Scan barcode
Reviews
What Doesn't Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt by Tessa Miller
rebeccazh's review against another edition
5.0
Tessa Miller writes unflinchingly as she details her struggles in her fight to live. The front few chapters were very very hard to read - she goes into detail about her illness (the pain, the terror, the not knowing), her close brush with death, and it just reminded me of how fragile and fleeting the good moments in life can be and not to take any of it for granted.
She talks about life with chronic illness and disability justice, and from there touches on everything we need to live a fulfilling, good and healthy life - politics, public health, societal attitudes towards disability, capitalism, gender, trauma, mental health, bodies, etc. Her training as a journalist shows because her voice is conversational but very clear and she could explain complicated medical concepts in very informative ways.
Highly highly recommend this book. I felt a rollercoaster of emotions. How she fell to the lowest points and brush with death, unpacking all that trauma and her renewed perspective (which sounds a bit like post traumatic growth) and gratitude reminded me of some of my own mental health journey and reminded me of the fragility and beauty of being alive.
She talks about life with chronic illness and disability justice, and from there touches on everything we need to live a fulfilling, good and healthy life - politics, public health, societal attitudes towards disability, capitalism, gender, trauma, mental health, bodies, etc. Her training as a journalist shows because her voice is conversational but very clear and she could explain complicated medical concepts in very informative ways.
Highly highly recommend this book. I felt a rollercoaster of emotions. How she fell to the lowest points and brush with death, unpacking all that trauma and her renewed perspective (which sounds a bit like post traumatic growth) and gratitude reminded me of some of my own mental health journey and reminded me of the fragility and beauty of being alive.
lucinotlucy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
What Doesn't Kill You is an insightful look into Crohn's Disease and how it affects all aspects of one's life: friends, romance, work, and more, given the recent pandemic. Miller was diagnosed with Crohn's at a young age, quickly followed by a nasty C. Diff infection (and another, oh, and an E. Coli infection, too). Her lowest moments are arguably being hospitalized for weeks on end, or perhaps it's when she flies to Paris with her boyfriend after he hits her. It could even be needing said boyfriend's poop for a fecal transplant, or perhaps begging her health insurance via Twitter during a pandemic for her medication. Miller's had it rough, but she's quick to remind us that disabled people all deal with various issues, some better, some worse.
Miller discusses her illness, abuse, addiction, navigating health insurance, and beyond, making this biography an extremely helpful resource. It's clear Miller was born to write and she succeeds greatly at it. At the end, inspiringly, are moments of joy and happiness as experienced by 38 other people with an invisible disability. This rounds out the book in a way that is enjoyable and hopeful.
Miller discusses her illness, abuse, addiction, navigating health insurance, and beyond, making this biography an extremely helpful resource. It's clear Miller was born to write and she succeeds greatly at it. At the end, inspiringly, are moments of joy and happiness as experienced by 38 other people with an invisible disability. This rounds out the book in a way that is enjoyable and hopeful.
nhackley's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Addiction, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Medical content, Grief, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Alcoholism
svanburkleo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
hannah_reads_sometimes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Parts of this book are quite hard/triggering BUT it is so worth the read. It’s a really really great insight into dealing with chronic illness (as well as complex relationships). Miller deals well with all the privileges she has and doesn’t have and all that comes with that. Mainly memoir but also full of well researched information. While I read this from the library, I highly recommend it as a purchase. There are so many great resources and passages to highlight.
bookfairy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
11corvus11's review against another edition
DNF. Not because it's bad, but there was a lot of advice and intro stuff I simply already know too well. If I could have just extracted her personal memoir and read that I'd stick with it because it's an interesting insight to crohns and ibd that isn't widely available. This book would have been great for me when I first became too disabled to work many years ago though. Lots of good advice.