Book Review: Brain on Fire

You can find Brain on Fire by: Susannah Cahalan here.

I admit it. I have not been reading as much. I need to get back on my books! I used to read at least one book a week, lately I've only been reading my book club book each month. Netflix has drawn me into a few series. I need to step back and read more! 

I brought "Brain on Fire" to the attention of my book club after it was suggested to me while I was getting my hair cut. I hope that whoever cuts your hair is as fabulous as the lady that cuts mine. I've been going to her for ten years now, and will be very tempted to pack up my bags also if she ever moves far away! 

Warning: I'm not going to worry about spoilers too much with this review because it is a true story. 

"Brain on Fire" is written by Susannah Cahalan. She lived through the medical trials portrayed in the book. Cahalan began to experience some weird symptoms, such as paranoia and seizures. She didn't know what was causing them. Worst yet, her doctor did not know what was causing them. She went through multiple symptoms, and doctors, before they could finally find out what was wrong. 

Susannah Cahalan's body was attacking her brain. We are not talking any run of the mill disease here. She was only the 217th documented case as of 2009. She was very lucky that the right doctor happened to be near her at the time she was inflicted. Her brain was inflamed. Her body was continuing to attack it. They had to do two spinal taps to figure out what was wrong with her. 

She had lost her natural abilities to write and her speech was slurred. She hallucinated and lashed out at loved ones. There were multiple attempts to escape from the hospital "keeping her prisoner". 

The spiral into this disease was an extremely interesting one, from the outside at least! What makes this disease interesting, and frightening, is that it is often mistaking for many other things. Some people are diagnosed with schizophrenia, autism, psychosis, etc. Lots of other diseases that this one mirrors, which would seem like the more common answer. 

How many people are not as lucky as Susannah? How many people sit rotting in a comatose state, a state hospital, or worse a grave, because they were not diagnosed with the correct disease. That is terrifying. Especially, since misdiagnoses most often happens in children. Stamped with autism, never tested further. Simple measures could bring back the child that was before. 

That is the whole reason this book intrigued me. The people who are stuck in this disease from doctors who do not take the extra step. Spinal taps are not common place for checking for a disease that looks like something "common". Also, most people don't have access to some of the best doctors in the country. 

Towards the end of the book Cahalan mentions that her treatments cost $1 million. She also mentioned that whatever insurance did not cover, her family was fortunate enough to be able to pay in cash. How many families can state that as something they could do? 

I thought as I read the book. I would have died or stayed a vegetable if this were me. My family would not have had the resources nor the knowledge to get me the correct help. 

The book was not overly medical. I didn't find it complicated to read at all. Check out "Brain on Fire" and read all about this rare disease yourself! Luckily, with all the publicity this disease is catching wind and will hopefully not be so hard to diagnose. 

I gave "Brain on Fire" 4 out of 5 stars.