Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Saving Each Other

"Saving Each Other" by Victoria Jackson and Ali Guthy

I found this book while watching an Ellen clip on YouTube, she had the authors on the show.  It is the story of a teen girl who becomes suddenly very ill and when she is taken to the doctor for tests they discover that she has a very rare and deadly disease, NMO.  The disease is like MS but attacks at a much faster rate and with worse symptoms.  Doctors knew little about the disease or how to treat it.  There were no foundations to help and so little information.  So the mother, Victoria Jackson, took it upon herself to get her daughter help.  She started a foundation, connected with other people with the disease and started connecting doctors.  It is a moving story, written from both the mother and daughters perspectives.  It is about the fierce love of a mother and a strong will of the daughter, Ali.  "Maybe I can't be saved from being a mom.  My consolation is knowing that I'm not so alone in my incurable condition."  All of us mothers live with our hearts outside our chests, we have babies of all ages that we will never stop worrying over or loving, but we are not alone.  "Be happy for what you've accomplished today, and be grateful, hopeful, and positive about the things you will do tomorrow."  One day at a time, one grateful, hopeful moment to the next.  I enjoyed the lessons this mother and daughter learned from each other in their trial.  Ali learned just how strong and tough her mother is.  She learned that her mother would never give up and would fight and stay with her through all of life's ups and downs.  Victoria learned that her daughter has quiet strength and amazing perspective in the midst of the worst of times.  The worst you can imagine may happen but we are not alone and we can choose what we will do, lay down or get up and fight.  

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