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0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Not realistic Oct 12, 2009
If you are able quit your job, you can control Lupus better.
That sentence summed up the book. I already knew that. I need my job to keep my health insurance, so on I struggle. The book was unrealistic.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Amazing book! Sep 04, 2009
Despite Lupus is an easy to read and informative book. It is easy to understand not
only for those diagnosed with lupus, but it is also a great resource for educating friends and families of loved ones suffering from this disease. What sets this book apart from others on this topic is that it provides insight into Sara's personal journey. From her own experiences she offers practical and useful suggestions on how to overcome the daily challenges and to live well. I would recommend this book to anyone who suffers from lupus or knows someone who does.
3 of 4 found the following review helpful:
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE EVER READ Jul 26, 2009
When I finished reading Sara Gorman's book, "Despite LUPUS (How to Live Well with a Chronic Illness), I said to myself: wow, what a courage, determination, tenacity, stubbornness, and, yes, pain and suffering this writer has undergone to show to the world that when the going gets tough, appreciate friends, love families, fight with sister, suffer silently, cut hair, be humbled, appreciate life, shed pride, and ultimately, lick Lupus and have a baby.
What I liked the most about this book is its multi-layered message. It educates the public what Lupus does to a human being. It describes the multi-symptomatic nature of the disease requiring "countless medicine and pain killers, a blood transfusion, lung taps, multiple visits to the emergency room."
Second, it describes youthful haughtiness (after all, the author was only 26 years old, married just for six months, when Lupus got her) that mired her in the vainglory of managing everything - her budding career, her married life, her day-to-day living. Reflecting on her own definition of healthy living, she states: "Currently, your definition of `living well with lupus' may look something like this: a strong identity at work, being in control of your life, and never having to ask for help." She thought, "... an allegiance in this way of life is paramount for triumph over the disease." Guess what? She was wrong. She found out that you don't build your life with Lupus. You live your life despite Lupus. And how do you do it? Here the author explains in eight steps the things you should do to live well despite Lupus. These eight steps become the core chapters of the book.
Don't fight your life, but try to live it; don't let chaos reign, but seek order; don't look outside for answers, but look within; communicate wisely, but listen wisely as well; ask for help, but accept offered help as well; get rid of guilt; forgive and be forgiven - all these points are lucidly explained in these chapters. As you read these steps, you become aware of the author's transformation from a haughty and ambitious person always questioning, why-me? to a person with a Zen-like attitude toward life.
Third, there are expressions of universal truths interspersed through the book. "Your mind is a constant swirl of ideas and plans about what's to come," she writes, "so you have to train yourself to focus on the task at hand." Sounds like the Buddha's 8th Noble Enfoldment Path that tells us to focus on one thought or object at a time to attain true peace of mind. In another part of the book she recommends: "Before you retire for the night, find a comfortable spot ... sit quietly ... slowly, let thoughts trickle away, continue until all the worries of the day have been eliminated." Still the mind and attain absolute emptiness, says the Zen master.
All these and many other aspects of life are neatly interwoven within this compact book. Herein you find guidance in managing Lupus (or any other chronic disease) by taking charge of your life. After all, as the author points out, who can listen to you better than you yourself, who can control your emotion than you yourself, who can control your thought than you yourself.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Excellent Book Jul 24, 2009
"Despite Lupus" tells an incredibly inspiring story about Sara Gorman's battle with lupus and how she is now able to live a fulfilling life, despite lupus. I learned so much, not just about lupus, but about the many ongoing struggles people with chronic diseases face. Her story is inspirational, informative and filled with tips about taking control of your life. This book is a must read for anyone who is suffering or knows someone suffering from a chronic disease.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
You can live well with lupus! Jul 21, 2009
"Despite Lupus" is a must-read for anyone trying to cope and live well with lupus or, for that matter, any chronic illness. Sara Gorman provides numerous strategies and offers sage advice for taking responsibility for your health and living the best life possible, regardless of illness. Poignant stories of her own struggles, recounted with brutal honesty, are also peppered throughout the book.
Her wisdom and expertise stem from someone who is intimately acquainted with the debilitating effects of lupus; yet she found a way, after many years of fighting it, to deal effectively with her disease in order to live a fulfilling life.
She is a compassionate and encouraging advocate for those suffering a chronic illness, especially lupus. Bravo, Sara.
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