The First Patient

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and always, thanks to Jennifer Enderlin, my extraordinary, brilliant, compassionate, and hard-working editor at St. Martin 's Press. You are and always will be my kind of bookkeeper.

Jane Berkey and Meg Ruley of the Jane Rotrosen Agency are everything literary agents should be and more.

Talented singer, musician, novelist, computer wizard, songwriter Daniel James Palmer is responsible for lots of good and helpful things surrounding this book, including Alison's blues.

In addition:

Dr. David Grass shared his strength and vast neurological knowledge.

Remarkably talented artist and children's book author Dara Golden shared her considerable understanding and love of horses.

Robin Broady read and read and read some more.

Chef Bill Collins (www.chefbill.com) reasoned out problems with me while putting together one award-winning meal after another.

Bless you, Sally Richardson, Matthew Shear, and Matthew Baldacci at St. Martin 's.

Attorney Bill Crowe taught me how to shoot straight, Jay Esposito taught me how to buy a used car, and Dr. Ruth Solomon gave me veterinary advice.

Thanks to the staff at the White House Medical Unit for your hospitality, and to the Big Book for always having the right answers.

And finally, thanks to Luke for suggesting nanotechnology when I told him I was stuck.

Anyone I overlooked, I promise to get you next time.