Gib's Odyssey: One Man's Battle Against The Ravages Of Lou Gehrig's Disease And His Courageous Final Voyage

by Walter G. Bradley

Gib’s Odyssey is the true story of an extraordinary man, Gib Peters, and his solo journey along the Intracoastal Waterway from Key West to New York and back while suffering the ravages of Lou Gehrig’s disease. 
During his six-month voyage aboard his boat, Ka-Ching, Gib encounters numerous obstacles. He meets an incompetent sailor who wraps his tow rope around Ka-Ching’s propellers and accidentally stabs himself as he tries to cut it loose. Navy and Coast Guard Zodiacs rush to stop Gib from entering a naval bombardment zone. He searches for his two kittens, brought along as companions on his trip, when they go AWOL. All the while he is forced to cope with increasing levels of paralysis, steering the boat home with his feet and unable to speak.
Authored by the neurologist who treated him, this remarkable book is told in Gib’s own voice through a series of e-mails to family and friends and articles he wrote for the Key West Citizen. Part travelogue, part soul-searching meditation, it is an uplifting and sometimes hilarious story of one man’s conquest of death and his profound insights into life.

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2011

Reviews

[Laurah Quayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope this is allowed here if not I understand. My husband was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) when he was 63 years old 4 years ago. The Rilutek (riluzole) did very little to help him. The medical team did even less. His decline was rapid and devastating. His arms weakened first, then his hands and legs. He resorted to a wheelchair (Perbombil C300). A year ago, I began to do a lot of research and came across Health Herbs Clinic, I decided to start him on the ALS herbal protocol as I had nothing else to turn to; 2 months into treatment he improved dramatically. At the end of the full treatment course, the disease is totally under control. No case of dementia, hallucination, weakness, muscle pain and he is even learning to Walk again. visit w w w healthherbsclinic c o m

[Kathryn Gunter Wiater · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 82-year old Dad was just diagnosed with ALS and I found this book as I was searching for information on the disease. Boy am I glad I found it.
Gib’s attitude and sense of humor about his ALS were beyond remarkable. Couple that with his amusing writing style and I found myself laughing so much with him, especially when crew mates Faith & Hope (love their names) went AWOL!
Wow this book turned my sadness into understanding and hope. Thank you, Dr. Bradley, for pulling it together as a legacy for Gib. As he would have wanted, it helped me tremendously, and I hope that makes him smile from Heaven. Beautiful.

[Nicole Adenauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy read on a not-so-easy disease and how one man travelled along the East Coast while suffering from ALS. The suffering isn't the theme--living life itself is.

That, and Hope & Faith are awesome!!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book ! I couldn't put it down.