After the Diagnosis: Transcending Chronic Illness
Julian Seifter (Author), Betsy Seifter (Contributor)
From Booklist
Diagnosed with type I diabetes at the start of his medical internship, kidney specialist Julian Seifter had to learn to accept his new self as a person with lifelong chronic illness, which is often at odds with his self-image of hard-charging achiever. Speaking as both physician and patient, he acknowledges the difficulty of such a life-changing transformation—“It’s hard to live in a body that doesn’t work right and to hold on to hope when the future’s uncertain,”—then offers strategies helpful in managing chronic challenges on a day-to-day basis and maintaining a positive, productive life. His maxims may seem simple, but they are not. “Be Yourself” emphasizes that the disease does not define the self. “Know Yourself” addresses the balance needed between denial and preoccupation. “Transcend Yourself” stresses the spiritual dimension. “Forget Yourself” means to uncouple from obsession. “Forgive Yourself” by letting go of guilt and holy hindsight. “Grow” via positive change, and “Share” by allowing dependency on others. Part memoir, part self-help, part questioning essay, Seifters’ helpful book about self, illness, healing, and life will have wide appeal. –Whitney Scott –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“A road map for dealing with chronic disease.”—The Wall Street Journal (selected as a Wellness Reading Top Pick for 2010)
“Whether a reader has a chronic illness, cares for someone with a chronic illness, or is simply trying to be a better clinician and person, [Dr. Seifter’s] wisdom is a rare gift. . . . After the Diagnosis can help all live with dignity and meaning.”—Journal of the American Medical Association
“I was the fortunate beneficiary of Dr. Seifter’s skill and insight as a teacher. His example — as a clinician and as a person — has informed my care of chronically ill patients ever since. Readers of After the Diagnosis will be similarly enriched by Dr. Seifter’s wisdom, and by his generosity in sharing his own experience. This pragmatic and compassionate text, warmed by Betsy Seifter’s contributions, will be welcome accompaniment for anyone living with or caring for chronic illness.”—Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, Co-founder, Partners In Health; Chair, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School
“A valuable book for people with chronic illnesses and their doctors.”—Science News
“After the Diagnosis takes us on a journey into the making of a doctor and the discovery of a serious chronic illness. That intersection has created Julian Seifter, a physician-patient hybrid with sensibilities that patients adore and many docs do not even understand.”—Richard M. Cohen, New York Times bestselling author of Blindsided and Strong at the Broken Places
“After the Diagnosis speaks to the millions of people living with chronic illness, as well as their loved ones.”—Lupus Now
“Here’s a doctor who understands his ailing patients all too well. Seifter, a noted kidney specialist, Harvard Medical School professor, and a diabetic, presents a poignant tribute to those who have faced their illness “in just the right way”: neither denying the illness nor becoming totally identified by it. And their stories offer an important lesson for the rest of us, too: when we’re sick, “tolerance, forgiveness, and acceptance” will help us stay alive with joy and purpose.”—Publishers Weekly
“Part memoir, part self-help, part questioning essay, Seifter’s helpful book about self, illness, healing, and life will have wide appeal.”—Booklist
“After the Diagnosis is an exquisite exploration of chronic illness as experienced by both patients and the author himself. Dr. Seifter shares with compassion and courage the wisdom of his patients and profound personal insights gleaned from many years as a clinician and patient. This is an immensely valuable book for physicians, students and patients.”—Katharine Treadway, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-author of Home Before Dark: A Family Portrait of Cancer and Healing
“Bridging the divide between doctor and patient, After the Diagnosis provides a timely perspective on the challenges of coping with chronic disease. By weaving together his personal narrative with stories of his patients, Julian Seifter offers rare insight on the ways disease can enrich rather than diminish life.”—Mark C. Taylor, Chair, Department of Religion, Columbia University and author of Field Notes from Elsewhere: Reflections on Dying and Living
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