Ninety-two thousand people wait for transplants every day, and Arlene C. Swirsky was one of them from November 2001 until September 2003, a decade after she was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. With a not-all-there elderly mother and a family simply trying to make life work, Swirsky finds herself engulfed by a confusing mixture of anxiety and guilt as she waits for a transplant organ. It isn't easy, and it certainly isn't pretty. As months become years, the waiting turns Swirsky into a new breed of modern woman, one prepared for all eventualities and all possible outcomes. Her inner bitch crawls out of hibernation to guide her-with questionable results, screaming failures, and, on the best of days, mighty miracles. With an unparalleled degree of honesty, humor, and vulnerability, Swirsky explores the gamut of thoughts and feelings that transplant patients cope with every day. Set against the lovely hills of central Massachusetts and the beaches of southern Maine, Rediscovering My Inner Bitch provides an unflinching glimpse into the soul of a woman waiting for someone to die so that she may live.
Ninety-two thousand people wait for transplants every day, and Arlene C. Swirsky was one of them from November 2001 until September 2003, a decade after she was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. With a not-all-there elderly mother and a family simply trying to make life work, Swirsky finds herself engulfed by a confusing mixture of anxiety and guilt as she waits for a transplant organ. It isn't easy, and it certainly isn't pretty. As months become years, the waiting turns Swirsky into a new breed of modern woman, one prepared for all eventualities and all possible outcomes. Her inner bitch crawls out of hibernation to guide her-with questionable results, screaming failures, and, on the best of days, mighty miracles. With an unparalleled degree of honesty, humor, and vulnerability, Swirsky explores the gamut of thoughts and feelings that transplant patients cope with every day. Set against the lovely hills of central Massachusetts and the beaches of southern Maine, Rediscovering My Inner Bitch provides an unflinching glimpse into the soul of a woman waiting for someone to die so that she may live.
This is a mother's story of survival. It is no more and no less than any mother could have done under similar cirumstances. A child is born with such incredible medical problems and challenges, a whole community is brought to bear to help keep her alive and her family from crumbling under the terrible strain. It speaks of strength, and the illusion of control. "One Brief Shining Moment" is a testament to one small family, trying its best to stay together, body and soul, and surviving the worst. It is a heart breaking, gut wrenching story to read, but one that demonstrates the depth of love. When one's alternatives are limited, you gotta go with what you got; and this is going with what you got, at its best. A must read for any parent who has ever faced a medical challenge with a child, as it gives insights only another parent can appreciate.
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