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plxtoprojector's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.5
Felt like it went on forever. Interesting, but the pacing took away from the content. I was looking forward to reading this, as someone who is chronically ill and was struggling with misdiagnosis and living in that grey area with no explanation, but her experiences were not as relatable to the majority of disabled people as she portrayed them- I resonated with her sickness, but her failure to directly acknowledge the immense amounts of privilege she had when going through this made her narrative feel disconnected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, Mental illness, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Death of parent and Eating disorder
atintera's review against another edition
4.0
As someone with chronic illness, this book gave me a sense of community and understanding. Meghan accurately describes the complex relationships between the chronically ill and the medical establishment- I respect her honesty is sharing both the interventions that helped her and those that made her worse off.
As a reader, it took me almost a month to finish the book. It felts like it dragged a bit, and there were details that could have been excluded.
As a reader, it took me almost a month to finish the book. It felts like it dragged a bit, and there were details that could have been excluded.
gracie_reads_everything's review
5.0
Meghan O’Rourke is a fantastic writer and I really resonate with her story. Living with a chronic condition is difficult to explain to others and a constant source of frustration. I endure severe environmental allergies that require me to take handfuls of pills a day, which still don’t fully curb my symptoms, and a semi-vague muscle condition that causes constant pain and stiffness that radiates through my body and ebbs and flows unpredictably.
These conditions don’t tend to illicit much sympathy from others due to lack of understanding. Many people have seasonal allergies, but it’s hard for people to realize that I take anywhere from 3-7 pills a day solely for curbing my symptoms (as I write this I’m on my second sinus infection in a month due to the chronic inflammation in my sinuses). I am also unable to go hiking (an activity I really enjoy) or do outdoor sports or activities due to the severity of my allergies.
I’ve lived with pain and shoulders that crack with movement since I was about twelve or thirteen, but didn’t seek treatment because my pain was dismissed and normalized. For a long time I learned to live with it. Only at 25 did I learn I have muscle and joint issues genetically, and did I find any relief with muscle relaxers and physical therapy.
It’s amazing to me that I lived this long with untreated pain, and I still have to reassure myself of the reality of my conditions due to being gaslit for so long. After seeking treatment, I’ve been able to have the necessary tools to cope better with the pain and discomfort, even if there is no real “cure” for these conditions. I’m grateful for O’Rourke’s story and the validation & increasing awareness of chronic conditions.
These conditions don’t tend to illicit much sympathy from others due to lack of understanding. Many people have seasonal allergies, but it’s hard for people to realize that I take anywhere from 3-7 pills a day solely for curbing my symptoms (as I write this I’m on my second sinus infection in a month due to the chronic inflammation in my sinuses). I am also unable to go hiking (an activity I really enjoy) or do outdoor sports or activities due to the severity of my allergies.
I’ve lived with pain and shoulders that crack with movement since I was about twelve or thirteen, but didn’t seek treatment because my pain was dismissed and normalized. For a long time I learned to live with it. Only at 25 did I learn I have muscle and joint issues genetically, and did I find any relief with muscle relaxers and physical therapy.
It’s amazing to me that I lived this long with untreated pain, and I still have to reassure myself of the reality of my conditions due to being gaslit for so long. After seeking treatment, I’ve been able to have the necessary tools to cope better with the pain and discomfort, even if there is no real “cure” for these conditions. I’m grateful for O’Rourke’s story and the validation & increasing awareness of chronic conditions.
sunflowerhexe's review
3.0
This book does not live up to the hype. It is one rich woman’s guide to chronic illness, and frankly reads like a snake oil sales ad half the time. As someone with multiple chronic illnesses, being believed is a struggle - and I appreciate her acknowledging that. But fucking hell, she’s frequently like “and then I fucked off across the country for a vacation” - ma’am, I struggle to believe you’re actually financially struggling right now. Be so for real.