Until I Say Good-Bye

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HarperCollins, Mar 12, 2013 - Biography & Autobiography - 384 pages

In June 2011, Susan Spencer-Wendel was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It is a disease that systematically destroys the nerves that power muscles; Susan, forty-five years old and a mother of three, already walks with braces and is losing her ability to speak. Though Susan cannot stop the rapid decline of her body, she refuses to let her life stop before its time. Since her diagnosis, Susan has made sure that every day counts. She is more present than ever in her daily life, and ready to share her strength, determination and spirit.

Susan's story began attracting interest when she published a piece in her local paper about a trip she took to see the northern lights following her diagnosis. But one of the most important adventures Susan has planned will take her to New York City with her fourteen-year-old daughter, Marina. Susan and Marina, both big fans of TLC's Say Yes to the Dress, will visit Kleinfeld Bridal, where the two can share the experience of Marina's search for the perfect dress for the wedding Susan will never see.

Until I Say Good-Bye is a truly magical story and so much more than one woman's "bucket list." It's a celebrating of life, a look into the face of death, and an account of the effort we must make to show the people we love and care about how very much they mean to us.

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About the author (2013)

A journalist for over twenty years, Susan Spencer-Wendel left her job as courts reporter for the Palm Beach Post when she was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. She has been honoured by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Florida Press Club and Florida Bar for her coverage of legal issues. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Florida. She lives in Florida with her husband, John, and their three children, fourteen-year-old Marina, ten-year-old Aubrey and nine-year-old Wesley.

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