Book Review: "What Doesn't Kill You" By Tessa Miller

 

A wonderful illustration of not only the decrepit health care system but also the years long suffering of many women in today's world due to chronic illness.

In this case she's a young woman, a journalist, a writer, and career inspired female who wanted nothing more than to do her job. Yet, she couldn't partake in such manner until she uncovered the truths to why her body shut down.

The fact that her body wasn't working properly was something she knew was wrong yet countless doctor appointments informed her she was fine, take meds, and or was sent home. It wasn't until her diagnosis with Crohn's disease that she finally received treatment.

What I took away from this was similar to my own situation especially with regards to then seeking employment opportunities and being denied simply for the illnesses described above. I'm vocal about my concerns over our healthcare and after over 20 yrs of misdiagnosis upon myself I know this fear, anxiety, and stress all too well.

I'm a patient with chronic illness and auto immune disorders. I have a laundry list of medical concerns including: Pre-diabetic, (recent sinus tachycardia after influenza A), 20 yrs pneumonia with acute bronchitis (finally changed to chronic in med file), non smoker with asthma, mild copd, severe spinal stenosis (requiring major back surgery that was placed on hold for severe anemia (microcytic hypochromic anemia) which requires IV fluids and iron transfusions with b12 injections. In addition, I was never told but located in online med notes of diagnosis of HUS(hemolytic uremic syndrome) which when I questioned the doctors I was then told it was cured.

I'm also suffering from vertigo, Raynaud's syndrome (zero blood flow L thumb) which I located ironically during a cat scan for thyroid nodule (benign -3.5 cm in 5 cm space)which was never addressed nor removed beyond initial findings.

I've also had heat stroke and due to the factory work resulting in many of my breathing issues from diesel fumes at loading docks I also now suffer from ganglion cyst which was due to chronic repetitive use of my hands to produce enormous amounts of supply in short amounts of time off a conveyor system which resulted in me being struck on my head and knocked to the ground without aid from the 2nd floor with a trolley used to transport material above us which was landed upon my head.

I bring this up because like this author I was told I looked great. In fact, my issues would be unknown if you weren't behind closed doors. When I sit I can't stand. When I go home I vomit every two weeks. When I workout my hands swell.

When I went for a walk/run/jog on a dike in the cold weather my hands turned white/blue. I had then sought treatment and had to have a warm water immersion test which resulted in occlusive small vessel disease but also Raynaud's yet was told to simply wear a hat, gloves, warm clothes.

When I had my legs collapse from working long hours volunteering for three weeks straight to feed the poor at CEO Thanksgiving Project I was told that I was fine by PT.

It wasn't until I contacted a spinal surgeon directly, had an MRI performed finally after 30 yrs of pain, and was told of a multitude of issues too numerous for review here including previously mentioned severe spinal stenosis requiring weekly chiropractic care.
Now, folks I'm not an alarmist but the repeated pattern with women, healthcare, and lack of credit for concerns or lack of treatment can lead one to reasonably believe in one result.
That result is that yes, we need more female doctors and yes, women are in desperate need of proper and accurate medical care.

I hope we don't have to keep having discussions like this as I know the end result. I've been on the front lines when my son was life flighted to NICU spending two months upon his birth with Vater syndrome. He too was told he was fine. He too was told he could be fed via baby bottle. He luckily had my mother as his nurse and she knew from her years of experience something wasn't right after his oxygen/sat levels fluctuated. It turns out that upon being life flighted the crew noticed his tube curled in his throat he was later determined to have esophageal atresia. Meaning his throat wasn't one unit from top to bottom. He also had fistulas and pouches as mentioned by this author and an imperforated anus that needed dilation lacking a spinchter among other skeletal abnormalities, kidney/stomach reflux, and much more.

Do you know he was removed from social security upon his 18th birthday because he appears fine yet still deals with these medical issues for life?

This is the world we live in and it's maddening.

When I went to pulmonary I was told I talk fast as a result from my lung test. When I was told I had mild copd I was told I couldn't have it because I'm a non smoker. When I was offered bronchial dilators I was told I needed an emergency inhaler or steroidal inhaler such as BREO. I refused the latter and was given a new prescription for emergency. Sadly, my doctor was so new it was kicked out and unfulfilled because of no paperwork on file with state to secure prescriptions.

Therefore, a nurse had to prescribe a simple order for an inhaler.

I could tell you horror stories beyond belief but I don't want to fill this review about me but rather thank the author for her continued work on this topic.

We have to stay vigilant, we have to demand answers, we must seek justice.

Thank you for this ARC in both digital and print.