Sick Girl Book

Now that I've finished reading this book, I'm thinking this woman's story could have probably benefitted from a better editor. We'll never know, though, so I have to review it based on the book that exists.

As others have commented, the author is not particularly likeable. Here is one area I think an editor should have stepped in. The editor should have said "Amy, put in some stories from your early dates, where you and Scott fall in love. Put in some stories about you doing normal things before you got sick, or even after." But Amy never really explains what her friends see in her or why Scott, her long-suffering husband, loves her so much. She never really explains what she loves about Scott either, except that he is there for her through all her illnesses. Judging from reading this book, you would think their entire relationship was centered entirely on her health problems. It's such an odd book in this way.

What she endured was extraordinary and anyone who has been forced to suffer such a long serious of grueling, horrible ordeals would certainly deserve to indulge in a lot of self pity. And you might not be surprised at such a person becoming embittered as the ordeal goes on and on. But as others have commented, right from the beginning, before she even knows she has a heart problem, she is a perfect bitch to the medical professionals who are trying to do their jobs.

Each doctor, nurse, technician, etc is judged and condemned by Amy, often on the basis of his or her physical appearance. She rarely likes or respects the medical professionals. She is angry when they are too clinical and to-the-point with her. She is angry when they try to show sympathy and human warmth. She is super, super angry that doctors are human and don't know everything, especially in rare cases like hers. She describes coming to the realization that doctors aren't gods at several points in her journey. I kept thinking, "didn't she realize it that other time, too?" But their not being gods doesn't seem to get them off the hook for her. She still seems to bear them a huge amount of hostility.

Outside the medical establishment, in her regular life, she also doesn't seem to think anyone handles her condition properly. She is angry at people who pity her and she is angry at people who don't. She gets mad if people ask her questions about it and she gets mad if they don't.

She gives the impression, time and again, that if you don't get stricken with a catastrophic illness before you're 50, then your life is just nothing but a cakewalk and you can't possibly have a clue what it means to suffer.

I could go and on and on but will stop here. Other reviewers have spoken of the other problems with this book. The story itself is rather interesting, and I could appreciate an honest, not sugar-coated account, but the author and her angry, judgmental point of view make this not such a good read. Skip it.