Title: Fighting to Survive
Author: Judy V. Rentz
Publisher: Xulon Press
ISBN: 978-1662831966
Pages: 72
Genre: Medical Professional Biographies/Christian Spiritual Growth
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Pacific Book Review
While many films, television shows, and songs have promised people around the world that there is much glamour and marvel left to live in the world, the reality so many people have to face on a day-to-day basis is that of survival. Finding a means of surviving a life of struggle, whether that be financial, family-driven, or health-wise, makes up the majority of people’s time here on this world, and finding that means of survival is how we find the path towards happiness we all seek. As Gad Saad once said, “In the game of life, survival is only part of the battle.”
In author Judy V. Rentz’s Fighting to Survive, the author defines the means of survival she found through faith and medical science as she faced an unbearably painful illness. After years of being ignored or mistreated by doctors with no knowledge of her illness, the author writes about her experiences through her faith and through the doctors who finally brought the answers she needed to not only define the pain that was invading her body daily, but the means of treating and getting help for that illness.
The author did a great job of conveying a sense of personal storytelling and wellness into this memoir. The imagery and descriptive nature of the author’s writing really painted an image in the reader’s minds of the level of pain and the emotional journey that many patients such as the author undertake when dealing with an illness that cannot be seen physically. The experiences the author had, not only personally with her illness but with the doctors who either didn’t know how to treat her, or didn’t believe her, was something many patients around the world are familiar with, and really did an amazing job of highlighting the struggles of the autoimmune disorder community.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy biographies and memoirs about health care and battling illness, especially those who have experienced the pain of what many call the “invisible illnesses” that so many are affected by. It is also a fantastic book for those who enjoy inspirational stories centered around one’s faith. I do have many autoimmune ailments myself and understand the frustration and emotions that go into convincing doctors to find the right treatment for you, and found the author’s personal experiences something that I as a reader could connect with.
Heartfelt, emotionally-driven, and thought-provoking as well as inspiring, author Judy V. Rentz’s Fighting to Survive is a must-read memoir and medical health book. The quick yet passionate read conveys the author’s struggles and hardships clearly, while the imagery and visceral description of the author’s journey is something that readers will be able to feel as they delve deeper and deeper into the book.
