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Title details for Hundreds of Interlaced Fingers by Vanessa Grubbs - Available

Hundreds of Interlaced Fingers

A Kidney Doctor's Search for the Perfect Match

by Vanessa Grubbs
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2 of 2 copies available
A doctor shares her unforgettable love story & informative journey into the world of medicine in this "thoughtful and endearing" memoir (Washington Post).
When Vanessa met Robert, she had no idea that their relationship would thoroughly transform her life. Robert was suffering from end-stage kidney disease, which required him to endure years of debilitating dialysis in order to stay alive, at least until his failed organ could be replaced by a kidney transplant. Although Vanessa was a primary care doctor, she developed a deeper understanding of the difficulties Robert faced, including dialysis and finding a donor. So, even though they were still in the early stages of their relationship, she volunteered one of her own kidneys for testing and discovered that she was a match. This life-affirming donation forged a bond that would become a pillar of Vanessa and Robert's marriage—and the beginning of a new career.
Motivated by Robert's experience and her newfound knowledge, Vanessa became a nephrologist—a kidney doctor—and discovered far more about the realities of the specialty. Shaped by Vanessa's remarkable expertise as a doctor, a woman of color, a mother, and a kidney donor, Hundreds of Interlaced Fingers is a love story as well as an informative guide to kidney disease.
Praise for Hundreds of Interlaced Fingers
"A story told beautifully, courageously, and honestly. You'll never forget Vanessa and Robert, and you'll never view medicine quite the same way again." —Robert Winchester, MD, author of the New York Times–bestseller The Digital Doctor
"Intense, ambitious, and fascinating." —Victoria Sweet, MD, award–winning author of God's Hotel

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    December 15, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780062418197
      • File size: 1446 KB

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780062418197
      • File size: 2005 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      May 15, 2017
      A nephrologist's memoir of navigating the kidney disease of a loved one.Grubbs (Medicine/Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital) came by her medical specialty honestly: she fell in love with and later married a man with end-stage kidney disease; a few months into their relationship, she donated a kidney to him. The author's absorbing first book leads with that personal interest story, but it doesn't end there. Moving around, occasionally confusingly, in time, Grubbs explores how an African-American girl from a country town in North Carolina came to become a doctor and move to San Francisco. She darts in and out of her experiences in medical school and residency, occasionally landing in a room with one of her patients. While her husband, Robert, is sometimes overly romanticized, the author doesn't sugarcoat much else in her life. Robert's kidney replacement, which took place after a long period of dialysis, hardly ended his struggles. It took several surgeries and a considerable amount of luck before the transplanted kidney started working properly. Other medical crises, as well as conflicts between Grubbs and her husband regarding treatment, followed. Revealing details about the experiences of both patient and donor during kidney surgery will enlighten those inside and outside the loop of kidney disease. Along the path to a career in nephrology, Grubbs fell in love not just with her husband, but with the kidney as an organ, with its hundreds of strands "like interlaced fingers." The author expresses clear, not always politically correct opinions about a medical system that she believes discriminates against blacks, encourages patients to continue dialysis even when it prolongs suffering, and spends money on patients not committed to their own care. Grubbs also includes a helpful appendix of frequently asked questions about kidney disease and treatment. The book will appeal specifically to those personally affected by kidney disease but should also fascinate anyone interested in the state of health care in the United States.

      COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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