Tessa Miller

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

New York

A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt

"Should be read by anyone with a body. . . . Relentlessly researched and undeniably smart."
--The New York Times

Named one of BuzzFeed's "Best Books of 2021"

What Doesn't Kill You is the riveting account of a young journalist's awakening to chronic illness, weaving together personal story and reporting to shed light on living with an ailment forever.

Tessa Miller was an ambitious twentysomething writer in New York City when, on a random fall day, her stomach began to seize up. At first, she toughed it out through searing pain, taking sick days from work, unable to leave the bathroom or her bed. But when it became undeniable that something was seriously wrong, Miller gave in to family pressure and went to the hospital--beginning a yearslong nightmare of procedures, misdiagnoses, and life-threatening infections. Once she was finally correctly diagnosed with Crohn's disease, Miller faced another battle: accepting that she will never get better.

Today, an astonishing three in five adults in the United States suffer from a chronic disease--a percentage expected to rise post-Covid. Whether the illness is arthritis, asthma, Crohn's, diabetes, endometriosis, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, or any other incurable illness, and whether the sufferer is a colleague, a loved one, or you, these diseases have an impact on just about every one of us. Yet there remains an air of shame and isolation about the topic of chronic sickness. Millions must endure these disorders not only physically but also emotionally, balancing the stress of relationships and work amid the ever-present threat of health complications.

Miller segues seamlessly from her dramatic personal experiences into a frank look at the cultural realities (medical, occupational, social) inherent in receiving a lifetime diagnosis. She offers hard-earned wisdom, solidarity, and an ultimately surprising promise of joy for those trying to make sense of it all.

What Doesn't Kill You

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A riveting and candid account of a young journalist’s awakening to a life of chronic illness, weaving together her personal story with reporting to shed light on how Americans live with long-term diagnoses today. Tessa Miller was an ambitious twentysomething writer in New York City when, on a random fall day, her stomach began to seize up. At first, she tried to push through the searing pain, taking time off work and staying home, glued to the toilet. But when it became glaringly apparent something was wrong, Miller gave in to her family’s requests and went to the hospital—and thus started a years-long personal nightmare that included procedures, misdiagnoses, and life-threatening infections. Once Miller was finally correctly diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, she had yet another new battle to face: accepting that she will, in truth, never get better. Today, 3 in 5 adults in the United States suffer from a chronic ailment, whether the illness is Lyme, IBS, Crohn’s, asthma, depression, anxiety, diabetes, or any other chronic ailment. However, despite the prevalence of these illnesses and the impact they have on just about everyone—whether the sufferer is a colleague, a loved one, or you personally—there remains an air of shame and isolation around the topic. Millions endure these diseases alone, not only physically but also emotionally, balancing the stress of relationships and work amidst the ever-looming threat of health complications. Moving from Miller’s maddening yet all too relatable experience into a deeper look at how the medical community handles chronic illness, What Doesn't Kill You exposes the realities of what it means to accept a lifetime diagnosis, pushing past the good, the bad, and the ugly to offer wisdom and solidarity for those trying to make sense of it all.

Category - Non Fiction / Biography & Autobiography

Format - Paperback

Condition - Like New

Listed - 2 months ago

Views - 13

Ships From - New York

Est. Publication Date - Feb 2022

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What Doesn't Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt

ISBN: 9781250751478

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Category - Non Fiction / Biography & Autobiography

Format - Paperback

Condition - Like New

Listed - 2 months ago

Views - 13

Ships From - New York

Est. Publication Date - Feb 2022

Additional Information

What Doesn't Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness - Lessons from a Body in Revolt

ISBN: 9781250751478

Publisher Description

Tags

What Doesn't Kill You

By:

$5.00

Meet the seller

Discover more

What Doesn't Kill You

By: Tessa Miller

More from this seller

Additional titles by Tessa Miller

'What Doesn't Kill You' readers also enjoyed:

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