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Every healthcare provider, whether they work in a hospital or community setting, has to think about how to best assist people heal themselves. These decisions can have a small or large impact: from saving someone’s life to making someone’s day easier or safer.
This book questions how those decisions are made; and how medical technology, legislation and education can hinder or help. It is also, in a sense, a self-help book – with ideas on how every person who seeks medical care can help their doctors (and other healthcare professionals) make better judgements together.
I couldn’t help but be sucked in by the stories presented, and I loved the optimistic tone in the background. Even though there was critique of the education and healthcare systems, there was no judgemental, negative finger-pointing going on. Just stories, or parables (if you like), with a message to challenge the way you see things, open your mind and listen: really listen to what people are trying to tell you.
I am only halfway through, but am loving this book, and how it has made me rethink the way I approach the people/clients/patients I deal with everyday. It’s a welcome distraction from thinking day and night about pregnancy/ baby stuff, and makes me proud to do the work I do.
I chanced upon this prayer in the middle of an absorbing book:
Dear universe
Having been created in your image
I am full of unrealised potential
The realisation of which
Depends upon my acknowledgement of the potential,
My recognition of all the gifts with which I am endowed,
And my exploitation of the opportunities that lie open before me.
Please help me to rise to meet the challenge.
Let me use these gifts for the benefit of all people.
for all that I am
and all that I can be
I thank you.
from How Doctors Think by J. Groopman.
(some words have been substituted or omitted)
I recently finished Catherine Newman’s book Waiting for Birdy, about parenting one child while expecting her second. I enjoyed it’s heartfelt, tender and very funny language, but Literary Mama’s book review tells it better, so I’ll let you read her review instead of writing one myself.
I’ll just quote a favourite passage that resonated, especially as my baby girth increases:
If you’ve ever been pregnant yourself, then you know about this “turning over” – the way it involved a great deal of breathless groaning and a moment of being stuck on your back, like a turtle, your turtle arms and legs flailing in the air.
I am having lots of turtle moments, which are endlessly entertaining to my darling husband. He laughs before helping me right myself (if I give up or my “shell” feels too large). Just yesterday, I nearly sent a Cd display flying at the local bookstore. Oops. Staff were more worried about me than the Cds, which was sweet. It’s as if my bump has a life of its own! (actually it does, but I digress).
Then, we decided to take advantage of the rare autumn sunshine with an impromptu picnic in the Botanic Gardens, which we thoroughly enjoyed until some swans decided to hijack the peace with their newly-hatched, fluffy grey-white cygnets. I didn’t know baby swans were called cygnets until a family came by and the mum said, “Look at the little cygnets” to her kids. (How can I be a mother when I don’t know what the name of a baby swan is??) Anyway, she was lovely, and apologised for invading our privacy.
However, others weren’t quite so nice, and our small patch of grass was invaded by inconsiderate photographers/ gawkers who stood next to our feet, stepped on our blanket, and talked over our heads. It was enough to make a girl want to make out furiously in public, or push someone into the algae-infested waters (not really, but making out seemed like a fun idea). I even contemplated throwing something at the swans to make them go away. But they were too cute.
So, we decided to leave, and that’s when I had another turtle moment. While I was getting up off the blanket, I found myself falling over backwards onto my arse instead of standing upright like my brain expected. The worst thing was I could barely get up without P’s help. Argh.
I suspect I’m going to have more turtle moments. They are only going to get worse as I get bigger. Ah well. At least I am loving being pregnant.
Here are some books I’ve found very useful. Keep in mind that I already know more than most about the medical side of childbirth, so there are no basic “What to Expect..” type books on this list. You might want to check them out at the library before you buy.
Better Birth: the definitive guide to childbirth – by Lareen Newman and Heather Hancock
This book has been an absolute godsend. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking about the people I could give this book to. It is written by Australians, and contains inspiring women’s birth stories and a great list of Australian resources. It also happens to be very easy to read!
I found it on sale at Dymocks Melbourne store for $15 (RRP $29.95) and may even grab a few more copies for any of my friends who are becoming new parents.
