Amy Silverstein (1964–2023)

Amy Silverstein shares her very personal and moving story of life with a transplanted heart at 25, and now at 50 needing another. To improve her chances for getting a new heart she must move from New York to California where cardiologists at Cedar-Sinai Hospital will treat Amy's deteriorating heart until a new one becomes available.

What makes Amy's case compellingly unique is that she is one of a group of professional, educated, resourceful strong and optimistic women who rally around her. They place their names on a master spreadsheet to take turns spending days at a time sharing Amy's hospital room. They leave their very busy personal and corporate lives to ..do whatever Amy needs done. And because she is very ill she requires so much care and encouragement. While frightened, overwhelmed and exhausted each friend puts her heart and soul into high gear mode. From mundane tasks of distracting Amy with outrageously cheerful room decor, or silly, girly gifts, or sending status emails to the email distribution list, helping her wash her thick hair, to deep heart-felt talks, to massaging her to relieve her pain. All these female companions do this and more out of the strong bonds of friendship, respect, care and love.

Amy acknowledges her deep gratitude with being blessed with many sister angels.

Well-written; Intelligent, inspirational and meaningful read.… (más)

I love a good medical memoir. Bring me your pain and your gore, oh writer! However, while I delighted in the many interesting facts about the heart transplant process and the patient experience, I was disturbed by Silverstein's attitude. I can sympathize with "difficult" patients and with moments of self-pity triggered by medical diagnoses and treatment, but Silverstein is unbelievably negative, ungrateful, and even hateful.

It is a miracle that this woman has survived for over 17 years with a transplanted heart. Despite a saint of a husband, a child, supportive parents, and understanding friends, Silverstein alienates herself in her selfish, small world. She has adopted the identify of a victim and is unable to move past that identity.

Most people die while waiting for a transplanted heart that never arrives. Of the few lucky patients who receive that coveted healthy heart, the vast majority die of complications within five years. This book is void of any insight or of any information that will help other patients in a similar situation. Silverstein is appalling ungrateful for the medical technology, not to mention the physicians, that extended her life. Silverstein's seventeen years of life after her procedure are unheard of, but I do not hesitate to say that these extra years were wasted on her.… (más)