But My Brain Had Other Ideas





When Deb Brandon discovered that cavernous angiomas--tangles of malformed blood vessels in her brain--were behind the terrifying symptoms she'd been experiencing, she underwent one brain surgery. And then another. And then another. And that was just the beginning. 

 The book also includes an introduction by Connie Lee, founder and president of the Angioma Alliance. Unlike other memoirs that focus on injury crisis and acute recovery, But My Brain Had Other Ideas follows Brandon's story all the way through to long-term recovery, revealing without sugarcoating or sentimentality Brandon's struggles--and ultimate triumph.





My Review

Wow. Author, Deb Brandon is a survivor. This is the first time that I have heard the words "cavernous angiomas". After reading what the author experienced through her ordeal with three brain surgeries, I would not wish this on anyone. This is how much of an eye opening experience that someone with cavernous angiomas deals with...you are one of the lucky ones if you can have brain surgery.

It was refreshing to read this book. Deb was very open sharing her journey. I felt like I got to know who Deb is as a person who is smart, talented, fighter, mother, and who loves poetry. She is not defined by the fact that she had three brain surgeries. This was very evident when there was a part in this book where after Deb was finally released from the hospital and she was shopping with her husband and someone commented how they wanted a husband like that because Deb's husband was being attentive, yet Deb's husband turns and tells the person that Deb had brain surgery. I felt like Deb being appalled and wanting to disappear. Yet, it was at this same time that I was reminded that no matter what condition someone may be experiencing or had experienced, they are still a person with feelings and that they are not defined by that condition.

#bookmail, #magicofmemoir, @booksparks

 

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