Memoir of Lyme Disease and Life – 4 stars
I picked up this book because I had hoped that it would give me insights into Lyme disease since two of my friends have been suffering from this infection for several years. I had hoped to both better understand the disease and possibly learn some new ideas to pass on to them for possible remedies or new information resources that might be of some help.
What I found was a book that, indeed, did outline many of the agonies and frustrations related to this disease plus a memoir of how the author got started in her writing career and the problems faced by those authors who choose to self-publish their work.
I was less interested in the authoring and publishing sections of the book than in the Lyme disease sections, but oddly enough, the two sections both highlighted the similar frustrations of trying to find answers to a problem, deciding whom to trust, and finding the money to pay for what is hoped are going to be the answers you need.
The number of different doctors that the author consulted is mind-boggling, each with his or her own take on what the medical problem was and how to treat it. It was enlightening as well to see how many of these were not covered by health insurance or were outside of the mainstream of what passes for medical science.
Did I find anything in the book to help my friends? Not really. I did pass along a few pieces of information, but it turned out many of the things the author tried had already been tried by my friends, with pretty much the same disappointing results, unfortunately.
The book was well written, but I found myself getting bogged down in the sections about her family and her writing. It wasn’t of much interest to me since I was reading the book primarily for the information on Lyme, but other readers may find it of interest.
Moderately recommended overall, but more so for those seeking information about Lyme disease. Perhaps if more people know more about it, it will help in the push for research and finding real answers to relieve the suffering of those afflicted with this very debilitating condition.