Book Reviews

Reviews by three practicing medical doctors.
"Butterflies on My Mind."

“After starting the book, I was unable to put it down! You gave an excellent account of your daily struggles and your individual and personal responses. Many readers with similar chronic disease states certainly can identify with you. By writing this book, you have in fact, given a voice to many who have not been heard before. The book shines a light on a darkened pathway and helps to inspire hope, strength and perseverance to many who feel alone in their quest for wellness. I sensed your loss of health by the intensity of your words and perspectives. It would do all in health care good to realize the impact of their decisions or lack of actions on patient’s health. I recommend this book to all physicians, nurses and anyone in health care.”

- Dr. Brian K. Fleming, M.D., C.M.D.

“I find this book to be a very heart warming, sensitive and inspiring story with excellent details of what a person with systemic lupus erythematosus faces as they battle to survive with the disease. It reveals the love, stress and hardships that it brings to love ones and friends as they watch and hope for deliverance. Once you begin reading it, you will find yourself drawn into this patient’s daily life of mixed emotions, and at times confronting health care providers while dealing with serious medical complications. It is excellent. I think it could be made into a wonderful movie and maybe it will.”

- Dr. Kenneth A. Lee, M.D. LTC, Ret. , US Army

"Those of us who have never experienced catastrophic illness or chronic illness cannot know how we would respond if faced with them. Phyllis Bass has supplied us with a powerful memoir of her response to developing lupus and subsequently end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis and transplantation. Her response to the challenge of illness has been to understand it, live with it, teach other about it, and ultimately to inspire other patients to do the things that will help hem do well. Her book is also a call for understanding and communication between patients and their health care providers."

"The book is a chronological account of her experience with illness and health. With fastidious detail, she recounts the events surrounding her diagnosis and treatment, powerfully interweaving her emotions as she recorded them. Ever the schoolteacher, she intersperses her experiences with educational material she gleaned from personal interviews and medical literature over a period of many years. Though some of this information is now a bit dated, it was current at the time of her illness and still helpful for the layperson. It’s an interesting narrative with a happy ending. Each chapter ends with inspirational notes including scripture and hymn verses and occasionally the author’s own verse."

"Butterflies on My Mind will be especially helpful for those with lupus, kidney disease, or a kidney transplant, but also for anyone with chronic or catastrophic illness and their families (and health care providers)."

- Stephen R. Smith, M.D.