My kind of book is the type that grabs you and forces you to read it when you should really be doing other tasks.
I would say that perhaps one out of five books I read affects me this way. The ratio is that high because I stick with the tried-and-true: Grisham, Clancy, Clarke, Heinlein, and a handful of other authors who hit a lot more home runs than ground into double plays.
However, as the purveyor of this humble website, I am often approached by publishers and authors with works that they would like me to review.
Most of the time, if I don't like the book, I'll ignore it. It's not in my nature to trash the work of others, even if it's deserved. Ergo, if I review it, it's because I am favorably impressed.
This review is about Scrambled Leggs: A Snarky Tale of Hospital Hooey, a Boomer writer's account of dealing with a health crisis, and various idiots whose job it is is to help, but instead make the misery much greater. However, please note: there is not a trace of self-pity to be found here. Instead, the author, Sally Franz, chooses to poke sarcastic fun at the incompetence, the arrogance, and the overall ignorance of basic patient needs that she encountered.
The result is this magnificent book, which will alternately make you laugh and wish evil on self-absorbed medical staff who don't see humans, they see cases.
The book opens with a ski trip (click for a brief author's reading), on which occurs a sudden loss of sensation in Sally's legs. It takes many days before anyone can figure out the cause. In the meantime, the patient is suspected of bringing on the crisis herself via psychosomatic techniques.
How many of you have been there and done that?
What follows is a parade of medical mistreatment. Much is simply caused by cluelessness, some is actually insidious. Yes, sadly, there are those in patient care who really, truly don't care for patients.
However, don't think this book is in any way a downer. Franz takes us along on her adventure and jabs needle-sized holes in every doofus that is encountered on the ride.
She's a riot. She reminds me of (blushing) me.
There is a whole lot I like about this book. I like the pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps message. I like the fact that effective medical folks are given credit where the credit is due. And I like the fact that the author is religious, but without the slightest trace of self-righteousness.
You know, a minority of the population is atheistic. However, they loudly represent themselves as the holy guardians of TRVTH, and make it quite clear that anyone who would deign to believe in a brain behind the universe's design is a superstitious, right-leaning moron. Don't believe me? Browse the comments at, say, wired.com or boingboing.net.
With that, I love it when someone can be religious without being disagreeable. Sally pulls it off beautifully.
This book may anger you, but believe me: its greatest effect will be making you laugh, and perhaps causing you to take yourself a bit less seriously in the process.
You can purchase the book from Amazon. And please note: I make a few bucks here and there at this site, but I am not receiving a cent from any Amazon purchases you might make.
I wouldn't want anything like that to detract from the wonderful feeling that this book gives me.
Comments (3)
You are right, Ron...
Sally Franz is at her best as she picks her way through western medicine and it's working staff.
After all isn't laughter the best medicine? Well Sally takes it to a different level.
I agree, this is a great read one that you will not want to put down. If nothing else just to see what or how they are going to torture Sally with next.
I give this book a big Baby Boomer thumbs up!
Sharon
~The Baby Boomer Queen~
Posted by Sharon/Baby Boomer Queen | June 2, 2010 10:35 AM
Posted on June 2, 2010 10:35
I was in an automobile accident (I was a front seat passenger in a VW Bug which rear ended a road grader – my head took out the windshield - it popped out in 1 piece)
When I got to the hospital because (I can only assume) I had hair down to my navel, they refused to give me pain medication for a compound fracture of the tibia (the jagged edge was poking out of my skin.)
Anyway after they stretched me on a human tug o’ war rack (1 guy holding me and 2 guys pulling my leg (literally)) and incased the leg in plaster. After x-raying my leg they looked at the break and the broken bones were mating at about a 150 degree angle. They said “That’s no good” and sawed off the cast (still no pain meds) slicing into my flesh as they proceeded. Again the rack but this time I was scrunched up at the end of the bed with my leg above the knee stopped by the foot of the bed and 2 guys reefing on my ankle and shin below the break, excruciating!!!.
They applied the cast while I was stretched and took another x-ray. “Oh that’s a 50% improvement. We’ll go with that.” they said. Then they wheeled me into a ward, and finally a doctor came in and I asked for pain med and he was incensed that I had been without meds for over 4 hours after the accident and kindly shot me up with Demerol after which he was the best friend ever (according to the Demerol.)
After 8 weeks, the cast was removed and I ended up with that leg ½ inch shorter than before due to the lousy set. I didn’t know that at the time and proceed to limp along for 5 years. One night while playing a gig, I was kicking out the jams and noticed that my hands started tingling and were falling asleep in the middle of playing. It went away after awhile but the phenomenon started occurring more frequently until it was intolerable.
I went to the doctor and he had no clue so he sent me to a neurologist who told me it was psychosomatic and there was nothing wrong with me physically. I went to another Dr. and he said it was celiac disease so I had to go on gluten free diet which was onerous and did nothing to alleviate the symptoms. Finally in desperation, I went to an illegally practicing acupuncturist (acupuncture at the time was illegal) and he gave me a few treatments which seemed to help. A while later in Boston, I went to a legal acupuncture clinic and wasted a couple of thousand on treatments (insurance didn’t cover it) with pretty much nil result.
The symptoms got worse and I was having trouble playing. A year later I got married and my wife suggested that I see a chiropractor. I’d always heard (from my parents) that chiropractors were quacks at best and charlatans at worst so I was skeptical but grasping at straws, I went to see one. He told me that my right leg was ½ inch shorter than my left which caused my body to compensate by twisting my spine into a helix (you could see it right there on the x-ray) which caused my neck to pinch the nerves going to my hands. He prescribed a ½ inch orthotic insert for my shoe and that fixed the problem to today. I have little faith in the medical profession anymore and don’t go to the doctor at all.
Posted by Burt | June 4, 2010 5:34 PM
Posted on June 4, 2010 17:34
I had a few minor run ins with health care. Broke my leg in ski accident and nurse twice let my ski boot with foot in it drop to the side. It was broken and both drops were very painful.
I also remember a couple nurses who made shots painful as they gave them. I figured out later that they injected real fast and forceful the medications. I have always requested since that they take their time in injecting whatever.
By I absolutely recommend Daniel Haley's book, Politics in Healing. There have been many amazing cancer cures and discoveries but medicine is run like a cartel/cabal. There is no good will there at all. In fact, I got several other recommendations at my site on health care books.
http://www.truth1.org/1-books-health.htm
Sit down before reading any and have a good stiff drink at hand as well. Cheers. Check out my links as well.
Posted by Scott Irv | June 6, 2010 5:51 PM
Posted on June 6, 2010 17:51