1. Most of us take our senses for granted. Has reading NOT FADE AWAY changed your awareness of just how much we rely upon them? Which sense do you value most?

2. Rebecca holds tight to her visual and auditory memories because she knows that she is losing her abilities to generate new ones. What are some “sense” memories that you particularly cherish?

3. How well does Rebecca capture the experience of being a disabled person in an abled person’s world?

4. Are Rebecca’s determination and resilience a part of her essential character, or did she work to develop them?

5. Was it surprising to read that Rebecca was drinking and having teenage sex despite her disabilities? In what other ways does she contradict the stereotype of a disabled person?

6. Her father’s lesson of tzedakah (giving back to the community) clearly shaped Rebecca’s identity and the path she took in life. Yet, she is often reluctant to be on the receiving end. Does this ultimately help or hinder her?

7. Rebecca experienced rejection when men she was dating learned about her disabilities.  Would you consider becoming romantically involved with someone who faces Rebecca’s challenges?

8. Alan’s diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma is a reminder that good health is a gift that can disappear in a flash. Do you think that he ever expected to need more care than Rebecca? How --- if at all --- do you think it affected their relationship?

9. Rebecca believes that her brother’s struggles with mental illness are much more difficult than her own experiences with Usher. Do you agree that she is the luckier twin?

10. When Rebecca learned that she was losing her vision and hearing, her parents tried to shield her from the news about what the future might bring.  How would you handle discussions with your own child if you learned that s/he was facing this type of diagnosis?

11. If you were in Rebecca’s position, would you opt to have a cochlear implant?

12. Has Rebecca motivated you to attempt activities that you have been too daunted to try? Has her story inspired you to change your attitude about difficulties in your own life?