Title: This to Me
Author: Dr. A.H. Yurvati
Publisher: Fulton Books
ISBN: 979-8887317625
Pages: 62
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda
Pacific Book Review
“Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward, and savoring the journey.” – Roy T. Bennett
This to Me is a profoundly personal yet comprehensive read written by an emeritus professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. A. H. Yurvati, and is a sequel of the author’s first book, Wet My Hands. The book is a continuation of the author’s life with his wife, Sharon, and his career amidst major adversities. Dr. A. H. Yurvati’s life took an unexpected turn when his wife was diagnosed with an acute thrombotic stroke and inevitably became her caregiver amidst his busy schedule. Along the way, he too is diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of the bone marrow, and this time he transitions and becomes a patient. This to Me is a life-affirming account of one family’s heroic survival through pain and suffering, inviting us to sit with the delights and pains of family.
Dr. Yurvati writes luminously and passionately as he recounts personal anecdotes, both patient and practitioner stories, in fresh detail, highlighting some of his monumental moments in the ER and interweaving this with the detours and achievements in his personal life. Through eighteen captivating chapters, readers meet the many patients the author heroically devoted his practice and career to, evoking empathy towards those who have passed through his experienced hands, showcasing the altruism and selflessness of medical professionals even as they endure personal tragedy.
The author’s prose is full of vitality and almost poetic. Using humor as a barge, This to Me is fast-paced with impressive takeaways for everyone. It is without a doubt the real deal. Throughout the pages, humanity shines through. As I pored through the chapters, I couldn’t help but get tuned into the reflections of a cardiothoracic surgeon, a caregiver, and a pensive soliloquy of a patient. Indeed, this emotionally honest and affecting medical book which is part of a biography and part an autobiography, will inspire readers from all walks of life.
