Janis Gonzales
At its most fundamental level, this is a story of a child’s life and death, and a mother’s subsequent struggle to find meaning again and to live an examined life. But this is much more than another personal memoir; it is a heartfelt, incisive, sometimes painful and often funny description of the way in which a mother’s life was transformed by the lessons she learned from her young daughter, lessons that enabled her to become resilient and, in time, to fully live, and even find joy, after a devastating loss. From her unique perspective as a physician, mother, spiritual seeker, and writer, Dr. Gonzales uses the story of her daughter’s life as a springboard to discuss such broad-ranging topics as the practice of medicine, prenatal testing, the power of prayer, the search for guidance, and the need for connection, giving us a profoundly moving look into both the depths of grief and the possibilities of hope. She shows us how to help someone who is grieving, and how we can go on and find healing in the face of devastating loss. Through it all runs a bond of pure love between a mother and a daughter, a love so powerful it goes on, even after death.This book is a gift to anyone who has suffered from an illness, anyone who has grieved a painful loss, and anyone who has been forced to realize that life doesn’t happen according to plan.
Sharon on Goodreads wrote:On the surface, this is a heartbreaking story of a mother (a Pediatrician no less) confronting a deadly illness in her daughter and ultimately losing her to this disease. The day to day of treatments, insights about Doctors being parents of patients, and ultimately dealing with a catastrophic loss in the years that follow.
It's also much more. A book about acceptance - both of yourself and others, empathy and a little humor thrown in as well. If your grieving a loss, this book is definitely a good place to be - take an afternoon and read it. And if you're not, read this book and walk away a little more grateful and empathetic to people you encounter every day. We don't know that battles others are facing.
I thoroughly enjoyed Janis's writing style--straightforward and peppered with every-day life analogies. If only we could all learn from her!
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