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Almost Home: Stories of Hope and the Human Spirit in the Neonatal ICU
Birth, like death, can be a messy affair. Though we all wish for beautful, healthy nine pound babies, we know that isn't always the case. Premature births pose all sorts of problems that present medical and moral dilemas for doctors, nurses, interns and parents, as well as for the little babies struggling to live, to fill their little lungs with life's breath or get their hearts pumping blood through their little bodies. Some of the babies whose stories are recounted in ALMOST HOME make it all the way home, others do not, but the stories collected here simply must be told. Some are unbelievably sad, and you will cry when you read them; others tell of babies who survived and did well against seemingly impossible odds; still others are embarrassing, as Dr. Gleason chronicles her tentative early years as a doctor-on-training. Taken together, however, the stories celebrate the miracles of modern medicine, mourn its failings, and marvel at the strength and resilience of the human body and spirit so evident in these little babies, their families, and the dedicated people who staff the intensive care units. ALMOST HOME is a remarkable debut book, the power of which lies in its abiding humanity and its intensely personal portrayal of the often fragile beginnings of a human life.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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604 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 12, 2010
This book is written by a neonatalogist who has spent her career in the NICU. The overall path of the book takes you through her career while also touching somewhat on her personal life, but each chapter is devoted to a single NICU patient that she was involved in treating. It was a really interesting look into the life of the NICU, and I appreciated the fact that she did not shy away from sharing the hard stories where the patient doesn't survive and the outcomes are not good as well as writing about the uplifting overcoming the odds type cases.
May 19, 2009
It wouldn't hurt any of us to read this book. How these doctors and nurses do the work they do, and get up and do it again the next day, is just about beyond me---
November 17, 2012
In my world having a normal baby was just my view of the world. This book opened my eyes to the wonders of baby development and how so many mechanisms can go awry...leading to premature babies weighing no more than soup cans. Their struggles as seen through the NICU physician is both amazing and heartbreaking.
July 22, 2010
tentang perjuangan bayi-bayi prematur dalam memulai kehidupan mereka. juga dokter-dokter yang membantu perjuangan mereka.
bagus banget!
bagus banget!
March 12, 2019
After my sister's child ended up in the NICU, I decided to look for hope in this book. That is not what I found. However, I did find a book that perfectly presented the humanity (in all its glory and struggles) of hospital staff and doctors. Gleason's vulnerability should be commended as she openly displayed her ineptitude in certain early career situations, as well as outlined some short comings of the hospital culture and institutional norms. She celebrates her wins, but there of course aren't nearly as many of those as I wish there were described in these pages.
I often believe that the same grit that allows you to get through the training needed to become a doctor in America, is the same grit that stops you from being relatable to patients. The intelligence and straight balls it takes to make the life or death decisions needed to become a doctor, is the same confidence that can come across to patients as conceitedness or just becomes that in actuality. Gleason has that fierce doctor nature and doesn't hide it as she describes a win at identifying a rare birth defect just from memory on day one of her fellowship. The parents and families feelings on these same scenarios are described in less detail and sometimes even as an afterthought, even though, of course, we all know that this birth defect of their oldest child has just altered their entire life. For the doctor, they are one of 40 patients and only for several months. It just can't impact them the same way and it shouldn't. I really appreciated her honest perspective. I suspect her insane skill as a doctor has allowed for this type of "reveal".
I have a lot of hospital baggage from trials with my own daughter. This was a very affirming book for me and fantastically interesting. Heart breaking often, but simple to read. So glad Gleason is in the world doing her thing and admitting that sometimes she doesn't have all the answers.
