The Open Heart Companion: Preparation and Guidance for Open-Heart Surgery Recover

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Author: Maggie Lichtenberg Date of review: 09/11/2008 Number of pages reviewed: All

This book was about:

The book is all about preparing for open-heart surgery with lots of hints and tips about how to try and enhance your recovery.

Who might find this book useful:

It would be useful for those preparing to undergo surgery as it adds a touch of realism to the whole process and suggests issues and points that you may have missed because of being so caught up in the need for surgery.

It would also be useful for those caring for people undergoing open-heart surgery as it has a lot to say to those people as well.

It's also worth picking up if you've already been through open-heart surgery, it helps to know others have experienced what you're going through.

I liked / didn't like this book because:

I liked the book because it was easy to dip in and out of, you don't have to read it straight through but you can chose the most appropriate areas to you.

I didn't like the fact that it was very American - the writer is American and it talks a lot about the American hospital and health care system which obviously works in a different way to the British system.

You should / should not read this book because:

You should read this book if you need reassurance that others have been through open-heart surgery and come out the other side. It's also useful to read if you're not sure what to expect from recovery and how the whole experience might affect you. You should read this book if you're just not sure where to start when you find out you need open-heart surgery as it could help you get issues straighter in your mind.

You should not read this book if you're not keen on a slightly 'gushing' style of writing. The author is a life coach and she talks a lot about journeys, spiritual beauty and higher powers. If you can get past some rather flowery content, then there are some useful points for both patients and carers.

Katie Whitham

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