Does This Hospital Gown Come With Sequins?

A chronically ill mother of two recalls her near-death experience after the birth of her second child. Lisa Helfand bares her soul from a hospital bed in Chicago, at times feeling a million miles from help, even when surrounded by medicine and many latex-gloved hands hoping to cure her with standard protocols. Her condition confounds doctors and family, while her internal struggle is muffled by a tracheotomy. How long can one woman survive under these conditions? With two children to think of, and a marriage to keep afloat (not to mention carpools, holidays, and unforgettable first moments in her children's lives rushing on without her), she endures unimaginable pain and ICU psychosis, without letting her sense of humor escape her. Lisa's ultimate survival despite medical malfeasance, family friction, and maddening days of being locked in with her thoughts will appeal to a wide American audience. Women will identify with Lisa's memoir as she struggles with marriage, parenting, friendships and society's obsession with outer beauty. The story will move professional caregivers to a higher level of empathy for their patients. Chronic disease sufferers will see themselves in the book and feel validated and inspired. Her road to recovery is documented with humor and poise in this debut memoir.