Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

Susannah Cahalan's experience makes me wonder how many people have erroneously been hospitalized for mental health issues when they had a virus that affected their brain. 

This story reminded me of another true story. The paralympian, Victoria Arlen, who competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2017, got sick at age 11.  She regained the ability to walk after spending nearly a decade paralyzed from the waist down. She went from being a healthy 11 year old to living in a vegetative state. Victoria lost the ability to speak, eat, walk and move. Doctors believed she had little chance of survival, let alone recovery. She was eventually diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis and Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, autoimmune disorders that caused swelling in her brain and spinal cord. If she had been correctly diagnosed in 2006, a steroid injection could have prevented it all. Victoria also spent time in a "psych ward". It's pretty scary to think of the people who have been found "mentally ill" and been "secured" in a mental institution or a locked psych ward when it could have been a physical illness or disorder. 

Both of these stories show the importance of not giving up when something odd happens to someone you love. Fortunately for both Susannah and Victoria, their parents were relentless in their pursuit of answers, even though it meant consulting several "expert" doctors. I definitely was annoyed with the neurologist that Susannah first met with! It made me angry that he kept focusing on her "drinking problem." She told him she drank a couple of glasses of wine per night, and yet he wrote in his notes that she drank a couple of bottles per night. What a loser. They lost precious time seeing that quack.

This experience was reported in detail, not because Susannah remembered it, but because her parents, especially her father, took notes during the experience. She also had doctor's notes, her own writing and videos from her hospitalization. All of these things lend more credibility to what actually happened than a regular memoir. Everyone experiences events differently, from their own perspective. Susannah was able to report a lot of facts, rather than just memories, in her story.

I was incredibly impressed with her boyfriend at the time, who I believe is her husband now. They were very young (early 20's) and had not even dated that long. Can you imagine staying around through this whole experience? I would guess that not a lot of young men would have stayed. He had no idea that she would ever "recover". For all he knew, his girlfriend just went off the deep end with no chance of recovery. I was disappointed that Susannah's parents were not able to sustain their "supportive relationship" with each other after Susannah regained her life. Whatever their problem is, let it go!! There are so many more important things in life than holding on to bitterness and resentment. Like their daughter!

Wendy's Rating: ****

One Second After by William R. Forstchen

This is one scary book! The fact that this could happen at any time is positively frightening! It made me want to stock up on medical supplies, medications and canned foods. I always think about war as only damaging the areas that are directly involved, or directly "hit". To think that this type of war could wipe us out without any initial blood shed is mind-blowing.

I like how this book explored decisions based on morality as well as the decisions based on what's better for the greater good. It would have been incredibly difficult for the pharmacist and the doctor, who both stood their ground against John when he was so desperately trying to get more insulin for his daughter. He was a well known and important man in his community, yet they had to treat him like everyone else. Also, John did his own "looting" (although for the most part, too late), even while it was being condemned by community leaders. I know I would have done the same thing if that was the way to try to save my family.

It was interesting how John's input, which was indeed valuable, involved his knowledge of history. I wouldn't have thought that a history professor would bring much value to a situation like this, but he certainly did. We do need to learn from the past successes and past mistakes/defeats in war time. I liked how the town leaders decided to let people walk through their town (the "outsiders") instead of trying to barricade the town. There would have been a lot more deaths early on if they had tried to keep everyone out. Also John's idea about letting the Posse in, in order to trap them, was scary but brilliant. It's sad that so many of the students died - as well as community leaders - in the process, but freedom from tyranny comes with a price.

This was a sad book; an eye-opening book. I hope our government is making a plan for survival if this ever happens.

Wendy's Rating: ****