter what God is there in the midst of their lives and that He is bigger than the limitations Rex has had to deal with.
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