Seeking the answer to a medical mystery is not a journey for the faint of heart, as award-winning science and math writer Julie Rehmeyer discovered. When traditional medicine couldn’t get to the bottom of her debilitating symptoms, she began her own investigation of what might be causing her symptoms.
Has a doctor ever kept telling you “it’s just stress?”
Have you ever felt that something horrible was fundamentally wrong with your body because no treatment helped?
Have you ever felt you had nowhere to turn to find relief? or answers?
Are you frustrated that your illness is being treated like a medical mystery?
All this and more was true for Rehmeyer, who chronicles her journey in the excellent memoir, Through the Shadowlands: a Science Writer’s Odyssey into an Illness Science Doesn’t Understand.
It’s a riveting story of her search to find the root of debilitating symptoms that kept her from living a full life. Traditional medicine and its diagnostics/treatment got nowhere and so she relentlessly worked to find answers, herself. Because like anyone with a chronic condition, she wanted a better life.
It’s human nature to give up out of frustration–I know many who have. When you don’t feel well, it’s hard to muster the strength to be your own healing practitioner. And yet, that’s just what Julie managed to do.
There’s love, there’s spirituality and yes, there’s hope in this book, and it’s one that anyone with a chronic illness –or who loves someone suffering from one–should read.
I’m giving away a couple copies of Through the Shadowlands. Just comment and say you want to be entered in the giveaway drawing. Make sure a valid email address is used in your comment. I’ll announce the winner on Saturday.
Sorry I missed the give away. This sounds interesting. I’ll have to look for it on Kindle.
I have a chronic illness but it took years to get a diagnosis. Doctors told me it was all in my head for years!
Julie is an amazing writer and human being!
Sounds like a good book! I know a few that go through medical conditions similar to what you have described here. Life is not easy. but there are certain things we can do to comfort ourselves like reading a good book.
It sounds interesting. It took me 8 years to get a diagnosis for my illness so I would find this interesting.
This looks amazing. I can’t imagine not having the answers to medical issues. I’ll have to grab this book!
I need to snag a copy of this! I love reading things with this information.
This sounds really interesting. A good read for sure. Would love to have a copy of it too!
It can be frustrating when doctors can’t figure out what’s wrong with you. I think this book will help so many people dealing with a chronic illness.
This sounds like a really interesting book. I am glad that you’ll be giving it away so that others can find hope and help!
I’ve watched friends go through a similar journey and it was hard to watch. It’s not an easy path and can be overwhelming.
Yes, yes and YES!!! You just told my story Julie and I feel I myself have been in the midst (for quite some time) of obtaining a medical or biochemistry degree due to the multitude of hours each week I spend researching and learning about the many facets and intricate workings of the holistic human body, along with being an in training practicioner, as we are our own best advocate! Given the choice to give up, settle for the life I was told I would/will have, or continue to fight for my life and stay true to my overpowering innate knowing of something so much deeper and getting to the root cause of it all. I would absolutely LOVE a copy of your book! Sources of strength and knowledge are essential to this journey, so thank you for this opportunity and thank you for writing this book! I look forward to reading it and sharing it with family in friends once in through with it!
Hugs, Becky
beckycorreia@yahoo.com
AWWWW! I wanna purchase this for my friend. This book would make her feel better
THis sounds like an eye opening, thought provoking book. I really enjoy reading things like this! I think turning to holistic medicine is sometimes the way to go!
I really enjoyed reading this post. The Through the Shadowlands looks like a wonderful read.
This looks like a really powerful book. I suffer from a chronic illness myself and yes, I do find it annoying for doctors to tell me, “its just stress, ” when I complain about a symptom .
This sounds like the perfect inspiration, as I begin another journey in search of better health. Thank you for sharing.
I’m fascinated already. I love when people take the iniative to find their own cures. You are your best advocate.
I’ve never had a doctor tell me anything was just stress. This sounds like it would be a good read for folks that believe spirituality play a part in healing.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a serious illness that I think many suffer from. I hope that one day science comes up with something.
Please enter me
Her book saved my life. If you don’t win a copy, buy it!! I also sent copies to all my family members which helped them better understand my illness and efforts to heal.
Tonya, it was such a great idea to send to family members for greater understanding.
That sounds like a really good book. I know a lot of people out there that have these chronic conditions that nothing the doctors do seem to help. This book might give them the motivation to keep pushing on define what is wrong with them.
I can relate to this very much. Sometimes traditional medicine simply cannot find out what’s happening to your body and it’s up to you to learn more about how you can deal with whatever it is that you’re dealing with.
Sounds like a lovely book to have!
I’ll definitely have to check this out. I never take those non-diagnoses from doctors. Like IBS or things that mean, “we don’t know what’s causing the problem, so here’s a diagnosis that means nothing.” Sometimes, we have to be our own healers, or keep looking for nontraditional practitioners who think outside the box.
I would love to have a copy!
This would be tough. I always try to will my body to feel better with my mind. Sometimes it works!
Sounds like a wonderful book to read. Love, hope and spiritually combined to make for great reading.
Wow, that sounds like an amazing read! I need to get a copy of this so I can read it myself.