Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Book Review -- Heart Warrior


Heart Warriors: A Family Faces Congenital Heart DiseaseHeart Warriors: A Family Faces Congenital Heart Disease by Amanda Rose Adams
My enjoyment rating: 3 of 5 stars
Book hangover rating:  4 out of 5 stars (I will never stop pondering those who suffer from congenital heart disease)
Source:  ARC provided by the author (I was not compensated in anyway for my review)
Genre:  Memoir; non-fiction
Objectionable material:  Minor language.  (Trust me, when you think your kid is going to die -- Fbombs are often common.)

I am a member of the club.

The vast club of mothers who have children with congenital heart defects – the number one birth defect in children.

It’s a club I highly recommend NOT joining.

However, it is comforting to find other mothers (families) who have go through the same experiences, seen your children’s chest ripped open, and worry constantly about their future health.

Amanda Rose Adams in her memoir, Heart Warriors, details in passionate, loving and painful details the story of her son, Liam, and his battle to repair his “broken heart.”

For much of the book I was experiencing “survivor’s guilt” because our son does not have the same type of CHD, nor has his heart-road been nearly as difficult (at least to this point). As Amanda relates the number of air-transports, hospital visits, surgeries, cath labs – I almost put the book down because I didn’t feel like my son was sick enough to continue. Max, after one surgery, is a normal little boy, with absolutely no restrictions or medications. Will that change, possibly, but I live in a dream that I can often forget his condition.

But I’m grateful for Amanda and her quest for not only Liam, but for all children with congenital heart disease.

As a mother, I am not worthy.


3 comments:

Laura at Library of Clean Reads said...

Oh, this sounds heartrenching. I'm glad your son is well and thriving.

mpartyka said...

Sounds like a good story to be shared so we all open our hearts with compassion to all. I'm happy to hear your son is well, I can only imagine the impact his health can have on you as a mother.

Thank you for sharing. hugs!

Amused said...

Wow, I bet this one really packed an emotional punch for you.