What Happened to Paula: On the Death of an American Girl, by Katherine Dykstra Katherine Dykstra's mother-in-law roped her into the story of Paula Oberbroeckling, an 18-year-old from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who disappeared one summer night in 1970. Her remains were found a few months later but a cause of death was never determined. Instead,... Continue Reading →
The Superhero Side of Chronic Illness
Super Sick: Making Peace with Chronic Illness, by Allison Alexander These problems may be manageable for a short time. But when they keep happening, when there's no bright horizon of "getting better" to look forward to, I feel like I'm a cup continually poured out and never refilled. Being sick for a long time or... Continue Reading →
From Vaccines to Vanilla: Getting to the Heart of Our Obsession with “Natural”
An unexpected benefit of lockdown (we have to take little joys where we find them) has been getting to virtually snoop through people's bookshelves in Zoom meetings. Some journalists have done the good work of putting together lists of titles they've spotted on shelves during interviews. Dr. Fauci's books made it into one of these... Continue Reading →
Medical Nonfiction for Lay Readers
There was a time I didn't want to read one word about bodies or medicine, but maybe because of developing chronic health issues myself, or again living in the US uninsured, but as I mentioned in my first Nonfiction November post, I've been drawn to medical-related nonfiction lately. Here are three targeted at lay readers... Continue Reading →
An ER Physician’s Stories of Healing and Being Healed
The Beauty in Breaking, by Michele Harper As a black woman, I navigate an American landscape that claims to be post-racial when every waking moment reveals the contrary, an American landscape that requires all women to pound tenaciously against the proverbial glass ceiling, which we've since discovered is made of palladium, the kind of glass... Continue Reading →
What Medicine Misses in Women With Mysterious Illnesses
The Lady's Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness, by Sarah Ramey (Amazon / Book Depository) This prologue is typical of women like me. A simple and innocuous medical event -- often with a gyno or gastro tilt -- that should have resolved simply, but it didn't. She thinks it is just another one of life's ups... Continue Reading →
Nonfiction November Week 3: Be the Expert/Ask the Expert: Bad Science, Mythbusting, and Debunking
Week 3: (Nov. 11 to 15) – Be The Expert/Ask the Expert/Become the Expert (Katie @ Doing Dewey): Three ways to join in this week! You can either share three or more books on a single topic that you have read and can recommend (be the expert), you can put the call out for good... Continue Reading →
“Separating the Myth from the Medicine” in Women’s Health
Book review: The Vagina Bible, by Jen Gunter, MD (Amazon / Book Depository) Misinforming women about their bodies serves no one. And I’m here to help end it. The Vagina Bible is a book that should be owned by anyone who also owns a vagina, and read by anyone who has close contact with one.... Continue Reading →