I often believe that the same grit that allows you to get through the training needed to become a doctor in America, is the same grit that stops you from being relatable to patients. The intelligence and straight balls it takes to make the life or death decisions needed to become a doctor, is the same confidence that can come across to patients as conceitedness or just becomes that in actuality. Gleason has that fierce doctor nature and doesn't hide it as she describes a win at identifying a rare birth defect just from memory on day one of her fellowship. The parents and families feelings on these same scenarios are described in less detail and sometimes even as an afterthought, even though, of course, we all know that this birth defect of their oldest child has just altered their entire life. For the doctor, they are one of 40 patients and only for several months. It just can't impact them the same way and it shouldn't. I really appreciated her honest perspective. I suspect her insane skill as a doctor has allowed for this type of "reveal".
I have a lot of hospital baggage from trials with my own daughter. This was a very affirming book for me and fantastically interesting. Heart breaking often, but simple to read. So glad Gleason is in the world doing her thing and admitting that sometimes she doesn't have all the answers.
February 6, 2017
This book is a collection of stories, often dramatic, based on Dr. Gleason's career experiences starting as a pediatric resident, and working up to Chief of Neonatology. All of the stories are about newborn babies, most often premature. I read this on my wife’s recommendation, not thinking I would appreciate it. I was wrong.
Comparing the treatment of newborns with adult hospitalizations, some commonalities exist, but also differences. First, preemies are subject to special complications because they are not fully developed. The earlier they are born, the more severe these complications are likely to be.
Also, I was amazed to learn that, beyond size, a newborn’s anatomy differs from a young child’s. For example, before birth, a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus shunts the blood from the heart, away from the lungs. No blood enters the lungs because a fetus does not breathe. But after birth, this structure is no longer needed. Normally, within one month this vessel closes and becomes a small ligament. However, in preemies the ductus arteriosus can remain open, a serious condition that causes an abnormal blood flow that robs the newborn of oxygenated air.
The book also reveals much about how a hospital’s neonatal equipment and facilities must be specialized for newborns.
The author does an excellent job describing the patients’ progressions, along with with her thoughts and feelings at the time. Otherwise, this would be a hard book to read since many of the stories have sad endings.
Since the stories are sprinkled with reoccurring medical terms, an index would have been helpful.
Comparing the treatment of newborns with adult hospitalizations, some commonalities exist, but also differences. First, preemies are subject to special complications because they are not fully developed. The earlier they are born, the more severe these complications are likely to be.
Also, I was amazed to learn that, beyond size, a newborn’s anatomy differs from a young child’s. For example, before birth, a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus shunts the blood from the heart, away from the lungs. No blood enters the lungs because a fetus does not breathe. But after birth, this structure is no longer needed. Normally, within one month this vessel closes and becomes a small ligament. However, in preemies the ductus arteriosus can remain open, a serious condition that causes an abnormal blood flow that robs the newborn of oxygenated air.
The book also reveals much about how a hospital’s neonatal equipment and facilities must be specialized for newborns.
The author does an excellent job describing the patients’ progressions, along with with her thoughts and feelings at the time. Otherwise, this would be a hard book to read since many of the stories have sad endings.
Since the stories are sprinkled with reoccurring medical terms, an index would have been helpful.
June 20, 2017
In the acknowledgements, Gleason mentions that other publishers passed on this book thinking that it would be too difficult for readers. Having experienced so very many of the things shared in the book (including staged death and all the difficult decisions and the roller coaster ride of treatment ultimately to bring a child home after 304 days in the NICU) within the last 14 months, it was difficult for me to read. I cried often. At the same time, it was interesting to have a "behind the scenes" look at all of it. I remember thinking often during our journey how difficult the job must be for the nurses and doctors. The book confirmed some of that and it also shared how committed those who do it are. It is written as a series of short stories, each centered around one infant (or two in the case of twins), and organized to follow the author's career development. It could have been improved with some better editing around explanations of medical terminology and descriptions of procedure. Too often something that had previously been explained was explained again in a nearly identical manner, which I found to be distracting. In the end, I think I'm glad that I read it but would caution others who have experienced it to be ready to relive both the good and the bad should they choose to read this one.
July 11, 2009
A neonatologist recounts the stories of premature patients she has worked on.