Highly recommended. You can read an article by the author here.
Faulkner Fox: Dispatches from a Not-So-Perfect Life
A sassy, brilliant account of the realities of motherhood. I found so many light-hearted, fluffy or pessimistic motherhood books that this one really stood out. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to start the book again straight after I finished reading.
This review stood out:
“I devoured this book. Passionate, angry, honest and intelligent, the antidote to What to Expect When You’re Expecting, it’s one every pregnant or planning-to-be-pregnant woman with a modicum of ambition would do well to read.”
–Cathi Hanauer, editor of The Bitch in the House: 26 Women Tell the Truth about Sex, Solitude, Work, Motherhood and Marriage.
Excerpts and more from the author’s website.
The Nappy Bag Book (9th edition, 2008 – 2009)
I never realised how useful this book could be, but I have been looking through it every time I think: “I need this, but where in Oz will I get it?” or “Wonder who I can contact about …” It has up-to-date phone unmbers for care providers, and a fantastic list of resources and information. LOVE it.
I found this one at the op shop for $6. (yayy!) There are discount vouchers in the back. They last until March 2009 but I’m not inspired to use them. Previous editions are probably just as useful, so grab one at the second hand shop if you can get your hands on it.
La Leche League: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
I got this as a “work” book, when I was dealing with alot of new mothers. It’s been a very helpful, useful book to have around, and I’ve lent it to 2 new mums who have loved the supportive and calm tone in the book. Don’t be put off by the fact that it’s a La Leche League book – they are not militant about breastfeeding at all, just very supportive. It’s all about doing what feels right to you, which is why I like this book so much.
I just found on ABC Classic FM (where else but on the radio?) that well-loved and brilliant Arthur C Clarke has died in Sri Lanka.
Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday in his adopted home of Sri Lanka, an aide said. He was 90.
Clarke, who had battled debilitating post-polio syndrome since the 1960s and sometimes used a wheelchair, died at 1:30 a.m. after suffering breathing problems, aide Rohan De Silva said.
The shock is compounded by the realisation that Terry Pratchett has Alzheimer’s.
Terry Pratchett OBE, the most shoplifted author in Britain, a man who has sold at least 55m books in 35 languages, and who was the UK’s bestselling author until JK Rowling muscled in on his fantasy fiction turf, is standing in a hotel conference room, prodding at a plate of watermelon with a little fork. His trademark broad-brimmed black hat and cane are lying on a nearby window ledge. He cuts quite a figure: with his white beard, black shirt, white skin and black Hugo Boss jeans, he looks like an unwitting homage to Ian Dury’s song Sweet Gene Vincent.
Just before Christmas, I say to Pratchett, the Guardian asked if he would give us an interview about his illness, and he said he was too busy finishing a book – “Why don’t you say Alzheimer’s?” Pratchett interrupts. I was going to, I reply weakly – though I’m not sure in retrospect that I was, for reasons, no doubt, of misplaced sensitivity.
‘There’s humour in the darkest places’ | News | guardian.co.uk Books
It’s a sad day.
Here I am, blogging at 1AM because it too hot to sleep (sigh). Apparently the heat this summer will last till late April. Since I was born in the tropics, I thought I could handle heat!? ARRRGGHHhhhh. Can’t stand this any more. . . H E L P . . .
Anyway…
We saw Atonement last Thursday, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Read the Rolling Stone review (which has a very detailed plot breakdown) if you think it won’t spoil your enjoyment of the movie. One of my obsessive-compulsive bad habits is that I check out the IMDB movie page after (or during) every movie I watch. And I was very excited to find out that Saoirse Ronan, the actress who plays young Briony to perfection, will also appear as Susie Salmon in The Lovely Bones (scheduled for release in 2009), an adaptation of an excellent book by Alice Sebold. It is directed by Peter Jackson (of LOTR fame) and also stars Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon. I’m really looking forward to watching it.
