Cristy Kessler should be dead. The fact that she’s not is because she took charge of her own medical care. When she took it upon herself to find out why she had spent her lifetime battling pain and illness, Kessler embarked upon a journey of discovery in which she endured multiple treatments and procedures that resolved some, but not all, of her issues. Finally, armed with a diagnosis of multiple autoimmune diseases, she took charge and, with the help of a powerful team of doctors, Kessler identified the treatment that could save her life, a treatment denied by her insurance company and prohibited in the United States by the FDA. As Michael Seres, author of the blog, “Being a Patient Isn’t Easy,” and a transplant survivor himself, says in the Foreword, “With her book, she has been able to articulate in a very simple way the critical steps that every patient living with a long-term condition should abide by. She writes with complete honesty and lovely touches of humour….this is a book every single patient should read at least once. And, if you are a clinician, then this should be on your bookshelf or on your laptop as a constant reminder of the paths and decisions…patients have to take.” Throughout her medical journey, Kessler developed the skills and strategies necessary to act as her own patient advocate, which, in the end, saved her life. Speaking directly to her readers, Kessler describes the five STEPS toward taking control of your health care with the assistance and support of a network of medical experts, family, and friends. Sensibility. Kessler urges you to pay attention to what your body is telling you and to record and describe symptoms carefully so that the doctor knows everything necessary for appropriate care. Most importantly, she says you must refuse to let anyone—even a doctor—dismiss your symptoms. Teamwork. Kessler urges you to take full responsibility for leading your team of doctors to make certain they are all working together, not at cross purposes. Don’t be afraid to change doctors if you need to. Put together a support network of family, friends, colleagues who can do for you what you cannot do for yourself. Education. This is a critical aspect in directing your medical team. Kessler advises you to do research and to use the Internet wisely to investigate symptoms and treatment and to share information collaboratively and respectfully with your doctors. Educate your support network; don’t keep secrets about your condition from the people who mean the most to you. Let them walk with you on your journey. Patience and Perseverance. Kessler acknowledges that being a “patient patient” is not always easy, but she urges you to find a balance between waiting calmly and recognizing when to act on something urgent in your life and circumstances. Ask questions you need answers to, be patient when you need to, and always persevere toward your objective of getting the best possible treatment available – no matter where it might be. Sustainability. Finally, Kessler insists that you are responsible for sustaining your body, mind, and spirit. Sustainability takes many forms. Whether it is through your faith or through personal and social networks, it is important to meet the needs of your whole self. Find a reason to get out of bed every day and find ways to pay it forward. Find one thing you can make time for each day that provides you with joy. In this genuinely compelling, honestly scripted, and engaging chronicle of her medical and personal journey, Kessler shares those strategies for others to use when faced with difficult medical situations.

5 S.T.E.P.S. to Being Your Own Patient Advocate

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Miller, Sharon K.

Kessler, Cristy L.

Diseases & Physical Ailments

Buckskin Books

The wife of a dreamer, Esperanza Ramirez comes to this place in the nineteenth century with her husband to build a cattle ranch beneath a rugged ridge in the back range of the Santa Catalina Mountains. They are among the first to venture beyond the safety of Tucson into hostile Apache territory. Esperanza struggles to hold onto their dream in spite of loneliness and Apaches who steal their cattle, engage her husband in battle, and attack travelers on the northbound road. Finding an ancient pot when digging in the garden offers her a sense of companionship and a source of strength through the presence of a woman who lived in this place seven-hundred years before. Will it be enough when she delivers her stillborn child alone, when outlaws attack her, and when the mysterious Apache who watches her makes his move? Esperanza's story, as well as that of the woman who came before her, remain in that scrap of desert for others to find.

The Clay Endures: Book 2 in The Clay Series

Literature & Fiction

Genre Fiction

Oppressed and abused by her husband, Anna Robinson flees to the Southwestern desert where she can pursue a career in archaeology. In uncovering artifacts on a desert ridge, she connects with the stories of two strong women who lived there at different times. When her husband finds her, she turns him away, but not before he learns there is another man in her life. When he comes back, armed, she must rely on herself and the strength of those other women to confront him and survive. This new, expanded second edition contains pictures and illustrations of aspects of archaeology and artifact reconstruction, as well as pictures of various locations in the story.

The Clay Remembers: Book 1 in The Clay Series

Romance

Historical

Like the women in The Clay Remembers and The Clay Endures, Ha-wani doesn’t know how strong she is until she is put to the test. When she marries the man her father chose for her, she discovers the shaman in her new village is the same man who had terrorized her, promising that she and her powerful spirit would belong to him. Because he is determined, not only to have her, but to control the village, she must learn to use her power by calling on the raven, her spirit, to resist his attacks. With the lives of her family and the future of the village at stake, she must confront his magic, but at what cost?

The Clay Sustains: Book 3 in The Clay Series

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Buckskin Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Buckskin Books

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Buckskin Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

5 S.T.E.P.S. to Being Your Own Patient Advocate

The Clay Endures: Book 2 in The Clay Series

The Clay Remembers: Book 1 in The Clay Series

The Clay Sustains: Book 3 in The Clay Series