A Conversation with Nikki Polidori, Author of "Lamby: A Mother’s Journey Through a Twisted Medical System to Save Her Son"
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| Featured Author, Nikki Polidori Author of Lamby: A Mother's Story Through a Twisted Medical System to Save Her Son |
What is your book about?
It is about the struggle of being a parent as well as diagnosing a rare congenital heart defect. It is about never giving up and never letting your child down. It is about our messed up healthcare system and how medicine has become so mechanical that specialists can’t function outside of their specific system. My newborn left the hospital with a barking cough, not normal for anyone let alone an infant. From there, the text book symptoms got worse each week that went by, as my son was misdiagnosed or brushed off. With a list of doctors under our belt before 5 months of age, he had his first surgery to correct the cardiovascular defect. Little did we know that there was more going on…something “someone” forgot to tell us. He struggled to live a normal life and was always sick. Couldn’t play like a normal 3 year old, couldn’t eat well…we started worrying about his future. Then we discovered a problem that was even more rare. What came next was trying to find someone who could fix it; not an easy task when there isn’t even a name for this problem.
Why did you decide to write it?
I had this real life story, which when told to friends or acquaintances, always stimulated a “wow factor”. It usually was the quite abbreviated version but nonetheless a jaw dropping story. I wanted people to know about my son’s condition, to promote awareness, but also to support that a mother’s instinct is an amazing tool that should be listened to more often. I think mother’s have these feelings sometimes and disregard them. And having a little anger left over from the whole thing, I wanted everyone to know about the failed medical system we live in. Being a nurse, it made me even more angry, as I wasn’t completely ignorant to healthcare. That part needed some closure and somewhere maybe at least one of the doctors who failed us will read this book and realize they need to practice medicine better. Then maybe another child won’t have to go through the same hell that my son went through.
How did you get your book published?
I researched publishers as well as spoke to a few people I knew in the business who recommended self-publishing. I found a great company that is totally about customer service and support and they guided me through the whole process, quite painlessly.
What types of readers will be interested in your book?
I would assume parents can relate most to my book but anyone who has ever cared for a loved one who has been ill will have no problem empathizing with the story. It would also be a good read for healthcare practitioners as maybe it can be an eye opener for some of them who don’t usually listen carefully to parents. I think reading this book could help change the way a few doctors practice medicine, ultimately taking better care of their patients.
What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?
As with any memoir, My book is about survival, from a baby’s “point-of-view” as well as that of the parent, for different reasons, of course. It provides medical information for parents struggling to diagnose their child, as well as emphasizes the amazing connection a mother and child has, you know that “gut feeling”; quite a powerful and real thing. What makes it ultimately special is that the story itself is completely real. I lived it, my son lived it. It isn’t fabricated; it isn’t embellished. Although there might be other’s who have experienced a similar situation, a personal story is hard to duplicate and the emotion and experience that a writer describes in their story are distinct and unique.
Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?
This is my first book. I have to say that I have already started thinking of other things to write about. The publishing process was not at all painful and has excited me to pursue other topics and experiences. I also find myself encouraging others, who have mentioned writing a book, to go ahead and just “do it“, because I had such a great experience with self-publishing.
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Synopsis:
"Lamby" is a true story of a mother's struggle, with an often twisted health care system, to find out what was causing her infant son to be ill. From the day after his birth, Dylan had a barking cough; not normal for an adult let alone a newborn. With countless trips to multiple pediatricians, as well as a handful of specialists, all within Dylan's first few months of life, Dylan's mother, Nikki, heard conflicting diagnoses. Still nothing the doctors were doing was making her son better. He often stopped breathing, although for only seconds and would barely feed enough to stay hydrated while sometimes vomiting over 30 times in a single day. Nikki used the most powerful tool a parent has to push through the medical system to find an answer. Her background in nursing might have been one component to the nonacceptance of multiple diagnoses, but her intuition led the way, trumping radiologic scans and physician recommendations. The story takes place over the first four years of her son's life, recalling the events of his amazing yet frustrating journey from struggling to eat and breathe to the countless medical errors that occurred at a one of the top-ranked hospitals in this country to the legal cover-up that silently admitted it all; The result being an amazing four year old boy who had a chance to begin a new life after finding his "miracle" in an unexpected place.5-Star Review: This book is a quick read. I enjoyed the author's humor throughout the struggle to help her son. I was crying before the end, for all the trials and joys of finding an answer. I could relate to the struggle as a parent when we know there is something wrong, but instead are given pat answers. Bravo!
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About the Author:
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FOR MORE INFO
Website: www.lambybook.com
Blog: http://blog.lambybook.com
BUY THE BOOK
Outskirt: www.outskirtspress.com/lamby
Amazon: http://amzn.to/13f9TuV
B&N: www.bn.com