5 S.T.E.P.S. to Being Your Own Patient Advocate--Enhanced Edition - My Health. My Body. My Voice by Cristy L. Kessler, EdD

Cristy Kessler should be dead. The fact that she’s not is because she took charge of her own medical care. When Kessler took it upon herself to find out why she had spent her lifetime battling pain and illness, she embarked upon a journey of discovery in which she endured multiple treatments and procedures which resolved some, but not all, of her issues. Finally, armed with a diagnosis of multiple autoimmune diseases, she took charge and, with the help of a powerful team of doctors, identified the treatment that could save her life, a treatment denied by her insurance company and prohibited in the United States by the FDA. As Michael Seres, author of the blog, “Being a Patient Isn’t Easy,” and a transplant survivor himself, says in the Foreword, “With her book, she has been able to articulate in a very simple way the critical steps that every patient living with a long-term condition should abide by. She writes with complete honesty and lovely touches of humour….this is a book every single patient should read at least once. And, if you are a clinician, then this should be on your bookshelf or on your laptop as a constant reminder of the paths and decisions…patients have to take.” Throughout her medical journey, Kessler developed the skills and strategies necessary to act as her own patient advocate, which, in the end, saved her life. The five steps Kessler describes are Sensibility, Teamwork, Education, Perseverance and Patience, and Sustainability. In this genuinely compelling, honestly scripted, and engaging chronicle of her medical and personal journey, Kessler shares those strategies for others to use when faced with difficult medical situations. This enhanced ebook contains all of the pictures that appeared in the print version of the book, including additional ones, most of which are in color. There are also video links that help to illustrate Cristy's journey.