One of the better books I have read in a long time. While the stories vacillated between hopeful and hopeless, it was completely engaging in every way. My only quibble would be that I wish there had been more of the more recent cases, instead of just one. I would have loved to read more about the newer technologies; instead we spend most of our time in the eighties.
One of the better books I have read in a long time. While the stories vacillated between hopeful and hopeless, it was completely engaging in every way. My only quibble would be that I wish there had been more of the more recent cases, instead of just one. I would have loved to read more about the newer technologies; instead we spend most of our time in the eighties.
March 25, 2012
Marvelous book of multiple cases which truly altered the author personally and professionally. Christine Gleason includes some medical jargon without losing humanistic readers lost in the labyrinth. Though occasionally rough emotionally, the book is well worth a read.
July 15, 2019
Buku yang sangat luar biasa! Penuh dengan luapan emosi, memiliki penggambaran yang realistis tentang bagaimana rasanya hidup dan berada dalam lingkungan tenaga medis dan tentunya memberikanku banyak sekali pelajaran dalam hidup. Terima Kasih!
May 15, 2022
What a wonderful read! Dr. Gleason is a neonatologist who shares stories of hope, loss, renewal, and love in the intensive care unit housing the most fragile of humans --- little babies. I adored this book.
March 12, 2023
Learned a lot about neonatology, preemies. Really brought to light the tough decisions that must be made by the parents, the docs, social workers. And became aware of the tremendous advances that have and are happening in medicine.
But found the writing style not quite up to par. At times situations were described very well, at others confusing. Procedures or acronyms sometimes explained, sometimes not. Could have used with better editing. A good read nevertheless.
But found the writing style not quite up to par. At times situations were described very well, at others confusing. Procedures or acronyms sometimes explained, sometimes not. Could have used with better editing. A good read nevertheless.
December 3, 2017
I was born prematurely as well, that's why I bought it.
I like it because maybe the stories were able to build an interconnection with the readers, especially those who born premature.
I like it because maybe the stories were able to build an interconnection with the readers, especially those who born premature.
March 24, 2019
Everyone, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and those who will never set foot in the NICU, should read this book.
January 9, 2022
A story of a neonatologist's career told through the stories of infants she worked with. (owned print copy)
August 22, 2024
Read this quickly. My specialty genre that I love so much because I used to be an X-ray technician. Great stories of love and dedication.
December 13, 2013
I have wanted to be a neonatologist since I was in 4th grade (2008-09). I read this book for the first time in the summer before 6th grade. Since then, I have read it nearly 10 times and continue to love it. It has enough medical terminology to satisfy my desire for the knowledge. However, it is also written in stories that are enjoyable. When you read it thoroughly there is a good chance that you will cry.
December 21, 2009
I was amazed at the medical professionals as well as the families go through with these tiny babies. The chapters are each named for one significant case in Dr. Gleason's career story and are quite moving in many ways. This is a small book, but really very important and interesting. It is a story of amazing triumphs and amazing sadness, too.
June 27, 2011
Since I don't have children, I ordinarily wouldn't be interested in a book about a Neonatal ICU, but it's the next one for my book group and once I started reading the preview on Amazon, I was hooked. I even bought it since I couldn't find it in the library.
April 20, 2012
An interesting collection of stories about babies in the NICU during Gleason's career.
January 25, 2020
I absolutely loved reading this book. This is definitely the right field of medicine for me.
December 31, 2012
A wonderful book! A NICU Doctor describes her experience with different premie patients. Well written and very informative. Highly recommended!
February 23, 2013
This book is perfect if neonatology is actually something that interests you. The stories are nice and short and she balances the happy stories with the sad ones very well.
April 6, 2013
Very good look at life in NICU.
September 5, 2013
An emotional look into a Doctors life in the hospital
October 18, 2013
I hate the title, but I love the book.
August 22, 2016
It was great. I'm glad our library had it.
June 4, 2009
Very affecting.
August 6, 2009
Touching stories about some of a doctor's experience in a neonatal ICU.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews