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 Illnesses like biological weapons come in two parts: the biological and the psychological. It's very easy to feel defeated by something you don't understand, especially if you are worn down by fatigue and the unseen enemy is inside your body.
Reviewed by Pogo
Sticky Blood Explained
by Kay Thackeray
Author Publishing Ltd
Braiswick 61 Gainsborough Road
Felixstowe, Suffolk 1P11 7HS UK
ISBN: 1 898030 774 2002 144pp 7.95
http://www.author.co.uk/thackray/index.htm
Sticky Blood has a big name, Antiphospholipid Syndrome or APS for those who have difficulties spitting it out. It was systematically discovered by Dr. Graham Hughes in 1983 and is often misdiagnosed as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The two have overlapping symptons and belong to modern illnesses of auto-immune diseases. Auto-immune diseases are caused by the antibodies of a person attack the person's system rather than the invading element thus destroying the person's resistance.
Kay Thackeray speaks openly about confronting the illness. Illnesses like biological weapons come in two parts: the biological and the psychological. It's very easy to feel defeated by something you don't understand, especially if you are worn down by fatigue and the unseen enemy is inside your body.
It's not only Kay's experience and enlightenment through frustration that speaks so authoritatively, but also her empathy and understanding for her fellow sufferer. it's easy to wallow in the "why me" syndrome when there is no easy answer to complete the puzzle. Hereditary? Unlike ailments such as diabetes, it's unclear how much heredity may affect a person or whether it is more related to stress. However, Kay has tips on how to identify symptons and cope with it. Known as APS, it is frequently called Hughes Syndrome in honor of the doctor who identified it.
Sticky Blood is intended to be the layperson's guidebook, offering sympathetic voice on identifying symptons, finding a doctor, and coping with the complications it may add to your life. It's not a medical text written for the cerebral haematologist or neurologist; but an insider's guide for normal life.
What does this guide provide? First, Kay identifies the critical tests that are needed to diagnose the syndrome and supplements it by offering a checklist of the common symptons that are associated with it. Secondly, she offers advice in coping with a long-term illness - not only the personal handling of fatigue and following medical prescriptions, but learning to monitor yourself. She offers tips on how to find a friendly doctor since knowledge is not always the primary factor in selecting one. Medical knowledge, like the internet, changes rapidly. What a doctor learned in school twenty years ago may no longer be pertinent. There is no way to maintain a thorough knowledge of medicine; but there are ways of being able to be informed and get recent information which is more important. She points out that some professionals have heads crammed with facts and grew up with the attitude that knowledge is everything; but technical knowledge isn't enough in the world of fast changing medicine. Far more critical is to find someone who has the skill to listen, be sympathetic and follow up on symptons.
Instead of relying completely on a doctor's medical training, she challenges you to take charge of your life by finding out basic informaiton for yourself. Learn to care for yourself. Caring for yourself means to take an active part in your personal daily care plan. maintain a diary and reach out to others. learn to chart your symptons. Without documentation and some evidence a doctor is helpless to assist you. Get in touch and communicate with others who also suffer with APS. Listen and react.
The book offers down to earth practical advice on improving the quality of your life by being active and taking charge of your life. It offers links to online resources to organizations that can support your special needs related to the disease. Unfortunately, auto-immune diseases are rather complicated and can not be isolated easily like other illnesses because they potentially affect every aspect of your body's system. She presents the stories of three important people in the book, showing how the illness affected and motivated them not only to improving their lives, but also improving the lives of others. True, an illness can be a handicap, but it can also be the motivation that creates a personal breakthrough for a richer life. The book offers hope and inspiration for developing your personal resources in a time of duress. Kay has been there herself - a victim of a heart attack at a young age. Is thirty too young? Are TIA's only a myth? Blood clots can happen anytime in any place resulting in minor to major symptoms and complications that may bring your life into chaos.
Take time out to care for yourself. Get out of the rat race a moment to reconsider your values in life. Need a companion to help you through a rough time? A friendly voice to face an uncertain future? Then buy the book and find out about Sticky Blood. it will help you to find information, others and online support. It's a layman's guide to better living when facing an auto-immune disease - the unknown, unseen enemy within your own body.
About the reviewer: Pogo, alternatively known as Mary C Legg, grew up in the beautiful San Juans of Washington State with the luxury of nature and literature. She acquired a degree in Classics, English Literature and Creative Writing followed by a Masters of Library and Information Science. Thus completely deranged, she left the States to study solo soprano literature in Vienna and has had the misfortunate to experience teaching English in Prague where she is currently turning over a new leaf for the pen. She can be contacted at <A HREF = "mailto:pogo@writethinking.net>pogo@writethinking.net
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