Another book adaptation that is receiving rave reviews is this French film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) based on one of my favourite books about the then French editor of Elle magazine Jean-Dominique Bauby. I bought a very beautiful hardcover edition when it was first released in English, and loved reading his inspiring account of life after a stroke that left him with all his mental faculties yet paralysed everything except his left eye. He died 2 days after the French publication of the book in March 1997, which he had dictated blink by blink. The movie hasn’t hit Australian shores yet, and I probably prefer watching it on DVD anyway, but it’s another one that’s very high on my watch list. I also highly recommend reading the book.
We also rented The Road to Perdition (I know, sometimes I can be so late with movies) recently, which I enjoyed more than Atonement. Tom Hanks is currently in another movie, Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)/Metacritic review, also starring Julia Roberts. We saw the preview while watching Atonement, and it looks funny.
Now I suppose my next assignment is to read the novel Atonement by Ian McEwan. Enjoy your summer (or winter) movie watching. Oh, and if anyone wants to watch Enchantment with me on the big screen, I’ll be eternally grateful! And so will P, if you spare him the agony of accompanying me to watch a Disney chick flick… just drop me a line.
Today I hung out with a Melbourne CSer (CS= CouchSurfing) who was a member of BookCrossing, and we went on a book hunt through Christchurch. Under her guidance, I found Isabel Allende’s Daughter of Fortune and now I can’t wait to get back to Melbourne and release or hunt some more books. She also managed to influence another CSer I was hanging out with to try it! Cool… Let’s see how many people I can convert by blogging and talking about it.
Here’s some info from their homepage:
BookCrossing provides a whole new chapter to traditional book clubs. Best of all, membership is free. BookCrossing helps people share books through our unique release program — leaving books around for others to find and enjoy. Look for books on park benches, coffee shops, vacation spots or tucked in a bookshelf at the gym – anywhere a new reader might be found! What happens next is up to fate.
Everyday, world-wide, people come to BookCrossing to register books they own, add volumes to their online library, and explore book reviews. Previous readers can follow a book as it travels, by way of an online journal, or our live Google Book Tracking Map. Join multitudes of BookCrossers in our forums to discuss your favorite authors, characters and books of every genre throughout history right up through current releases. Discover opportunities for get-togethers with other BookCrossers, local meet-ups, and book swaps.
Help make the whole world a library and share the joy of literacy. Reading becomes an adventure when you BookCross! Become part of the BookCrossing movement today.
Also, tonight will be my 5th night with my CS hosts in Christchurch, and they are still SO cool. I am going to go home and be a better host now! And no, surfers have never stolen any of my stuff, they are too busy traveling light. And yes, sometimes I give them my keys if I trust them. If you’re at all curious about CouchSurfing and have some questions, send me your comments!
Our friend C started me reading Cory Doctorow’s books in his blog post. We share the same library so I reserved Overclocked. It was an amazingly enjoyable and quick read. I haven’t had this much fun since reading Terry Pratchett, which is quite remarkable.
Now, P is absolutely absorbed in the book, to the point where he doesn’t want to be interrupted and reads through commercial breaks. This is one of those times I love being married to a nerd who enjoys reading as much as I do. Anyway I digress. Cory Doctorow is an intrepid Canadian author (as well as many other things) with many of his books available for free download with a Creative Commons license. He is also one of the co-editors of BoingBoing, one of the coolest blogs anywhere. Enjoy his books and websites. And this cool post about Facebook, which I already think is true.
I subscribe to BoldType, and once in a blue moon I actually have time to read it, and it’s a real pleasure.
Here’s a summary of the news I found interesting:
- Dumbledore is gay (shock, horror!) – but how will this affect young people? And a very American reaction via Dooce with thanks to B in O.
- Fantasy writer Robert Jordan dies at age 58 (London Times)
Writing under the pseudonym Robert Jordan, author James Oliver Rigney Jr. penned the 11-part best-selling series Wheel of Time. The series’ first book, starring the warrior-prophet Rand al’Thor, was released in 1990; the final installment of this good-versus-evil epic remains incomplete.
