Before reading this novel, I knew that this would be a book that I would definitely be able to connect to. As soon as I received this book as part of my Easter gift, I was very eager to begin reading it because I am always interested in literature or news reports that deal with medical issues, mainly because I know many people in my lives that are affected by numerous health complications in my family. Once I began reading, I knew right away that this novel lived up to the expectations that I was looking for. Hornback-Bland's method of retelling the events of her unfortunate accident allow for any reader to easily feel empathetic and connect to the emotions that she is portraying.
At the age of four, Heather was in a horrific car accident. Her life after this was changed forever, due to the fact that many of her internal organs were destroyed in the accident. Throughout the rest of her life, Heather constantly had to undergo numerous amount of surgeries. By 2007, she had over 180 operations. Throughout the novel, the reader can sense that the spirits of Heather always remain optimistic throughout the entire process of her recovery. Her sense of optimism was shown when she describes how her mother told her to deal with her situation: "The old phrase, as worn as a tattered house show, was comforting somehow just because it was familiar, because it had defined my response to reality every day that I could remember: 'Just suck it up and go on.' ...."Self pity simply was not an option. Mom never once allowed me to throw a poor-Heather party." Thus, the reader automatically grabs a sense that Heather does not allow her numerous operations to define the type of person she is. Readers who also tend to get emotional with Heather's accounts of the mistreatment of her condition, especially evident in the beginning of the novel when the police officer gave her a traffic ticket for pulling over on the side of the road to throw up. Thus, it proves that while Heather does not want sympathy for her condition, she does yearn for an understanding of her circumstances and the issues in which she has to deal with. Heather's journey of recovery may be seen as an inspirational story not only for people who deal with chronic illnesses, but also for own daughter Mackenzie, who deals with epilepsy and severe allergies to everyday substances. Thus, this story of her mother's struggle may allow for Mackenzie to not feel alone and feel that she is the only 'hospital kid', as Heather describes. Heather's maintenance of humor and upbeat personality shows that not only medicine can cure a person, but sometimes a positive attitude can go a long way.
On a personal level, I was able to connect with this book in several ways. Due to the fact that I live with chronic illnesses, I was able to relate some of the frustration Heather and her family experienced. Additionally, I was also able to relate to Heather's perspective on the desire to be normal. "The older I got, the more I longed to be 'regular'-normal, just like all the other kids. I wanted that more than anything else in the world. And if you wanted to be regular, you had to act regular. So I figured out fast how to fall, how to cover my urostomy with my arms like a football player holding a ball as he runs down the field." At this moment, I can relate to the process of trying to lead a normal life when dealing with constant medical issues. While my illnesses were not caused by a car accident, I am able to relate to the struggle Heather had with trying to lead a normal life while at the same time keeping up with medical conditions. Other readers who may deal with medical conditions may also feel that Heather does an impeccable job at taking you through her own account of her journey to dealing with ramifications of an accident, allowing readers to gain the courage and strength to deal with chronic illnesses on a daily basis.
I feel that the pacing of the novel was good. The story seemed to move at a fast pace and I found that the plot engaged me throughout the duration of the book. While it may have taken me awhile to finish it, I found that every time I picked the book up I enjoyed the portion of the book that I read. Readers may also find that Heather adds a lot of her own personal thoughts to the events told in the story, allowing the reading process to go faster because it makes the story more personable and enjoyable to read.
I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in memoirs and who enjoy a story that is heart warming and very unique, and really goes into the development of the main character through the technique of narration. Readers who also deal with chronic illnesses and want a story to show them they are not alone should also read Heather's journey. However, if you are a reader that tends to become emotional when reading, you may want to be warned that this book contains many emotional moments. Overall, this book was one of the most powerful books I have read and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn what it is like to experience hardship, and what it is like to overcome it and develop strength to succeed.
